by Lisa Evans | May 13, 2021
When you take steps to improve your public speaking, there are many things to consider. Body language and, in particular, what to do with your arms and hands is one area.
It’s unlikely that you gave your arms or hands much thought before you decided to improve your presentation style; they do what they do. But when we are trying to learn or improve something, we become self-aware. And that can lead to feeling self-conscious and over-thinking.
The aim is to keep your arm gestures natural and fluid and ensure that your hands are not distracting. We want to come across as genuine, authentic and relaxed.
Five things to do with your hands and arms
#1 Relax
If you feel stressed about speaking in public, you are most likely to hold tension in your upper body. This tension can result in your shoulders creeping up towards your ears and your arms pinned tightly to your sides. Stiff arms result in jerky and awkward looking movements, and this can result in having your hands moving in front of your face.
Aim to get comfortable when you speak in public. Reducing any nervousness and including a breath, vocal, and body warm-up is essential for your public speaking success. Focus on adequate breathing rather than shallow high breaths, and you can adopt a simple breathing pattern such as box breathing.
If you fear public speaking and would like help to get comfortable, consider working with an experienced public speaking coach.
#2 Move with purpose
When people are nervous, their hands often flit about and fidget. When they’re confident, they are either still or move with intent.
When you observe a speaker, you may notice they use on particular gesture repeatedly, or they may use gestures that distract rather than enhance.
Give your hands some thought as part of your preparation to aim for natural movements that don’t take people away from focusing on your message.
One way to accomplish a stillness in your upper body is to clasp both hands together in a relaxed pyramid (thumbs lightly touching at the top and fingers at the bottom). Then rest your hands around waist height. The pyramid is one resting position for your hands. However, I recommend mixing it up a bit, so it’s not the only resting position you use.
The ideal position for your hands is somewhere between your waist and your shoulders.
When Bill Clinton began his career in politics, he often used expansive, large arm gestures. Body language experts said that these gestures came across as untrustworthy. His communication advisors told him to imagine a box in front of his torso and contain his hand movements within that area. The “Clinton box” became a popular term.
#3 Own your space
When we feel stressed, we tend to shrink and make ourselves small —rounding the shoulders and adopting closed postures. Your arms may gravitate to a folded position, and you may default to clenching your fists or clasping your hands. These outwardly visible movements are a giveaway that you are not feeling confident.
According to the psychologist, Dr Russ Harris, author of The Confidence Gap, the actions of confidence come before the feelings of confidence. We get to choose what we do with our hands; it’s an action of confidence. Despite feeling uncomfortable, we can avoid wrapping our arms around us and instead adopt a more resourceful posture.
You may like to try power posing, made popular by social scientist Amy Cuddy . Your mindset and how you show up with open postures may help you feel more confident. It takes practice.
When you present in a larger space with a bigger audience, then aim to match your arm gestures with more expansive movements. Your audience won’t see small hand gestures from the back of the room. Don’t be afraid to take up the space you need.
#4 Record and review
Video is an excellent tool for reviewing your performance. The recording will enable you to assess your body language for congruency and bring any unnecessary movements or areas to address. Ideally, record every presentation you give; even if you record a few minutes, it is helpful to observe how your body reacts to any stressful situation. Some movements that you see on camera, you are probably not aware that you are doing.
When you review your video, consider the following,
- Are my arm/hand movements smooth?
- Do I have symmetry in my body, or am I using one arm/hand mainly?
- Are my arm/hand movements supporting what I say, or are they distracting?
- Are there any arm/hand movements that I repeatedly use?
Most importantly, aim for congruence so that your message and body language are aligned.
#5 Consider your audience
Knowing your audience is a vital part of presentation planning and delivery. When it comes to body language and hand gestures, some movements are taboo in some countries.
The “Ok” sign is a familiar gesture to indicate a positive reaction, but in France, the symbol means “nil” or “worthless.” And, in Venezuela, Brazil, and Turkey, the gesture is offensive, especially to LGBTIQ+ people.
In summary, there is a lot to consider about your body language when learning to improve your public speaking. Aim to be as natural and authentic as you can. Develop your style and when you are setting out, try not to overthink. Record and review your talk so that you can observe and correct any stray or unwanted gestures. There are a number of articles in my blog series on non verbal communication that may interest you. Browse them here.
About the author
Lisa Evans helps professionals to craft compelling business stories and become exceptional speakers. Lisa is a certified speaker coach, TEDx speaker coach, four times author, NLP practitioner, graphic recorder and visual storyteller, and improvisational actor.
She has coached thousands of leaders across a range of industries, including resources, banking, finance, engineering, retail and sales as well as not-for-profit and community associations.
