In a world where everyone has an opinion and a platform to share it on, it can be easy to underestimate the power of silence in commercial conversations. Silence can be awkward. We can feel uncomfortable and rush to fill it before the pause stretches too long. Yet, the most powerful communicators aren’t always the ones who speak the most. They’re the ones who recognise that silence isn’t a gap to be filled, it’s a strategic tool to be used.
Here are five reasons silence deserves a place in your commercial toolkit.
1. Silence helps you truly listen
Think back to the last time you felt truly listened to. Not interrupted or rushed. How did it make you feel? As Epictetus said, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”Listening with the intent to understand, rather than planning what you’ll say next, is one of the fastest ways to build trust and rapport. Whether it’s understanding a customer’s pain points, supporting a colleague on a project or strengthening relationships with suppliers, silence creates space for the other person to speak and for you to notice what’s happening beyond the words.
2. Silence helps your message land
Whether you’re pitching an idea, presenting to a board or leading a team meeting, a well-timed pause can be incredibly powerful. Silence after delivering a key point signals importance. It helps you land your messages and allows the listener to digest what you’ve just said. Many people find this hard to do in practice. Especially when presenting nerves kick in. It can be tempting to rush your words to get it over with. Instead, try slowing things down and pausing. You’ll be surprised how much more impact your words have when you give them time to settle.
3. Silence gives you valuable thinking time
High-stakes situations often come with pressure to respond quickly live in the moment. Silence can buy you time to process information, consider options and improve your decision-making. It prevents you from acting impulsively and encourages you to adopt a more measured course of action.
4. Silence helps you regulate your emotions
When conversations get heated, silence can be a reset button. Pausing and taking a deep breath can help you draw on your self-control to manage your emotions. This ability to shift from reacting to responding is a core emotional intelligence skill. Silence can help diffuse tension, slow things down, and allow both sides time to regain composure before moving forward constructively.
5. Silence strengthens your negotiating position
Silence is one of the most underused tools in negotiation. Once you’ve clearly made your ask, staying quiet prevents you from using ‘weak speak’ those words and phrases that inadvertently undermine your negotiating position. It also shifts the responsibility to the other person to respond. This helps convey confidence and allows you to stay ambitious throughout the negotiating conversation.
Finally, it’s important to bear in mind that silence can sometimes be used negatively as power play. Using the silent treatment will quickly undermine trust. Once trust is lost, it’s difficult to rebuild. However, used with the right intention, silence becomes a powerful tool. Knowing when to speak and when not to, allows silence to strengthen understanding and connection. So, the next time you feel the urge to fill the pause, take a breath and let silence do some of the work for you.
We’d love to hear your thoughts. Where have you seen silence make the biggest difference in commercial conversations?
