Slow down

Techniques > Conversation techniques > Closing the conversation > Slow down

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Just s l o w d o w n.

Talk at a slower pace. Pause between sentences. Use slow language.

Slow down your body too. Breathe more deeply (from the abdomen). curtail those jerky arm movements. Become more relaxed.

Rather than suddenly slow down, it can be more effective to gradually slow down.

Example

Hmm. That's interesting. Mmm. I need to think about that, I think.

That's about it. Weeell. Noowww. Mmmmm.

Discussion

Slowing down can seem like a way of making the conversation longer, but this is not necessarily the case.

First, when you slow down, you may slow the other person too. Like slowing down when your are running, slowing the conversation can lead to a complete standstill.

When the conversation it slowed, it is easier to call a halt with one of the other methods than when the other person is in full flow, talking nineteen to the dozen.