If you wish to take advantage of a complimentary session in order to chat about how you can become an exceptional and successful speaker with a stand-out brand, then use this link to book a time to chat.
Here’s how I may help you
My services include:
Business Storytelling Coaching – together we can get started to create your suite of stories.
Executive Speaker Coaching – if you have an upcoming guest speaking opportunity, funding pitch, conference talk or you want to be an outstanding speaker, we can work together on your technique. You will see the results after one session.
Tailored Workshops – I can come to you, or we can host a workshop offsite for your team. From half-day to two-days immersive, this customised workshop is an ideal way to kick start your business storytelling strategy and get the whole team telling stories.
Keynote/Guest Speaking either in person or via virtual means at your next conference or event.
by Lisa Evans | Apr 28, 2021
If you want to fulfil your potential and become an engaging, authentic and persuasive leader, you need to develop your storytelling skills. Business Storytelling is one of the key Soft Skills that help leaders communicate effectively.
The most memorable leaders throughout history have always been outstanding storytellers; Gandhi, George Washington and Julius Caesar used the power of story to inspire their audience, inspire action and spark positive change.
Although most of us aren’t trying to revolt against oppressors or lead a revolution (hopefully!), we too can use stories to achieve our unique business and career goals and get our teams engaged.
Every ambitious leader should be willing to embrace storytelling as an alternative way to open up communication and build a more promising future for all. Here’s why.
Why stories are an effective tool for communication
Stories have been a natural part of our history since time began. Almost every culture around the world has a strong tradition of sharing stories with others, whether that’s through oral storytelling, books or even our modern digital storytelling.
We love them because they help us to make sense of our lives and bring them meaning. They evoke emotions, stir our senses, spark our imagination and if they resonate with us, can even cause levels of the bonding hormone, oxytocin to spike.
But that’s not all- according to a 2017 study published in the Nature Communications Journal, stories are a uniquely human way of fostering cooperation in a social group and sharing cultural expectations. If you are the storyteller, you have a greater chance of being trusted, climbing up the social hierarchy and even having healthier offspring.
It’s hardly surprising then that storytelling is a powerful tool when it comes to business communication.
Stories can communicate messages and share values in a way that bare scientific or statistical fact can’t.
If you, as a leader, can share your data or information into a compelling story, you’re much more likely to drive engagement, your message will become more memorable, and trust will grow. By using story, you give your listeners a reason to keep striving for a better world.
Why your story is worth sharing (even if you think it’s not)
You’re likely nodding your head at what I’ve just shared. You’ve already read your fair share of books, watched numerous TED talks, and poured over the studies that encourage you to use storytelling to unlock your public speaking power.
But the problem is, you don’t believe that you have any stories worth sharing.
Or you think that others just wouldn’t be interested in what you have to say. Or you’re clueless when it comes to selecting the right stories to share and how to structure them for the best impact.
However, you can learn how to tell inspiring stories, even if you believe that you are hopeless. Although there are one or two gifted storytellers in the world, most of us learned through dedicated focus and attention, and you can do the same thing.
By identifying the most relevant stories to convey your message, tailoring your story for the environment, monitoring how people react and getting plenty of practice, you can perfect your storytelling skills.
Master the art of storytelling for leaders
Becoming an outstanding, engaging storyteller depends on three key pillars:
1) Choosing which ‘type’ of story you want to use
2) Identifying the right story for your audience.
3) Understanding how to structure stories so they have the greatest impact.
Let’s look at each of these in turn.
Which type of story
There are several stories that every leader should have at the ready. The first story you should begin with is the Signature Story. This is a story that is about you and your journey, but also includes how you help others (we want to avoid ‘all about me’ stories!).
Decide which story to use
Next, you should consider which of your stories will resonate with your audience(s).
This story doesn’t have to be long. In fact, a short story is better as you simply want it to complement your message, not take over entirely.
Select the stories that are likely to resonate with your audience and aim to weave a few through your presentation so they appear effortless.
When you manage to choose the right story for the right moment, you can create an immersive experience for your listener so they feel like they could be part of that story. Your audience will relate better to what you are sharing, you’ll foster trust and you’ll be more likely to inspire positive action.
And yes, it is possible to do this in a shorter time than you think.
If you’re stuck for ideas, you can create a story bank that includes details of the things you’ve seen, heard or observed an experience that has had an impact on you. Just jot them down and then you will be able to refer to them later.
Perfect the structure
An effective short story for presentations should follow the shape of an arc. It should have a clear beginning, middle and end and should be able to get a point across in a short time. There are three main elements to a story;
- Context: E.g. “Once upon a time…”
- Challenge: What happened to disrupt the status quo, and then what?
