bad body language during presentation

Ace the Presentation

12 Body Language Mistakes to Avoid During a Presentation

It has been involuntary to think that we should only pay attention to how we present the content, the clothes we use, and make the audience participative in preparing for a public presentation.

Non-verbal communication, or body language, has as many or even more things to reveal and tell people as verbal communication. Today, we will see some of the mistakes made during a presentation and the different messages the body transpires.

A quick example is that sometimes we tend to deliver our presentations while seated to avoid the audience’s pressure. Alternatively, we can be staring at one spot in the room to avoid eye contact and think we found a successful strategy.

The Bad News: The audience can see or understand that as a lack of confidence and not trust your credibility or expertise on the topic. 

The Good News: No worries, there are ways to do better and appear confident, and you will learn all that here. 

Let’s start by looking at the list of 12 Body Languages Mistakes to Avoid During a Presentation :

• Body Shrinking
• Crossing our arms 
• Crossing our legs
• Hold objects that hide our body
• Keeping a cellphone near
• Lack of Mobility
• Not making eye contact
• Snapping our fingers
• Avoid the SS’s (Sarcasm and/or Slangs)
• Lost face expressions

Highly Recommended Article: AceThePresentation. 11 Best Body Language Tips for Engaging Presentations .

• Body Shrinking 

Our posture reveals a lot about our confidence and professional ethics, so giving a speech about self-esteem without seeming to keep our body straight sounds a little controversial.

By shrinking our body standing up or even sitting down, we can make people think that we are shy or even lazy, and that can rule out our arguments or even devalue our speech, which is the last thing that we want.

If you chew gum while delivering a presentation, it may give the audience the impression that you are disrespectful, unprofessional, and unethical.

Chewing in this environment can also be very annoying and stand in between the message you are delivering and the audience.

As the speaker, it is essential to you that the audience have a good impression of you to remain attentive and open to the arguments and new ideas you are discussing.

When we cross our arms, it passes the message that we are defensive about something that we don’t know or that the audience wants to suggest, so it is a visual barrier and a communication one.

Let us imagine if the audience asks us a question or even makes a suggestion that invites us to look at our arguments in a new dimension that we’ve never thought of before, and that is our reaction.

Even if we are open to looking forward to that new perspective, if we have our arms crossed while saying that the suggestion is an excellent point of view, it may look like that we feel threatened and, because of that, getting defensive.

There is a right way to cross your legs when we need to do our presentations while sitting, and crossing our legs or jiggling them is not one of them. This may show the audience that we are getting nervous and impatient with the situation we are facing.

When standing up is also important not to cross our legs because the audience could interpret it as tiredness, which can be bad for our professional image.

When trying to pipe the presentation’s nervousness, it is common for us to use fidgeting with our fingers or objects, distract ourselves from the problem (stress), and focus on delivering the message.

You can usually avoid it if you take some time to breathe, walk around, and see the faces of the people you are delivering the presentation to, focusing on the present, which will keep away the anxiousness.

• Holding objects that hide our body

Holding on to some objects while we face a stressful situation can be comfortable, and it gives us the idea that we have something protecting us from it, but guess what it’s the opposite.

Just like fidgeting, grabbing objects against our bodies will not solve the problem. Thus, the audience will be distracted, trying to figure out why we have them.

Try to relax by visualizing the whole situation as a conversation, and make it be like that. This way, we can deliver the message that we want to spread and make them engage with us and share their perspective.

Keeping our cellphones near during the presentation can be a source of distraction because a pop-up message can come up anytime or even a call that will move our attention without even realizing it.

Sometimes phones can be useful to us as the speakers, for clocking the time that the presentation will last. However, controlling time may also make us seem impatient or that we have someplace else to be.

Instead of that, there is a better solution; we can use a pulse watch or have a friend keeping the time for us. This way, you will avoid having long presentations that will make the audience feel tired.

• Lack of mobility

The audience notices every step we give, and the ones we don’t also. So standing still or even choosing to remain sat will avoid any connection between the speaker and the audience.

Likewise, crossing legs when you’re standing or jiggling them isn’t good either for us as the speakers because it may show unprofessionalism and nervousness.

Balance is always the key. You can walk around to know the faces and stand confidently sometimes; both are a great option.

