In a high-stakes interview, the interviewee used a 'pregnant pause' and spoke slowly instead of using filler words. This projected thoughtfulness and control. In contrast, the interviewer's rapid speech and verbal fillers undermined her credibility and ability to connect with her subject.
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Most salespeople fear silence and rush to fill it, appearing insecure. By intentionally embracing silence, you reframe it as a tool. It signals confidence, gives the buyer critical time to process information, and, like a pause in a performance, can make them lean in and pay closer attention.
Counterintuitively, AI responses that are too fast can be perceived as low-quality or pre-scripted, harming user trust. There is a sweet spot for response time; a slight, human-like delay can signal that the AI is actually "thinking" and generating a considered answer.
Citing Oprah Winfrey, Rubenstein argues the key to great interviewing is not having the best questions but being a great listener. True listening allows the interviewer to pivot and follow up on unexpected answers, turning a rigid Q&A into a genuine conversation that uncovers far deeper insights than a prepared script ever could.
Beyond transcription, advanced AI tools can analyze an interviewer's live performance. They offer feedback on tonality, vocabulary, use of open vs. closed questions, and even body language, turning the AI into a powerful tool for improving human soft skills and communication.
Research from institutions like Columbia University shows that salespeople who wait up to eight seconds after the final ask close 30% more sales. This fights the natural tendency to fill the silence and gives the prospect crucial time to process and respond.
An interviewer's goal is to learn, not to talk. By dominating the conversation, as when the interviewer's question was twice as long as the answer, nothing is learned. A good rule of thumb is to limit your own speaking time to 10-15% to maximize information gathering.
To elicit candid answers from fund managers, the most effective technique is not the question itself but the silence that follows. Resisting the psychological urge to fill the space forces the manager to sit with the question, often leading to less rehearsed and more truthful responses.
Talking too fast (like a "New Yorker in California") isn't just a stylistic mismatch; it implicitly tells the customer the relationship is about you, not them. Adjusting your pace is a powerful, non-verbal way to demonstrate empathy and show you are willing to meet them in their world.
In a tense meeting or interview, focusing on summarizing the other person's points serves a dual purpose. It makes them feel heard, but more importantly, it gives your own nervous system time to settle. This shifts focus outward, reducing internal anxiety and allowing you to respond more calmly and effectively.
A simple act of pausing to ask for clarification when you don't understand something demonstrates genuine engagement and active listening. This small gesture can be more persuasive to a prospect than a flawless pitch, as it shows you are prioritizing understanding over just speaking.
