The Strategic Pause

When the room drifts, the boldest move is to stop talking for a full five seconds.

The silence feels uncomfortable to hold, but it works on the audience, not on you. Heads lift. People look up to see why you went quiet and wonder what is coming next. The pause hands the room its focus back — and it costs you nothing.

Used right after a key line, the same silence gives the point room to land before you move on.