Avoiding eye contact can be a big sign of insecurity and a back up to a confrontation. If you only focus on one person or don’t look at all to the audience, you make things a lot more awkward between you and the audience.

Many professional speakers advise you to Start with one sympathetic face if it comforts you and then appreciates the variety of colors or uniformity of them as an audience. Enjoying the moment can be relaxing and make the audience open and receptive to understand your arguments.

Highly Recommended Article: 6 Solid Tips About How to Make Eye Contact

I like to add looking at the audience’s foreheads as a way to make you more comfortable and the audience’s impression of you looking at them is better than avoiding them altogether.

• Snapping your fingers

As we have been reading in earlier paragraphs, nervousness is commonly a big part of the problems we face while delivering a presentation, and snapping our fingers can be one of its results.

It can be misunderstood as an annoying habit and nervousness, which will drive the audience’s attention to anything but our message.

So we are enjoying the presentation, we start to make it conversational, but we should not forget that our audience may not enjoy the use of sarcasm and slangs. 

Using these two may make us look like beginners who are misinterpreting the audience with our close friends, which is unprofessional.

Even if we know the people we are delivering a speech to, we must separate the work environment with day-to-day will be very good for our career.

#12. Lost face expressions

Sometimes even when we have the slides for our presentations ready, we can get lost or frustrated because it is getting hard to recall our next point of discussion, so we may convey that to the audience, through a confused or lost face – which is bad.

Our facial expressions are the mirror of our mood and thoughts, so we mustn’t panic, keep calm and breathing, to release tension and give yourself time to think.

Our body language has a lot more to say than we sometimes imagine. Sure there are symbols as nod heads, and it’s nice that we can right away know the meaning. Still, sometimes our body reflects how we feel about something or is about to deliver a presentation.

References and Further Reading

AceThePresentation. 11 Best Body Language Tips for Engaging Presentations .

Life Hack. 8 Fatal Body Language Mistakes to Avoid During Presentations .

The Genard Method. 5 Body Language Errors that Will Sink Your Presentation.

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Body Language in Presentations

The words you use during your talk certainly matter, but the body language presentation cues that you project are as important – if not more so – in getting your message to land as you intended.

The gestures you use, the eye contact you make, the expressions you convey, and your very movement through a room offer a multitude of nonverbal signals to your audience.

It’s through these body language presentation cues that an audience will make assessments about your credibility, your expertise, and your passion for the subject, as well as whether you are qualified to seek followers for the cause you are advocating, to suggest the changes you are recommending, or to pitch the product you are selling.

Even something as seemingly small as the number of seconds you maintain eye contact with your audience or the decisions you make about what to do with your hands when presenting can make a difference. It boils down to the impression your words and your actions are making. And as researchers have discovered, first impressions are formed in mere seconds and are often quite accurate and long-lasting. In a well-known study led by the late Nalina Ambady, a professor of psychology at Boston’s Tufts University, students who watched two-second video clips (with the sound muted!) of a group of professors formed similar impressions to the ones drawn by students during a full semester.

So how do you exhibit the right body language for presentation success?

Effectively using body language in presentations takes skill and practice. But before we get into the tips and strategies for how to achieve the right look and tone, let’s look at the basics of body language in professional presentations, as well as why it is important to be aware of your body language while giving a presentation.

What is the Importance of Body Language in a Presentation?

The proper body language in a presentation helps to convey that you have confidence in yourself and your message. A speaker who knows the importance of body language in an oral presentation can instill trust in the audience, which, among other things, helps to forge a connection. Further, a presenter who knows how to effectively employ body language presentation skills can help to emphasize the ideas that matter most.

If you are genuinely passionate about your subject, show it. A lackluster delivery not only belies your enthusiasm, but also does nothing to enhance the meaning and effectiveness of your words. What should your audience believe? The words you use to share how excited you are to be there, or the flat tone with which you delivered them? Typically, they’ll assume your monotone delivery is more indicative of your true feelings than your words.

Great physical communicators learn how to successfully align their facial expressions, gestures, movements, posture, and other nonverbal elements with their message.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Presentation Body Language Basics

If you were delivering sad news, would you do it with a smile, a bright voice, and a bounce in your step? Or would you deliver it with a serious expression, a somber tone, and less pep? Any incongruity between your actions and your message is going to make it difficult for your audience to process, understand, and retain your message. You want your audience to be concentrated on your message and not the misalignment between your nonverbal movements and verbal delivery.

