They watch your body: People hear your words, but they watch your body. If you look at the floor the whole time, people feel you are hiding. If you look at them, they feel you are talking to them.
- Eyes: Look at the audience, not at the floor or the ceiling. Move your eyes slowly across the room — a few seconds on one side, then the other. You do not need to stare at anyone.
- Hands: Keep them free and calm. Gentle hand movements help your words. Do not hold your hands tight, do not play with a pen, and do not keep them in your pockets.
- Face: A calm, warm face invites people in. A small smile at the start tells the audience, "I am happy to be here."
Stand still for key points: Stand still when you speak an important point. Walk a little only when you move to a new point. Moving all the time distracts people.
Key Terms
- Eye contact — looking at the audience while you speak
- Body language — what your face, hands, and posture say without words
Example
Two speakers, one seminar: At a college seminar, a speaker reads everything from his paper, eyes down. The audience starts checking their phones. Another speaker puts her notes down, looks up, smiles, and speaks to the room.
Eyes and face make people listen: The second speaker's words are the same kind of words. But her eyes and face make people listen.
Practice Steps
- Practise one talk in front of a mirror. Watch your eyes and hands for two minutes.
- Practise with a friend. Ask them: "Did I look at the audience? Did my hands distract you?"
Fresh diagram to be drawn: A simple speaker figure with three labels — "Eyes: look at the audience", "Hands: free and calm", "Face: warm and relaxed." In Project Desk colours.
- Your body speaks too — eyes, hands, and face.
- Look at the audience, keep your hands calm, and smile a little at the start.
- Stand still for important points. Move only when you change the point.