And the Sorbet

Do you remember the last time you went to a French restaurant?  Even if you have never been to one, I’m sure you have at least heard of the art of fine dining and French cuisine.  In the little town where I went to college, a small, quaint, and historic restaurant stood on Main Street, called Au Petit Paris.  Every year on parents’ weekend, Mom and Dad took me there for dinner.  What a treat!  My first taste of escargot, lobster bisque, and frog legs smoothly passed my pallet like a blanket of decadent, delightful deliciousness.  I’ll admit you have to be somewhat adventurous to eat at a place like that.  But, I’ll never forget how special that restaurant made me feel.  With five courses to relish, we knew we’d have to carve out some major time to take it all in.  The French never eat fast! 

One thing that surprised me…. Sorbet in between the first and second course!  I thought, “Why would we have dessert after the first course?” 

Then my father explained, “Sorbet cleanses the pallet.  It helps us digest what we just ate.  And, it is supposed to help us get ready for the next course.”

That makes total sense!  And, it was tasty, too.

Years later, I often think of those wonderful evenings with my parents.  Unfortunately, the restaurant is closed now.  But, the flavor of the food still remains; just like the words of a good book; or a blockbuster movie; or a motivational seminar.  How can we help our words remain in the hearts of our audience?

It’s all about the sorbet!  When you finish a story or a point in your message, do you allow your audience to digest what you just said before you move onto the next point?  If you don’t, you’re allowing an incredibly valuable tool to slip away:  the PAUSE.  I call it a “sorbet moment.”

When you finish one point in your message, allow your audience to take a bite of sorbet.  This will give them a chance to digest what you just said so they are ready to move onto the next point with you.  Otherwise, one of two things will happen:  either they will be too busy trying to imprint what you just said.  Or, they’ll simply forget it all together in an effort to stay with you as you move forward.  Either way, you’ll lose them.

Think about this:  have you ever had a restaurant server bring you the next course before you were finished with the first one?  How did that make you feel?  Rushed?  Hustled?  Unimportant?  If you deliver your second point without giving your audience time to digest the first one, they’ll feel the same way.  Pause often;  Pause longer; Pause for sorbet.

Keep Powering Up!

Liza