Your physical presence reveals your mental and emotional state to your audience – and everything about that presence should project that you feel comfortable, are in control of the room, and know your stuff. When it comes down to how to use body language to improve your presentation, it’s a matter of focusing on several key areas of your physical movements, including your eye contact, your gestures during presentation , and your presentation posture. (You can learn more about vocal cues here .)

When we work with our clients during our public speaking training sessions , we focus on how even small adjustments can make a difference in their delivery – such as a subtle shift of the shoulders, a more open stance, increased eye contact with their audience, and more natural and authentic gestures.

All these adjustments in your body language in a presentation can help to encourage audience participation, provide greater emphasis to your words, help you to appear and feel more natural, and increase your connection with the audience.

Eye Contact in Presentations: Why It’s Important

Given there is a large body of research  that reveals just how influential eye contact is when it comes to the assumptions, judgments, and perceptions people make about one another, it’s important to give more than, shall we say, a passing glance to how you plan to move your eyes about the room.

Authors, researchers, seasoned speakers, consultants, and trainers vary slightly on the exact amount of time to maintain eye contact with someone in your audience. It appears that a few seconds is the going rate. Or, to translate that into words – a sentence or two. We tend to approach it differently. We’ve found most speakers naturally strike a reasonable balance of how long to maintain eye contact with one person before moving on. If they focus too much brainpower on counting the seconds or tracking their sentences, it can trip them up.

So, instead, here’s a simple rule:

When looking at your notes, your slides, or any other place than your audience, you should not be talking. Any time you are communicating information, you should be looking at an audience member.

And you don’t want to be looking at just one person all the time. It’s important to have effective eye contact in your presentation skills toolbox. In this post , we dive more deeply into effective ways to lock eyes with multiple members of your audience, depending on the type of presentation and venue.

How to Use Facial Expressions in a Presentation

Animated and dynamic speakers know they have a fuller palette of expression to help tell their story when they enlist the more than 40 muscles in their face to move their eyes, nose, brows, and mouth. It is through facial expression that we convey emotions, including seven universal emotions identified by psychologist Paul Ekman through his decades of work. Researchers have found that your audience is likely to make assumptions about you, such as how intelligent, trustworthy, or confident you are, based on your expressions.

Here are some tips on how to better communicate through facial expressions:

Smile. Unless the material requires a more serious expression, smiling while presenting tends to convey warmth and competence, which can help you to connect with your audience. Be expressive. This is not a license to be a mime, but rather, to use your expressions to relay your enthusiasm, your excitement, and to reinforce and support your key points and ideas. Just as presenters are encouraged to expand their vocal range to avoid a monotone presentation, so too is it important to avoid a static expression throughout your entire talk. Observe your audience. Do they look confused? Disinterested? Just as your audience picks up cues through your facial expressions, you too may be able to make perceptions about your audience. (Just be mindful that not every neutral expression indicates boredom or disinterest.) Hone your talent. As with any language, using and practicing it leads to mastery. Nonverbal language is no different. As you practice and rehearse your talk, think about what your facial expressions are conveying and if they are effective. Do they align with your words? Do you appear natural and authentic? Do they support and reinforce your key ideas?

Correct Body Posture During a Presentation

It’s hard to think of a single situation where slouching would be advised – and a presentation is no exception. The correct presentation posture if you are standing is to …

• Square your shoulders with the audience
• Relax your stance. You are not standing at attention!
• Face them directly instead of tilting your body away from them. (The exception to this rule is when you are soliciting feedback from your audience. In that case, turning your body at a slight angle can encourage engagement.)

The correct presentation posture if you are sitting is to …

• Lean forward slightly
• Plant your feet firmly on the floor (avoid crossing your legs)
• Avoid slouching into the chair

Beyond the confidence this posture projects to your audience, researchers have found when you throw those shoulders back or sit upright in your chair, that feeds into your self-confidence , too.

How to Improve Body Language for Presentations

The best way to project body language in a presentation is to be natural. And while it may sound counterintuitive, one of the ways you can appear and feel more natural in your movements is to practice them. This is why it’s important to save some time for rehearsals or practice runs.

