Public speaking is one of the most common phobias. As a result, many people experience the podium with dread and an eagerness to finish and sit down as quickly as possible.  But rushing through a speech limits a speaker’s ability to use two of the most simple and powerful tools:  pacing and pauses. Many of us fear that pacing too slowly may bore an audience.  We assume that speed creates drama and excitement, but the opposite can also be true.  When a speaker takes time and utilizes appropriate pauses, it gives the listener that change to process those words and to allow them to sink in.  It creates impact listeners and helps them build memory. Pacing and pauses can be especially powerful when delivering remarks on an emotional topic is emotional, upsetting or difficult to comprehend.  Done well, this technique can also convey genuine emotion and authenticity from the speaker. I suspect Anthony Blinken had little opportunity to prepare for his remarks this week about the situation in Israel.  He’s an experienced speaker with natural abilities, but clearly, this was no ordinary message, and his delivery was nothing less than remarkable.   Listen to three minutes of his response to a question during a press briefing October 12 (begin at 1:20). “It’s hard to find the right words…it’s beyond what anyone would ever want to imagine…much less see…. and God forbid actually experience…A baby, an infant riddled with bullets…soldiers beheaded…young people burned alive in their cars or in their highway rooms…I could go on, but…it’s simply…depravity in the worst…imaginable way…it almost…defies comprehension.”  “For any human being to see this…it’s really almost beyond anything that we can comprehend, digest…And I just add that when you see this, you try to imagine…maybe not try…you can’t HELP but imagine yourself…your family…your loved ones…your friends in that situation, in that predicament…. Maybe the best word for it for me is overwhelming. I think what it’s done….it has united a country in profound grief… but also united a country in resolve….and It’s imperative that the rest of us share that resolve. I said this earlier, this is a moment for moral clarity.  This is a moment where everyone needs to make clear…that there is… revulsion…disgust…and a determination…determination not to allow this to go forward. So…images are worth a thousand words. These images…may be worth a million.” When Blinken spoke, I was riveted not just by the content, but by his delivery. His pause after each image he described gave me time to build that image in my mind and to fix it there forever.  No doubt, he didn’t plan this delivery as it was a response to a question, but his skill was evident in his delivery. When I prepare speeches for myself or others, I deliberately include ellipses (more simply called three dots) or PAUSE in capital letters as a visual reminder to avoid rushing.  We must allow the listener to process and absorb the message we are sending. The next time you need to deliver an important or emotional message, remember Anthony Blinken on that very day.  He took his time. and many of us used that time to build memories about the message.  Simple, powerful and impactful.