SHOW WHAT YOU MEAN – BODY TALK

YOUR BODY TALKS!

Your ‘body language’ - gestures, body movements, eye contact, facial expression, posture - has a tremendous impact of your audience.

When you address a group of people they are constantly responding, consciously and consciously, to what your body is saying to them.

Research shows that 55% of your presentation’s impact is determined by your posture, gestures and eye contact; 38% by your voice tone and inflection; and only 7% by the content of your presentation.

BODY LANGUAGE TOOLS

Gestures

Gestures are the most expressive part of body language when you are speaking before an audience. Gestures involve the use of your hands and arms to illustrate your words.

Some basic gestures show:

•	Size, weight, shape, direction, location 

These physical characteristics call for hand gestures. 

“He went that way!” you may exclaim, as you dramatically point out the 
direction.

•	Importance or urgency 

Show your audience how important your point is. Hit your fist into your 
open palm.

•	Comparison and contrast. 

Move both your hands in unison to show similarities; move them in opposition to show differences.

Gestures can mean many things. Examples are:

•	clenched fists generally show power
•	you may clench a fist to urge your audience to take action
•	open palms mean giving
•	a forefinger pointing towards the ceiling means people should pay attention to what you are saying.
•	folding your arms across your chest projects strength and determination
•	clasping hands together in front of your chest conveys unity (a good gesture to use when you are emphasising teamwork or trying to resolve a conflict).

Body Movements

When you move around, you display energy and provide variety for the audience. 

Movement can vary, for example: 
•	Step toward the audience to emphasise a point.
•	Step back to show you have finished a point.
•	Move crosswise to emphasise that you are proceeding to another point.

You can also use movement to dramatise a specific point. For example, if you are describing a physical action such as catching a ball or running a marathon, act out your description by moving your body appropriately.

Eye Contact

Eye contact plays a major role in our impression of someone. 

When you look directly at people, they believe you care about them. They think you are sincere, credible, friendly, and honest.

These feelings have a great impact on your message and their willingness to accept it.

As you speak, look at the people in your audience. Don’t just gaze around the room. Look directly at one person until you finish a thought, then move on to another person.

Avoid looking repeatedly at the same person, wagging your head from side to side, or moving your head slowly back and forth like an oscillating fan. Don’t follow a specific pattern; make random eye contact. If the audience is large, pick out one or two people in each section of the room and look directly at each one so they get the impression you are talking to them directly.
Facial Expression

People watch a speakers face during a speech and take many cues about how they are supposed to react or feel from the looks on your face. 

Your eyes, eye movement, eyebrows, and mouth play vital roles in showing sadness, fear, happiness, anger, frustration, nervousness, excitement, boredom, interest, wonder, exhaustion, aggressiveness, confidence and uncertainty. 

When you show these feelings, your audience will emulate them.

You can show sadness by lowering your eyelids, turning down your mouth slightly, and bowing your head. You can show surprise of disbelief by widening your eyes and raising your eyebrows. To demonstrate happiness, smile broadly.

If you are talking about a terrible automobile accident, yet you are smiling and nodding, your audience will be confused, not sad. Your facial expression must be consistent with the feelings or information you are trying to convey, Otherwise, your audience will think you are insincere.

PURPOSE

Your movements should always be purposeful and add to your speech. 

When you have arranged your speech material, try several different ways of using your arms, hands and facial expressions to convey your message. 

Do not worry if at first if your movements are stiff and awkward. Natural positions and smooth movements will come with practice. 

SYNCHRONISATION

Match your gestures to your words. You should be compelled to gesture and make facial expressions when you thought requires such action. Just be certain that they flow smoothly as you speak or they will look silted and phoney to your audience. 

In the words of the old Chinese proverb, “Watch out for the one whose stomach doesn’t move when he laughs!”

THINGS TO AVOID

Avoid pacing back and forth, rocking or swaying. These movements are actually nervous habits and do little to aid your speech. In fact, they may even distract or irritate your audience.