If you’ve never heard of the Pinter Pause or how to use it, this blog is for you.

From client meetings to one-to-ones with team members, management catchups to board meetings, conferences to webinars, we all spend a large proportion of our day speaking.

But when was the last time you stopped to think about how you speak?

How often do you try to improve your speaking skills?

For most people, the answer is “not very often”, which is why we welcomed Ed Darling, a leading speaking coach, to last week’s Yardstick webinar.

You can catch up with the hour-long webinar by rewatching it here.

Ed generously shared some incredible wisdom to make us all better speakers, and in this week’s blog, we’re going to summarise his top 10 tips for you.

#1. Improve your speaking by cutting out filler words

Ed explained how filler words like “um,” “uh,” “like,” and “you know” can be helpful in conversation, but when you’re the only one speaking, perhaps during a presentation, they become a distraction and a credibility killer.

To remove filler words, Ed recommends going through a process of developing vocal awareness.

He suggests paying attention to how other people use filler words and the distractions they cause. Then do the same with your own speech. Over time, this process will help you understand which filler words you use and how frequently. Then, you can work on eliminating them from your speech.

Ed also suggested using technology to help with this process by recording yourself and then transcribing your words using a tool such as Otter, highlighting the filler words.

Dan, our head of branding & design and one of our directors, who presents the webinars with me, also explained how we can use Loom to track the number of filler words we use. He recommended recording a presentation and then selecting the option in Loom to edit out filler words and seeing how much it cuts out of the recording. The results, Dan believes, might surprise you!

#2. Use the “Rule of Three”

The Rule of Three dates back centuries and improves both our writing and our speech.

It works because our brains are wired to recognise patterns, and three elements are the minimum needed to form one. The rule creates a sense of rhythm, balance, and completeness, making ideas easier to understand, remember, and recall.

Politicians in particular understand the rule of three’s power:

• “Veni, vidi, vici”, Julius Caesar
• “Get Brexit done”, Boris Johnson
• “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”, Abraham Lincoln

Therefore, it’s no surprise that Ed recommends using it to improve our speaking.

He explained the simplest way to harness the power of the rule is to break things into three using structures. For example, “past, present and future” allows you to discuss how things used to be, how they are now, and how they will be in the future.  “Problem, agitation, solution” is another example where the problem is explained, agitation explains the consequences of the problem, and the final part describes the solution.

#3. Use your hands to support your message

Ed explained how public speaking is a visual as well as auditory experience and how our hand gestures help our audience understand what we’re saying.

Ed’s solution for this, on video meetings, is effective framing to avoid being a speaking head. Instead, he suggests pushing your webcam back and tilting it down so other people on the call can see your upper body, while there is room in the shot for them to see your hand gestures.

#4. Poor sound kills your message

On our webinar, Ed said: “Your words might be great, your content might be great, but people won’t listen if the sound is poor.”

He recommends investing in decent audio equipment so people can hear you clearly; otherwise, you risk them tuning out very quickly.

And while we’re on the subject of your set-up, bad lighting makes you look tired and unprofessional. It can also damage your self-confidence.

So, as well as investing in a good-quality mic, make sure your lighting is up to scratch too.

#5. If you’re new to public speaking, start small

We all have to start somewhere.

Ed suggested that, rather than jumping into a keynote presentation, in front of a large live audience, inexperienced speakers should start small, where the stakes aren’t too high.

Options include:

• A LinkedIn Live, with a small audience
• An internal presentation, where the audience is more forgiving
• A panel discussion, where you’re joined on stage by other people.

Start where it’s safe to fail, then when it goes well, use that confidence to take on larger speaking engagements.

In no time, you’ll be giving your own TED Talk in front of a packed audience!

#6. Scripts can be dangerous

Nervous speakers often see scripts as a safety net. However, they can cause problems because speakers who lose their place in the script can struggle to get back on track.

Instead, Ed suggests using a framework. It gives speakers a track to follow, while also providing flexibility and safety if their mind goes blank.

#7. Remember the “Seven Second Rule”

Ed explained how, within the first seven seconds, we decide whether we like, trust, or want to work with the person.

These first impressions are formed mainly by body language because it’s the first thing people see. Therefore, Ed recommends we avoid negative body language and bad habits that create a poor first impression.

These include:

• Hiding our hands
• Crossing our arms
• Avoiding eye contact.

More positively, Ed explained how showing your palms can create a sense of trust, while raising your eyebrows can also help, as can maintaining eye contact during a face-to-face meeting or directly into the camera online.

#8. Create a great elevator pitch for face-to-face events

At face-to-face events, you’re bound to run into people who don’t know you. Indeed, for networking events, that’s the whole point of attending.

At some point, a stranger is going to ask what you do. When that happens, you’ll fall to your level of preparedness. That could be ineffective waffle, but, ideally, it’ll be the perfect elevator pitch.

A strong elevator pitch should be clear, compelling, and memorable. Ed recommends starting with a simple explanation of what you do, avoiding jargon and sparking curiosity.

If you have a niche, explain what it is.

Then move into what Ed calls the “Promise, Proof, and Process”:

• Promise: Lead with the big-picture outcome you help people achieve
• Proof: Back it up with a short line about your experience, credentials, or client results
• Process or pillars: Briefly explain how you do it in broad strokes, not technical details.

If the conversation continues, be ready to share your personal story, including why you do what you do, and how you got here.

Then rehearse it until it’s natural and let it evolve with practice.

#9. Use eye contact to create connection

Ed believes the best speakers aren’t afraid of eye contact and use it to create connection with the audience.

When presenting in real life, he advises against directing eye contact to just one or two audience members, as others may feel excluded. Instead, he recommends making eye contact with every person in the audience to make them all feel included.

If you’re presenting online, Ed explained how looking into the camera lens builds trust, while looking elsewhere (perhaps at a second screen) looks shifty or distracted.

#10. And finally, embrace the silence and master the Pinter Pause

Named after playwright Harold Pinter, this technique uses deliberate silence to build tension, create space, and let your message breathe.

Ed explained: “In Pinter plays, he would leave these long pauses where none of the actors would speak. It forces the audience to start filling in the gap and engage their minds. They’d be thinking about the play rather than having it spoon-fed to them.”

Ed encouraged us to use the Pinter Pause when you want a point to land, you want the audience to reflect, or you need to regain composure.

He encouraged us to get over our fear of silence and remember that it isn’t awkward. Instead, it’s one of the most powerful techniques speakers have at their disposal.

3 ways to work with Ed

If you’d like to improve your speaking abilities, there are three ways to work with Ed: a one-day Masterclass, his coaching programme, and team training.

To learn more, check out his website for more information and connect with Ed on LinkedIn.

Finally, click here to watch the recording of our hour with Ed.