Some of the best ways to test your material and your delivery are to record yourself, offer a practice run to an audience of colleagues or friends, and recreate the run-through so that it is as close to the live event as possible.

And, please, this is not the time for harsh criticism. Use this opportunity to see where you did well, such as projecting a confident smile, standing tall, and maintaining meaningful eye contact. Also, look for the areas where you can improve. Did you employ effective body language with your PowerPoint presentation slides? (Here’s are some specific ways to improve your PowerPoint presentation through body language and gestures.)

If you were on a panel, did it appear as if you were slouching? Did you appear nervous or ill at ease? (Here are some ways to counter your fear of public speaking . ) Use this time to hone your skills. Every presentation – whether practice or “live” – is a chance to improve.

Success occurs with preparation, and growth occurs with practice, whether you are a novice or seasoned pro. Here are some specific ways to make the most out of that preparation.

Practice in Front of a Mirror

Record Yourself

There are several reasons that video recording a practice run-through – either with a camera or smartphone – will help your presentation run a whole lot smoother. In addition to tracking such things as your timing, your pace, and the overall flow of your presentation (For example, do you vary the time for each main point? Do you have a mix of message supports, including statistics, stories, and slides?), you also can analyze your body language. Here are some of the things you want to look and listen for:

• The pace, pitch, and tone of your voice and how effective those elements were in conveying your main points.
• How well you maintained eye contact with your “audience.”
• Your gestures and whether they add emphasis to your talk and reinforce key ideas.
• Any mannerisms that are creating distractions, such as pacing in a predictable pattern, fidgeting with your tie or jewelry, or constantly brushing your hair back.

Watch the tape, identify the two or three things you want to improve upon, and do another practice run. If you improve, add another element, and then do another practice run if you have the time.

Learn how to control your body language during a presentation!

Work with our experienced Throughline Group trainers to identify and use effective body language, including energy, gestures, and posture. Sign up today!

Rehearse in Front of Team Members

While a video recording can be an effective way to assess your presentation skills, rehearsing in front of an audience of colleagues is key to getting a feel for the “real” thing. It gives you a chance to assess the nonverbal communication of your audience in real-time, and make the body language presentation fixes that will help you to increase your chances that you are connecting with your audience and helping your messages stick. You can make these sessions more effective in several ways. They include:

Treating your practice like the real thing. Avoid caveats or skimming through sections ( “When I really give my talk, I’ll tell a funny story here.” ) Asking for honest reactions. Your team may be rooting for you, but they need to react honestly if your words are falling flat, your energy is low, or you are spending too much time looking and reading from your notes. Embracing slip-ups, technical difficulties, and distractions. You may be tempted to start over, but plow through any hiccups so you gain the confidence and experience in dealing with difficulties before your talk goes “live.”

  ( Here are 20 questions you can ask your practice audience. )

Additional Presentation Body Language Tips

Your facial expressions, your posture, and your eye contact are all important elements in your nonverbal delivery. But you have other body language presentation cues that you also can use to make your presentation more effective. Remember, your hands can do some “talking” and your feet can do some walking in the service of your speech.

Hand gestures during a presentation can be used to do many things, including:

• Adding emphasis to a word or point
• Pointing something out on a slide or other visual support
• Reinforcing a concept

In practice, this means you might hold your fingers up for each point you want to make ( “No. 1 is this …” ). Or, with an outstretched hand – palm open – you direct your audience’s attention to a point of data on your chart. Finally, if you are comparing two recommendations perhaps you pantomime a scale with your hands, indicating that one side should win out over the other.

As for movement, unless you must stay tethered to the lectern, make the most of your space. Movement is one way to keep your audience alert and its attention on you. This leads to a more dynamic presentation and better connection with the audience.

When done with intention and confidence, your gestures and your movement – really,  your overall body language in  a presentation – will help to solidify your credibility, reveal your control of your material and the room, and help you to emphasize your key points.

Here are some specific tips on how to incorporate these additional body language presentation techniques into your talk.

What To Do With Your Hands During a Presentation

You may have been told it’s best not to gesture when speaking, but in our work with clients we have found that speakers become less anxious, appear more natural, and remember and retrieve their words far more effectively when they gesture during their presentations.

And the research   backs that up. Gesturing not only adds emphasis and verve to your words but also can help you to better remember what you want to say.