- Change: What did you/they do about it and how are you/they different now?
Conclusion
Storytelling is the most effective way to engage your audience, build your authority and encourage positive change for the future and can be learned relatively quickly.
Start by collecting stories, select the most effective and structure your stories carefully so they can have the maximum impact. Find out more about my Business Storytelling for Leaders workshops.
About the author
Lisa Evans helps professionals to craft compelling business stories and become exceptional speakers. Lisa is a certified speaker coach, TEDx speaker coach, four times author, NLP practitioner, graphic recorder and visual storyteller, and improvisational actor.
She has coached thousands of leaders across a range of industries, including resources, banking, finance, engineering, retail and sales as well as not-for-profit and community associations.
If you wish to take advantage of a complimentary session in order to chat about how you can become an exceptional and successful speaker with a stand-out brand, then use this link to book a time to chat.
Here’s how I may help you
My services include:
Business Storytelling Coaching – together we can get started to create your suite of stories.
Executive Speaker Coaching – if you have an upcoming guest speaking opportunity, funding pitch, conference talk or you want to be an outstanding speaker, we can work together on your technique. You will see the results after one session.
Tailored Workshops – I can come to you, or we can host a workshop offsite for your team. From half-day to two-days immersive, this customised workshop is an ideal way to kick start your business storytelling strategy and get the whole team telling stories.
Keynote/Guest Speaking either in person or via virtual means at your next conference or event.
by Lisa Evans | Mar 29, 2021
If you want to get ahead in your career and fulfil your potential, you need to master the art of public speaking. You need to be able to clearly articulate your message, engage and inspire others and speak with confidence about what you do.
This is true even if you don’t plan to give a formal presentation or get up on stage to present a TED talk.
Unfortunately, fear of public speaking (or glossophobia as it is formally known) causes otherwise talented, motivated and highly driven individuals like you to hit that ceiling because they don’t have these essential soft skills their industry needs.
If you are one of the many people who fear public speaking, you may feel like you are overlooked in the workplace and are ignored when it comes to promotions, and you avoid pushing yourself to achieve your best because that fear is always there.
What causes this fear of public speaking, and how can we overcome our nerves, become influential public speakers and start grabbing our career opportunities with both hands? Let’s have a closer look.
Why are so many of us afraid of public speaking?
According to a 1999 study, a surprising 77% of people feel anxious, nervous or even afraid of public speaking. While many can control their nerves effectively, others find that it becomes a full-blown phobia.
These feelings are always based on fear. We’re afraid that we’ll say something stupid or embarrassing, forget what we want to say, feel self-conscious or that we won’t be able to hide our nerves and that our audience will notice the truth. Perhaps we previously had a negative experience with public speaking, which planted that seed of doubt in our heads, and now we’re afraid that the same will happen again.
But as you’ll know all too well, if you’ve ever felt those butterflies in your stomach as you prepare to speak, it’s not only psychological- our bodies also react to the fear.
This triggers your autonomic nervous system to kick into action and respond to what it perceives as a threat, and it gives us all those physical symptoms of fear such as a dry mouth, shaking, high blood pressure, nausea, and so on.
Let’s recap. You experienced those thoughts that you were going to mess up or make a fool of yourself by speaking in public. The experience turned to fear, which triggered those horrible, uncomfortable and even debilitating physical sensations and left us feeling worse than ever. We’re unable to focus, more likely to make mistakes, forget what we’re saying and quite understandable, and start avoiding these kinds of situations.
Breaking free from this cycle of fear
As you may have noticed, the whole cycle of fear mentioned above starts with your thoughts and beliefs, or in other words, your mindset. It is all that stands between you and becoming a successful public speaker. Learn to master your mindset, and you can become an engaging, inspiring public speaker who feels comfortable in front of a crowd.
The fastest and most effective way to break is this cycle is to invest in yourself and work with an experienced coach to guide you and help you manage your nervousness and step into your best self when it comes to speaking in front of others.
As an experienced coach who has worked with thousands of leaders (and someone who used to feel extremely nervous about speaking in public, I can provide you with the support and guidance you need. Let’s make a time to chat about how I can help you.
You can also use the A-B-C Technique to help you deal with your fear of public speaking.
1. Accept that your feelings are normal
The feelings associated with nervousness, including racing heart, shallow breathing, sweating, trembling and so on, are part of the classic fight, flight or freeze response. It’s a normal physiological response to stress (real or perceived). When you feel this, it means you have a functioning body that is doing its job.
Instead of trying to fight those feelings as they enter your body, simply acknowledge and accept what’s going on.
