Speaking slower equals communicating better

Reduce your "speech velocity" to achieve more

Excerpt: With a talent for articulating 586 words per minute, actor and pitchman John “Motormouth” Moschitta Jr. made a career out of speaking really fast.

But research from Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger shows that speaking slowly also has benefits.

In social interactions, speaking a little more slowly makes people seem more empathetic, which leads others to like them more and be more satisfied with the interaction. That’s the finding in “The Power of Speaking Slower,” a study co-authored by Berger and Giovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo, marketing professor at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

“When you’re talking to someone, and respond a little more slowly, it signals that you’re thinking about what to say and not just rushing,” Berger said. “It suggests that you care more about the person you’re interacting with, and as a result, has positive consequences.