By Vicki Salemi

Dear Reader>> In the age of social media when our attention spans have shrunk and we continue scrolling in a matter of seconds, how can you speak effectively at work to command attention in a meeting?

If you’re wondering if our attention spans have shortened, you’re not alone. According to a podcast on the American Psychological Association, the average attention span in 2012 was 75 seconds. As for now? It’s closer to the mid-40s. Coupled with scrolling on social media, streaming TV shows and movies online and how we consume media and content, it’s more important than ever to be effective in communicating at work to capture everyone’s attention without noise. This is especially significant if you’re creating online content about your work to keep this top of mind.

According to Bill McGowan, and CEO of Clarity Media Group, two-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and author of the new book, “SPEAK, MEMORABLY: The Art of Captivating an Audience,” 45 seconds is an ideal length of time to create a tease or promotional video. “A perfect example of this is the course I host on LinkedIn Learning called, ‘The Media-Savvy Executive.’ The video intro that teases the course is just over 45 seconds, but each video lesson is three minutes or less,” said McGowan.

If you’re delivering content, such as a speech, in person, preparation is key. McGowan said, “After your content is all set, and there’s not major editing left to be done, you should adopt an 8-to-1 ratio of rehearsal time to total running time. That means if you have a 15-minute speech to give, you should be practicing out loud for two hours. So, if your presentation is on a Thursday afternoon, run through it three times on Monday, twice on Tuesday, twice on Wednesday and once on Thursday morning.”

By then you should be well-versed in the material, so if there’s a technology malfunction or you’re without your slides, you’ll be able to power through the presentation. Rehearsing aloud is key.

“None of us ever makes a mistake running through our speech or presentation silently in our own heads,” said McGowan. “Only when you hear it, can you make the necessary adjustments in pace, pitch and projection. The goal is to never shortchange the prep time, no matter how good you get. Remember, it’s the diligent commitment to practice that made you better.”

Vicki Salemi is a career expert for Monster, an author, a speaker and consultant, TV commentator and former corporate recruiter. For more information, visit www.vickisalemi.com and follow her on Instagram @vickisalemi. Send your questions to hello@vickisalemi.com./Tribune News Service