2. Breathe: use the square breathing technique
There are a couple of simple and effective breathing techniques that are of great help when you are waiting to speak, and you can feel the tension rise in your body.
Here is the Square Breathing Technique. It’s an effective tool to regulate your breathing, get you to focus and make sure your breath out is complete.
- Imagine a square frame around your head and shoulders.
- Start at any corner.
- Trace with your finger or with your mind along each side.
- Breathe in on the count of 4 (one side of the square)
- Hold your breath for the count of 4 (one side of the square)
- Breathe out to the count of 4 (one side of the square)
- Hold to the count of 4 (one side of the square)
- Each side of the square and each breath and hold has equal time.
3. Change your mindset
Instead of thinking of public speaking as something to be feared, think of it as an opportunity to serve.
Every time you step up and speak, you are there to serve, to share your knowledge and wisdom with others.
It’s not about you. You are the medium, and the message is the crucial thing.
Instead of public speaking, think of it as public-serving.
Summary
By mastering your mindset and using proven strategies to control your fear and improve your public speaking skills, you can become an engaging, inspiring and confident communicator who exceeds their expectations and gets the promotions they deserve.
As a qualified Neurolinguisitic Programing Practioner and Speaker Coach, I have a range of practical tools and strategies that have helped hundreds of people conquer a fear of public speaking.
If you are ready to get over being afraid of speaking and you want to forge ahead with high-level public speaking, then lets chat.
About the author
Lisa Evans helps professionals to craft compelling business stories and become exceptional speakers. Lisa is a certified speaker coach, TEDx speaker coach, four times author, NLP practitioner, graphic recorder and visual storyteller, and improvisational actor.
She has coached thousands of leaders across a range of industries, including resources, banking, finance, engineering, retail and sales as well as not-for-profit and community associations.
If you wish to take advantage of a complimentary session in order to chat about how you can become an exceptional and successful speaker with a stand-out brand, then use this link to book a time to chat.
Here’s how I may help you
My services include:
Business Storytelling Coaching – together we can get started to create your suite of stories.
Executive Speaker Coaching – if you have an upcoming guest speaking opportunity, funding pitch, conference talk or you want to be an outstanding speaker, we can work together on your technique. You will see the results after one session.
Tailored Workshops – I can come to you, or we can host a workshop offsite for your team. From half-day to two-days immersive, this customised workshop is an ideal way to kick start your business storytelling strategy and get the whole team telling stories.
Keynote/Guest Speaking either in person or via virtual means at your next conference or event.
by Lisa Evans | Mar 18, 2021
Executive presence is the leadership quality that will help you become the leader that others can’t help but notice. It helps you to inspire confidence in others and demonstrate your capability, reliability and potential as a leader.
It’s built on three pillars; how you act, how you look and how you speak and includes your attitude, confidence, non-verbal communication, emotional intelligence, public speaking skills, and even your personal brand.
When you improve your executive presence, you’ll be more likely to stand out from your peers and be offered the kinds of opportunities that you deserve. Working with an executive coach who is experienced in helping leaders boost their confidence and influence with executive presence characteristics will make a significant difference to your performance.
In the meantime, here are 6 tips that can help you get started.
1. Polish your speaking and presentation skills
If you want to improve or boost your executive presence and increase your confidence, you must work on improving your speaking skills. When you can speak with clarity, you will share your message more effectively, appear to be more confident and, perhaps most importantly, inspire your audience and connect with them on a deeper level.
It’s not only the words that you use that will have an impact, but how you deliver that message will determine the way in which it is received. Working on your leadership voice is part of developing your executive presence.
Leaders who speak too quickly or too slowly, use a monotonous voice, speak in a high pitch or don’t articulate the words clearly are likely to miss the mark. Own your voice, speak up and be heard.
2. Develop your confidence
Confidence is one of the most important ‘soft skills’ you’ll need to become an inspiring leader and develop executive presence. When you can demonstrate quiet confidence, and move with energy and intention, you will inspire a sense of trust and senior management will be more likely to sit up and notice you.
However, many of my coaching clients feel that their lack of confidence is permanent and they will never be able to work through it, but as I explain to them, this certainly isn’t the case. There are many tricks and techniques we can use to help you control your nervousness, cultivate confidence and stand out from your peers.
Learn to speak with confidence by attending my one day training course in Perth.
3. Use the power of non-verbal communication
Strong, positive body language is essential when it comes to building your credibility, connecting with your listeners and again, inspiring confidence. Here are some tips that can help you boost your skills:
- Prepare: know your message and practice speaking beforehand.
- Visualise: imagine yourself speaking with confidence and presence.
- Make eye contact: whether you’re speaking to just a few people or a larger audience, making eye contact will help you build your executive presence.
