Non-verbal
communication, or body language, is an important part of public speaking. Your body language includes your posture,
movement, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact and voice. At the very least, your body language should
not distract the audience and with a little practice, it can help you convey
confidence and help the audience see your message more clearly.
Here are the most common gesture, movement,
posture and facial expression mistakes:
GESTURE
MISTAKES
·
Not using gestures at
all. If you keep your hands locked at your sides,
you will look nervous and your presentation will lack the visual element to
accompany and enhance your words.
·
Keeping your hand in
your pockets. This position leads down the slippery slope
to slouching and a sloppier posture. And
you also may unconsciously start playing with the keys or change in your pocket
(yes, I've seen – and heard – it happen!).
·
Fidgeting with your
hands. Be aware of what your hands are doing, such
as "washing" each other, grasping each other tightly, fiddling with
your watch or jewelry, etc. One of my
public speaking coaching clients rolled and unrolled his shirt sleeves while he
presented (we solved that problem by having him wear short sleeves). If you must hold something, such as your
notes or the PowerPoint remote, be conscious of how you are holding it. Too often the item becomes something for you
to play with unconsciously, or in the cause of notes, a crutch that prevents
you from looking at the audience.
·
Holding your hands
behind your back. This gesture usually resembles that of a
child reciting a poem at a school assembly. When not gesturing, your hands
should be in the "neutral position," hanging loosely at your sides.
·
Pointing at the
audience. Yes, your mother was right – it's not polite
to point. Try an open-handed gesture
instead.
·
Folding your arms
across your chest.
Even if you are only doing this because you feel cold, this gesture will most
likely be interpreted as your closing yourself off from the audience.
·
Gripping the podium. This gesture is usually
accompanied by the "deer in the headlights" look. If you're using a podium, place your hands
lightly on the top of it or in a relaxed hold on the edges.
·
Using stilted gestures. Your gestures should be natural and flow
smoothly rather than looking forced or robotic.
·
Using overly
rehearsed gestures. I once saw a speaker fall to his knees during
his speech, which was unnecessary and struck the audience as melodramatic and
insincere.
MOVEMENT MISTAKES
·
Moving without
purpose. Most of the time you should stand confidently
in one place rather than pacing back and forth or walking aimlessly. If you do need to move, it should have a
purpose. For example, walk confidently
to the front of the room before you begin speaking and walk with purpose to the
flipchart or to the computer.
·
Shifting from your
weight from one foot to the other. Many
people do this unconsciously and sometimes because their feet hurt (hint: wear
comfortable shoes!). Instead, stand with
your feet firmly planted on the floor, with your weight equally distributed on
both feet.
·
Hiding behind a desk,
podium or flipchart. If the room configuration is set up so you
are partially obscured behind something, then you have to rely more heavily on
your voice and facial expressions to convey meaning. If you are nervous and feel exposed when
there's nothing between you and the audience, practice, practice, practice – in
front of the mirror, on video, in front of a friendly group of colleagues. If you must stand behind something, do so
with assurance and not as if you are shrinking from the audience.
POSTURE MISTAKES
·
Standing too stiffly. Yes, you should stand up straight but it
should be natural, not like you are frozen at attention. Keep your shoulders back and hold your head
up so you can make eye contact. This
posture conveys confidence and helps you breathe more fully.
·
Slouching and keeping
your head down. Not only does it
prevent you from looking at the audience, but it also conveys nervousness and
makes it harder for the audience to hear you.
FACIAL
EXPRESSION MISTAKES
·
Not smiling, ever. Unless you are
delivering horrible news, it is appropriate for you to smile, even in a
business setting. Smiling will relax you
and, in turn, relax the audience.
·
Smiling too much,
especially when delivering bad news. You
may be smiling or even giggling because you are very nervous, but it undermines
the seriousness of your message and your sincerity. If you smile broadly or giggle while
announcing mass layoffs, for example, your audience will interpret it as a sign
of your lack of concern.
If you eliminate these body language mistakes
from your presentation, you'll come across as more confident and sincere and
you'll be able to communicate more effectively.
Your body language will reinforce your message to the audience rather
than distract from it.