"auctioneers are assumed to do one thing: talk. A lot. Which is why most people are shocked to learn that the most powerful tool I like to use on stage isn't my voice at all. It's silence. When I'm onstage in front of 500 people, yes, fast, energetic bidding can electrify a room. But in auctioneering, as in negotiation, the person who is comfortable with silence holds the advantage."
"After years in the boardroom and on stage, here are the top three lessons I've learned about how silence can capture the attention of any room: 1. When a room is talking, don't talk over it. Own the moment. If a crowd won't quiet down, talking louder rarely works. Instead, I smile and say, "I'll wait until the room is quiet enough to hear me." The shift is immediate. People realize they're missing something or they are being rude, and they stop."
Auctioneers are commonly assumed to rely on rapid, continuous speech and energetic banter. Silence functions as a strategic communication and negotiation tool that can command attention, control pacing, and prevent premature concessions. Waiting silently when a room is noisy encourages participants to quiet down and signals that the speaker will not compete for attention. Delivering a point and then stopping prevents overexplaining and reduces information leakage. Practicing deliberate silence during bidding and negotiations shifts dynamics in favor of the party who tolerates quiet, increases perceived authority, and prompts others to reveal more or align with the pace set by the silent party.
Read at Fast Company
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