- Be present: remember that you’re there to deliver a message. It’s not about you.
- Stand confidently: keep your feet hip-distance apart and your feet firmly grounded. Relax your shoulders.
4. Create a positive first impression
Did you know that it takes people just a few seconds to decide a person’s characteristics when they meet them for the first time?
This includes traits like trustworthiness, competence, charisma and likeability that are critical for building business relationships and growing a successful career. When a person believes that you are professional, you’re more likely to be presented with new career opportunities and foster growth.
To maximise your impact, start by tweaking your appearance. Dress to impress. Be neatly groomed at all times and wear the correct style of clothing for your industry, culture and level of formality.
5. Showcase your personal brand
Effective personal branding can provide you with a winning advantage when it comes to your career, especially during these uncertain times. It’s practically impossible to succeed in the modern world unless you are maximising your impact in this way. Be proactive and ensure that you’re maximising the impact of yours. Consider the following:
- How are you showing up online and offline?
- Are you using social media to showcase your expertise?
- Do you have an up-to-date profile picture on LinkedIn?
- What does Google say about you?
- Are you grabbing public speaking opportunities to share your message?
- How effectively do you network?
- How do you dress?
Each of these factors will affect your personal brand and allow you to promote yourself and your expertise more effectively.
6. Build your self-awareness and Emotional Intelligence
Effective leaders are always aware of how emotions can influence the outcome of any relationship or negotiation. They are aware of their own emotions, how they can impact others and how they can effectively manage them for best effect. They also make the effort to notice other people’s emotions, demonstrate great empathy and can resolve conflicts effectively.
The great news is that emotional intelligence isn’t a skill that you need to be born with. You can improve your soft skills by tuning in to your emotions and noticing how to respond in stressful situations or when faced with conflict or change. Also, get feedback from others to understand how you are perceived by others and be willing to make any changes needed to help you develop your executive presence and grow your career.
Summary
Building your executive presence involves much more than becoming an effective leader. By improving your public speaking skills, growing your confidence, harnessing the power of non-verbal communication, creating a positive first impression, improving your personal brand and building your Emotional Intelligence, you can inspire confidence and trust so you can build your professional career.
I can help you master the art of executive presence and fulfil your potential. Contact me today to find out more.
About the author
Lisa Evans helps professionals to craft compelling business stories and become exceptional speakers. Lisa is a certified speaker coach, TEDx speaker coach, four times author, NLP practitioner, graphic recorder and visual storyteller, and improvisational actor.
She has coached thousands of leaders across a range of industries, including resources, banking, finance, engineering, retail and sales as well as not-for-profit and community associations.
If you wish to take advantage of a complimentary session in order to chat about how you can become an exceptional and successful speaker with a stand-out brand, then use this link to book a time to chat.
Here’s how I may help you
My services include:
Business Storytelling Coaching – together we can get started to create your suite of stories.
Executive Speaker Coaching – if you have an upcoming guest speaking opportunity, funding pitch, conference talk or you want to be an outstanding speaker, we can work together on your technique. You will see the results after one session.
Tailored Workshops – I can come to you, or we can host a workshop offsite for your team. From half-day to two-days immersive, this customised workshop is an ideal way to kick start your business storytelling strategy and get the whole team telling stories.
Keynote/Guest Speaking either in person or via virtual means at your next conference or event.
by Lisa Evans | Jan 31, 2021
Did you know that many speakers can reduce the impact of their message with any of these common public speaking mistakes?
Whether they don’t use their body language effectively, their presentation skills are lacking, or they simply make small mistakes, this can all reduce their ability to share their message and connect with their audience.
I’ve gathered together the top ten most common public speaking mistakes that I see my clients make all the time (plus a bonus one!), along with public speaking tips to help you polish your performance.
Mistake 1: Reading aloud
Although reading aloud is a fantastic way to practise your public speaking skills at home, you should avoid it at all costs when you’re in front of an audience. Even if you’re a very fluent reader, you’ll struggle to sound authentic and connect with your audience on a deeper level (or worse still, you’ll end up sounding robotic!)
How to fix it
Make notes that are brief bullet points or trigger words to remind you of the key points of your presentation if needed but avoid writing the whole sentences. Under pressure, you could default to reading aloud again. People will switch off if you lose them and it’s hard to get them back. Also ensure that you’re also looking up from your notes when you speak and making eye contact with your audience.
Mistake 2: Memorising a script
When you memorise a script, you’ll need to spend a lot of energy learning your ‘lines’ that would be better spent practicing your non-verbal communication and presentation skills. You also run the risk of forgetting one sentence or section of your message and struggling to continue with the presentation.
