The famous writer and performer, Terry Galloway once wrote, “Deafness has left me acutely aware of both the duplicity that language is capable of and the many expressions the body cannot hide.” What he meant is the fact that many-a-times, body’s gestures are far more influential than words. Wondering how?
Well, take an instance of public speaking. What will you infer if the speaker is standing straight with his hands crossed? Or, what if the person is incessantly tapping his/her feet? It clearly indicates that he/she is under-confident or unprepared. Likewise, there are other body language signs that are as important for your presentation as the content itself. Yet, are very conveniently ignored!
To give you a clear insight, here is a short list of few gestures that deserve your attention for a better impact on your audience.
- Failing to make an eye contact with the listeners or gazing at them with a plain look largely shows your lack of self-belief. So, it should be avoided.
- Slouching on the table, raising eyebrows, leaning against wall or swaying like a pendulum forth and back also leaves a negative impact.
- On a positive note, wear natural, friendly expressions on your face, look relaxed and lean forward during the course of presentation to show your focus.
- Keep a check on hand movements! Do not point or pass a remark at anyone! Rather open your arms wide to show a welcoming nature or hold notes in your hand if you are feeling aggressive.
Apart from the list, there are a few other basic gestures that can be monitored as these can make a great difference to your presentation. Even according to learned psychologists, your stance, facial expressions and gestures account for up to 60-80% of your presentation.
Now, in order to study the importance of body language, you need to set this thing clear in your mind that presentations are all about striking a clear line of distinction between the verbal and non-verbal communication.
Moreover, a comfortable body language leaves an impression over the audience that you are focused and well prepared. Alongside this, you also need to understand as to what types of gestures are to be used at which place. For example, in case of critical conversations, it is suggested to keep your expressions serious.
At every point, one has to ensure that none of the body postures or signs are conveying a wrong message, for it can break the essence of a presentation. So, the next time you deliver a presentation, keep a tab on the fact that your body language complements your words.
