Body language is a huge subject. There are numerous books written about it. Some people are naturally great (or have practiced hard to become great) at using the many nuances of body language when speaking. I’m not one of them (and that’s OK as I’ve mentioned in other blogs). But I appreciate the importance of mastering the basics to become and appear more confident as a public speaker. These aspects of body language are relevant whether you’re presenting on an open stage, behind a lectern, seated around a table or online.
Awareness
The first thing to learn about body language is to be conscious of it. As with a lot of public speaking skills, the more you’re conscious of it and incorporate good habits, the more natural it becomes to do so unconsciously.
Firstly remember you’re on stage/camera. Be interested/engaged in other speakers. Watch how you sit/stand to ensure you look comfortable and present. It does not create a good impression for the audience if one person on stage is speaking, whilst another is staring off into the distance appearing bored and uninterested.
Eye contact
The best way to build connection with your audience is to look at them.
When speaking make sure you look at the audience (or directly into the camera if online). Not down. Not up. Not at someone off stage. It’s often tempting for someone on a panel to look at the questioner. Whilst that’s polite when listening to the question, when answering, remember to look at the audience.
Where you look and how often you move your focus will depend on the size of the audience. Try to give all parts of the audience equal attention throughout your speech.
Cut out fidgeting
One of the best ways to project confidence (even if you don’t feel it), is to make sure you don’t fidget on stage. These are often unconscious nervous actions. To cut them out, you need to be conscious of them, and stop doing them.
If you click a pen, don’t have one with you. If you play with a piece of jewellery, take it off. If you rattle your keys in your pocket, remove them.
Start from a position of strength
I’ve seen a few people presenting with their legs crossed. Not only does it not look comfortable, it isn’t stable. I spend their presentation worrying about whether they are going to fall over.
The first thing I learnt that made me feel infinitely more comfortable as a speaker was standing with my legs hip width apart, feet facing forwards. Simple, but effective. It may not feel natural at first, but it looks it – projecting stability and confidence.
You can apply the same to sitting comfortably – ground your feet and keep your body straight.
Get feedback
We all have things that we do when we speak, which may look strange to other people. I’ve been told during speeches I looked like I was holding a handrail with one of my hands. I had no idea. The only ways to know are either to video yourself or ask someone else to tell you. Once you know, you can make an effort to change whatever it is.
Be purposeful
If you can master the basics, you can move on to more advanced body language. The key being ensuring every movement is congruent with what you are saying. Move and gesture with purpose, not randomly.
And (perhaps unsurprisingly) the best way to improve your body language when public speaking? Practice.
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