How to fix it
Instead, have a theme and use several chunks to organise your ideas. I recommend three chunks as our brain loves triads. Then talk through these chunks, using your own words. You’ll sound more natural and there will be much less pressure on you.
If you’re worried about forgetting what you want to say or your nerves getting the better of you, consider working from notes (see above) and consider working with a public speaking coach.
Mistake 3: Poor use of slides
Great public speakers use high-quality slides to highlight features of their message and tell a story. Used correctly, they can help your audience stay engaged, add extra details to your story and provide extra visual input for those who best receive information in this way.
However, many people struggle when it comes to using slides and fill them with complex information, use them as a memory prompt, focus on the slides not the audience and fail to use them effectively.
How to fix it
If you want to become a better public speaker, you should ensure that your slides are professional quality and that you use them seamlessly. Use presentation mode and a remote clicker when you use slides so you can keep your focus on your audience and don’t need to look back.
Create clear, crisp slides that are visually rich with a minimum of text, a font that is large enough to read and images wherever possible. Finally, make sure you stand to the side to avoid blocking the screen.
Mistake 4: Speaking too quickly
If you’re speaking too quickly when you’re making a presentation or giving a talk, the audience will struggle to understand your message and could switch off entirely. They’ll be less likely to like and trust you, you’re more likely to get out of breath and you’ll find your stress levels increasing. For those reasons, you should slow down what you’re saying, even if you feel like a bag of nerves and want to get through your presentation as quickly as possible.
How to fix it
Slow down, take a breath and be OK with silence – it’s a good thing. Also consider how you can use pauses at key points in your speech or presentation to better connect with your audience and drive your message home.
Mistake 5: Using a monotone voice
Most of us have attended someone’s speech or presentation and found ourselves daydreaming and struggling to stay engaged with their message or story. The speaker’s voice was so flat, dull, and monotonous that, despite our efforts to focus, we started daydreaming.
As a public speaker, you should ensure that this never happens to your audience. You should be using your voice to add inflection, bring colour and character to your presentation and bring energy to the room.
How to fix it
Before starting your presentation or speech, take a few deep breaths to help you calm your nerves so your voice will appear more natural. Then speak in the same way as you would with your colleagues, allowing your voice to flow and contain all of the highs and lows of natural speech. If you’re unsure whether you use a monotonous voice in your presentations, record yourself when you’re rehearsing.
Mistake 6: Pacing or fidgeting
Do you have any tiny mannerisms or habits that you used to help you cope with your fear of public speaking? This might include pacing up and down, fidgeting, rocking, playing with a pen, twisting a ring, gripping a lectern, and doing any similar repetitive actions. If this is the case, you can learn how to get these habits under control – as they’ll distract your audience from your message and destroy your confidence and credibility.
How to fix it
Stay grounded to the spot whenever you can, keeping your feet hip-distance apart and relaxing the upper part of your body. Allow your arms and hands to move naturally. When you want to move, do so with purpose. Don’t let your nerves get the better of you!
Mistake 7: Lack of facial expression
When making a presentation, you should use your facial expressions to help convey your message, connect you with your audience and allow those around you to feel at ease. The trouble is, when we’re nervous, we tend to tense the muscles in our face, jaw, and neck. This can cause us to look blank, expressionless, or even like a deer in the headlights!
How to fix it
Become more aware of your face and consciously relax and release any muscle tension. Smile when it’s appropriate- you’ll release a flood of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin that naturally slow your heart rate, reduce your blood pressure and help you feel much more comfortable and confident in front of your audience.
Avoiding eye contact and looking at the ceiling or floor might seem like an excellent coping mechanism when you’re nervous. But again, it can prevent you from connecting with your audience and will affect how your audience perceives you and your message. If you want them to like and trust you, you need to bite the bullet and make eye contact.
How to fix it
When you start your presentation, take a deep breath and glance around the room to become more aware of your audience. Then pick one person and make eye contact with them for 3-5 seconds (about one sentence) before moving on to someone else.
Mistake 9: Standing behind a desk or lectern
When you stand behind a physical object such as a desk or lectern, you’ll be putting space between yourself and your audience. You’ll find it much harder to connect authentically, you’ll limit the natural hand gestures that can add character to your presentation, and you could look less confident.
How to fix it
Be brave and step out from behind that desk, lectern, or other prop. You’ll relate so much better with your audience and share your message more effectively. Make sure you inform the organisers beforehand so they can provide you with the right microphone to ensure you can be heard at all times.
Mistake 10: Lack of preparation or practice
Winging it is not a professional or effective public speaking strategy, especially if you want to create a good impression and enhance your career prospects. Take this approach and you could miss key points in your presentation, appear disorganised and unprofessional and look like you lack experience. If people are giving up their most valuable resource- their time- we need to honour that. Preparation and practice are key.
