Please Don't Pace
There's a common activity I see on stage that I feel needs to be addressed and nipped off at the ankles.
I call it "The Pace."
This is that habit that many — arguably most — speakers have of pacing back and forth across the stage. Many folks, such as executives, coaches, and sales people can deliver a sense of authority and magnitude even as they pace. It seems like there's nothing really wrong with this, right? As long as the rest of the delivery works?
Sadly, there's quite a bit wrong with "The Pace." There are three points in particular worth expositing:
- The Pace is done out of habit, nervousness, or worse, it comes from a misguided sense that "prowling" the stage like an animal makes the speaker seem more powerful. (Really, a pacing animal is often distressed or getting ready to pounce on its prey; neither vibe is attractive to an audience.)
- The Pace distracts the audience. The constant moving back and forth can quickly become monotonous, draining the audience's cognitive reserves and lowering their attention span. It may even cause some anxiety, if the movement is too frenetic; especially relative to the context or tone of the speech itself.
- The Pace is serves no contextual purpose, nor is it a style component of the speech. It does not support the structure of the speech, or does it aid in memorizing the speech topic. The Pace is not done done with any deliberation.
On stage "The Pace", if executed with confidence, can look quite impressive. However, because it is external to the speech and an often habituated action, it doesn't contribute to the audience's attention; rather it detracts. A key aphorism in creating a solid speech is "Waste not, want not." Consider that speaker's words and audience's attention are both precious commodities. Don't waste the audience's mental time with extravagant extras, such as "The Pace." Save the extravagance for another time, another place.
The speech itself should be the the locus of attention for the audience. Not the speaker's ankles.