Week 3 of Performative Speaking with @RobbieCrab was packed with so much goodness...

A thread about:
- the power of silence
- how to have better conversations
- using tactical discussions to your advantage
- making an impact with sentences, pacing, and rhythm

Silence is one of the most powerful tools to use when speaking.

Use it to...
- emphasis a point
- give yourself time to think
- be in control of the situation
- give your listeners time to process what they heard
- signal that you're done

Going silent feels uncomfortable. Get used to that feeling.

Especially when negotiating, silence lets you place pressure on the other person to respond.

Ask your question, make your offer, and go silent. Trying to fill the void with words weakens your position.

To have better conversations...

- let the other person talk uninterrupted
- don't try to overdo what they've said
- use their name
- really listen to what they're saying
- ask open-ended questions that start with how, what, when, where, who, why

Every conversation is worth having. You'll never know where it might lead you.

Let the other person be the hero of the conversation and soon you'll be seen as the hero.

Tactical discussions are conversations with a particular goal in mind.

For example: asking for a raise, persuading friends to go to a particular restaurant

Plan your approach carefully.

Using sentences the right way when speaking:

One thought or idea per sentence only.

Keep them short and simple.

Skip elaborate sentence structures.

Clarity is crucial when speaking.

If your audience doesn't know what was said...

They won't know how to feel...

And they won't know how to react.

Changing your pace and rhythm in speaking is like bolding in writing. It changes the mood behind your words.

Speed up to create excitement and anticipation.

Slow down to create drama and emphasize a point.