How to fix it
The preparation and practise side of speaking in public can be boring and time-consuming but it makes all the difference. Why not consider rehearsing your presentation to the wall, or your pet dog to start with? You can also record yourself (an excellent way to improve your body language) or ask a friend to help.
BONUS TIP: [Mistake 11]: Not sticking to the allocated time
Ex-Cuban leader, Fidel Castro was famous for his long, rambling speeches that could continue for hours and literally send his audience to sleep. Needless to say, you shouldn’t be doing this if you want a successful public speaking career, especially if you are a guest speaker or have a fixed amount of time available.
Stick to the allocated time and you’ll save yourself needless embarrassment and again, find it easier to keep your audience engaged.
How to fix it
Make a note of the time you’ve been allocated and don’t speak for longer than this. Plan, prepare and practise so you can deliver on time, allowing a short amount of time for questions and other disturbances.
Summary
By avoiding these public speaking mistakes, you can become a more effective public speaker who can engage better with their audience, share their message with ease and create a strong professional reputation.
About the author
Lisa Evans helps professionals to craft compelling business stories and become exceptional speakers. Lisa is a certified speaker coach, TEDx speaker coach, four times author, NLP practitioner, graphic recorder and visual storyteller, and improvisational actor.
She has coached thousands of leaders across a range of industries, including resources, banking, finance, engineering, retail and sales as well as not-for-profit and community associations.
If you wish to take advantage of a complimentary session in order to chat about how you can become an exceptional and successful speaker with a stand-out brand, then use this link to book a time to chat.
Here’s how I may help you
My services include:
Business Storytelling Coaching – together we can get started to create your suite of stories.
Executive Speaker Coaching – if you have an upcoming guest speaking opportunity, funding pitch, conference talk or you want to be an outstanding speaker, we can work together on your technique. You will see the results after one session.
Tailored Workshops – I can come to you, or we can host a workshop offsite for your team. From half-day to two-days immersive, this customised workshop is an ideal way to kick start your business storytelling strategy and get the whole team telling stories.
Keynote/Guest Speaking either in person or via virtual means at your next conference or event.
by Lisa Evans | Jan 2, 2021
What does your public speaking eye contact say about you? Are you conversing or are you connecting when you speak in public?
Eye contact when you speak in public is of great importance. The truth will be revealed in your eyes. Like it or not, our eyes give us away. They give people a real insight into what we are thinking and feeling. And eye contact is an essential tool for making a connection and establishing credibility with your listeners.
In our everyday communication, eye contact feels so natural we don’t even think about it. But when people speak in public they become conscious of their eyes and tend to do all sorts of things with them, often not even realising. Common examples of ineffective eye contact include; looking up at the ceiling, down at your feet or anywhere else except into the eyes of the listeners.
Where do I look and what do I do with my eyes?
These are common questions that beginning public speakers often ask about eye contact when speaking in public. Here are a few tips to ensure that your eye contact is natural and effective.
#1 Look at people, not spaces
Pick out individual people in different parts of the room and talk to them whilst you are looking into their eyes. You can establish a connection with that one person and the people around them will also feel involved. Never take the soft option and look at some object or space at the back or front of the room or the empty rows. Using eye contact in a presentation doesn’t always feel natural or comfortable, so looking at nobody, in particular, can be tempting. Avoid staring at empty chairs!
# 2 The more you look at the audience, the more likely they’ll pay attention
As an audience member, have you noticed that when the speaker is looking towards you, all of a sudden the material becomes more personal? And others around you then think that they might be the next one to be looked at and they don’t want to be caught out not paying attention. Maintain your level of eye contact throughout your speech.
# 3 Monitor the pingback from the eyes of the audience
While public speaking eye contact should be focused on one person for a second or two. Often the person will nod or smile in response. Often they don’t realize that they’re doing it, but it makes you feel better – believing that they are listening to you. That’s a positive pingback, a non-verbal cue from an audience member that says “Hey you’re doing ok, I like what you’re saying”. That positive reassurance and confidence feeds back into your presentation. Don’t be put off though if you don’t receive a positive signal, just move onto the next pair of eyes.
# 4 Engage the audience with your eyes and they will stay engaged
Somehow when you engage the audience effectively through eye contact they are likely to stay engaged and as a result they will take in more of what you are saying. With a small group, eye contact is a little easier to maintain. Presenting to a large audience brings additional challenges. You can’t establish the same connection with the entire room. Keep your eye contact steady and consistent and if you get this right from the start you are more likely to have the audience interesting from the start.
