Back to: Effective Presentation Skills
Identify distracting habits
We all have idiosyncrasies and personal mannerisms, habits of movement – fiddling with glasses, twirling hair, tapping fingers, and so on. In isolation they are fine. It is the repetition of them that becomes distracting. Get feedback to identify any that you need to control.
Gestures
The overall energy of a presentation is enhanced by the use of gestures and limited movement. When under the spotlight, and concentrating hard, the temptation is to remain rooted to the spot. Dynamic gestures and movements reinforce the ideas of the speech. Make gestures larger to a larger crowd – without overdoing it to the point where it appears contrived or conspicuous. Don’t stand as if with two frying pans tied to them. Gesture as you normally would in conversation.
Posture
Stand or sit with a relaxed but alert and purposeful posture. Standing is better while presenting: it focuses attention on you and gives you a better view of the audience. If you can be comfortable without a lectern, great. If the psychological support helps, take advantage of it.
Movement
It is usually good to move for the same reasons as for gesture. Movement adds variety and emphasis. You can move toward or into a certain section of the audience. It relieves boredom and tension. Movement works best at transitional moments, to signal a change in mood, content, or form.
Movement should be purposeful, relevant and motivated by the content of your speech. Sometimes speakers wander around the platform without apparent aim, creating a distraction. Don’t pace around, shuffle or rock.
Maintain eye contact
Be familiar enough with the material that you can look at as many members of the audience as possible, as often as possible. Eye contact denotes openness and interest; looking away or down is a sign of insincerity or shiftiness. Children do not look you in the eye when they lie. If you find eye contact hard to sustain, look at people’s foreheads, or between audience members, so it seems to them as if you are looking into their eyes. Real eye contact is better though, as it enables you to see listeners’ faces to get feedback on how the message is being received.
Facial expressions
Slightly exaggerate facial expressions. Smile genuinely to reinforce your message: it is one of the easiest ways to establish a rapport, show goodwill, and put audiences at ease. But don’t overdo it like George W Bush, who forces a contrives little smirk at the end of every sentence.
Our voices and facial expressions will naturally convey feelings. The best approach to expressing them is to allow emotions to arise spontaneously as you speak. The feelings come from your conviction and by tapping into your experiences. Don’t force them. The audience will probably detect it if you are being less than authentic.