#5 Public speaking eye contact is not one size fits all
How you go about making eye contact with your audience, depends to an extent on the size of your audience. If you have a very large audience it is obviously not possible to look them all in the eye. You will need to tailor your approach for the size of the room and the number of people in the audience. If you have an audience of around 20- 30 people it is achievable and ideal that you will make eye contact with each of them.
One thing you should avoid with your public speaking eye contact is sweeping your eyes around the room trying to take in everyone, this gives the appearance of one of those laughing clowns at the fair. You end up trying to look at everybody and succeed in looking at no one.
When you have a larger area to cover you will need to spread your gaze around the room. Make sure to give each section of the room equal time and energy. Look at someone on the left side for a few seconds, then someone in the middle, then someone on the right. Don’t forget the people in the back!
When looking at the back of a large room, it’s okay to focus on a section or a head in the distance rather than try to make direct eye contact with someone far away. They will feel as though you are looking at them even if you are looking at a small group.
#6 Share it around
Make sure that you share your eye contact evenly. Avoid favouring one side of the room over another, or one group of people over another. The ones you focus on will appreciate it, but those you look at the least will switch off (as it’s the same as showing less respect for someone).
#7 Avoid reading from your notes
Many speakers prefer to use notes. You will need to work much harder to maintain that connection with your audience. Never read from your notes. Use them occasionally to prompt you for your next point. Always use a natural pause at the end of an idea, sentence or section to glance down at your notes. Always look up and reconnect with your eyes before you begin speaking again. If you can master the use of notes whilst maintaining effective eye contact this will probably satisfy the audience to the point that they won’t be distracted by the notes. Despite the fact that you may be able to pull if off, try if you can to go without using notes.
#8 Be natural – Don’t overthink
How long is long enough? How long should I make eye contact with the audience? These are common questions. You don’t want the eye contact to be like a blink, you want the contact to be long enough so that you are holding that persons gaze for several seconds as you look into their eyes and speak to them. There is a natural point in your speech such as a pause or a change of idea, that is a natural point in which to smoothly shift your gaze onto the next person.
The best advice I have concerning public speaking eye contact is – don’t think too much about it! Don’t try to remember who you have looked at and who you haven’t or when is a good time to move on to look at another person, just let it happen naturally. After some practice of speaking in public, this becomes natural and you won’t need to think consciously about it. There is no magic figure of how long is long enough to maintain eye contact with one person. My rule of thumb is – long enough to connect but not long enough to be creepy!
#9 Smile with your eyes
Don’t forget to smile, when you smile your eyes smile too. Smiling eyes are warmer and softer and allow a deeper connection. If you want to look and feel relaxed, start off with a simple smile and the eyes will appear natural too. Relax and your eye contact will become unconscious again and appear natural. That is when you will have that connection.
So the best advice above all – Try not to think about your eye contact! Imagine that you are having a conversation with many people and look at them as though they are your friends.
Preparation and practise will allow you to feel good about your speech and able to relax and be in the moment. If you are nervous and unprepared it will show in your eyes. Do you know the deer in headlights look? Try to avoid that look, by putting in the time and effort to practice and refine your speech so that your eyes can reveal a calm confined and relaxed speaker. Remember your eyes reveal a lot about you.
Effective public speaking eye contact is the difference between conversing and connecting. Successful presenters are able to use this to their advantage and use eye contact to add a connection to your communication.
About the author
Lisa Evans helps leaders and entrepreneurs to craft compelling business stories and become exceptional speakers. Lisa is a certified speaker coach, TEDx speaker coach, four times author, NLP practitioner, graphic recorder and visual storyteller, and improvisational actor.
She has coached thousands of leaders across a range of industries, including resources, banking, finance, engineering, retail and sales as well as not-for-profit and community associations.
If you wish to take advantage of a complimentary session in order to chat about how you can become an exceptional and successful speaker with a stand-out brand, then use this link to book a time to chat.
Here’s how I may help you
Business Storytelling Coaching – together we can get started to create your suite of stories. A minimum of three sessions is recommended 1:1 in person or virtually via Zoom.
Executive Speaker Coaching – if you have an upcoming guest speaking opportunity, funding pitch, conference talk or you want to be an outstanding speaker, we can work together on your technique. You will see the results after one session.
Storytelling for Leaders Interactive Workshops – I can come to you, or we can host a workshop offsite for your team. From half-day to two-days immersive, this customised workshop is an ideal way to kick start your business storytelling strategy and get the whole team telling stories.
Keynote/Guest Speaking at your next conference or event – I have several topics to choose from ranging from a 30-minute talk up to a 90-minute interactive session.