However, there is a difference between gesturing and fidgeting. For instance, when you hold out your hand with the palm facing up when calling on someone during your Q&A, it is an effective and open gesture. It encourages engagement and connection. But, if you are hands are in constant motion, such as clasping and unclasping your fingers, twirling the ring on your finger, picking at your nails, or touching your face or hair, then your gestures can become a distraction.

When gesturing, remember to:

Be authentic.  Start with what comes naturally and work from there. Forced movement will be seen for what it is – forced. Be purposeful. Trade fast, undisciplined hand movements during the presentation for gestures with intent. Be open.  Avoid gestures such as pointing at your audience, gesturing toward them with your palm down, or crossing your arms – all of which can have a negative connotation or make you appear “closed” off and inaccessible. Be aware of cultural differences. Although certain presentation hand gestures and expressions fall under a universal language, gestures do not necessarily mean the same thing in every culture. For instance, your OK sign may mean just that, but to a person from another country, it might just be highly offensive. (Here’s a look at some of the more common nonverbal faux pas.)

What if My Hands Won’t Stop Shaking?

Anxiety has a way of hijacking whatever veneer of calm you, as a speaker, may have managed to induce before your talk. One of the ways your nervousness manifests itself is through your trembling hands. You may notice the shakiness as you organize your notes or take a sip of water. Most of the time, what you see as full-on earthquakes more typically come across as small-time tremors – if they are noticed at all by your audience. For most people, once the initial jitters ease, those tiny tremors fade. However, if that trembling never eases and you are wondering how to stop shaking hands during a presentation, it’s best to think beyond the symptoms and get to the core of the issue – anxiety. To do that, you must identify the cause of your fear – here are eight causes of public speaking fear – before you can find the techniques that will help you to reduce and manage it .

Photo by Martin Adams on Unsplash

Moving Around During a Presentation: Is That OK?

Movement is one way to keep your audience alert and its attention on you. Make the most of your space and your body language presentation skills so that you can create a more dynamic presentation and a better connection with your audience. What you don’t want to do is pace or create a predictable pattern in how you move around the room. That said, there are several ways you can utilize your space more effectively while walking during your presentation.

Here are several:

Use your movement to emphasize your points . You can begin on one side of the room and share your first, before moving to the other side for Point No. 2. Make your way to the center for your last point. Approach your audience. When answering questions or seeking participation, walk toward your audience. Avoid swaying. If you are standing still, try to avoid rocking from side to side. You can counter this by placing one foot about two to three inches in front of the other.

How You Dress is Important, Too

Here are a few tips:

Choose the outfit that best supports your message, which means knowing the tone you want to set about your topic and who you are. Purchase an iron or get your clothes pressed. You can certainly present in casual clothes, but wrinkles are a no-go in nearly any situation. Consider your accessories carefully. Ostentatious jewelry or lapel pins will probably attract more attention than you want them to. They also could interfere with your microphone. Be wary of fabrics that rustle or shoes that make noises when you move. Not only will that distract you, but your audience will notice it, too.

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Article • 9 min read

10 Common Presentation Mistakes

Avoiding common pitfalls in your presentations.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

Most of us have experienced dull, irrelevant or confusing presentations. But think back to the last really great presentation you saw – one that was informative, motivating and inspiring. Wouldn't you love to be able to present like that?

This article looks at 10 of the most common mistakes that speakers make when giving presentations. By avoiding these, you'll make your presentations stand out – for all of the right reasons, and none of the wrong ones.

Mistake 1: Not Preparing Enough

Steve Jobs was a famously inspiring speaker. His speeches may have looked effortless, but, in reality, each one took days or weeks of preparation.

Careful preparation is essential. The amount of time you spend on planning depends on your situation, but it's a good idea to start early – you can never be too well-prepared.

Proper preparation also helps you to manage presentation nerves . When you know your material inside and out, you're far less likely to feel nervous. Our presentation planning checklist and Skillbook " Even Better Presentations " can help you to plan your next event properly.

Mistake 2: Not Familiarizing Yourself With the Venue and Equipment

Imagine that your presentation starts in an hour. You arrive at the venue and, to your horror, the projector won't work with your laptop. The slides you spent hours preparing are useless. This is a disaster!

You can avoid a situation like this by taking time to familiarize yourself with the venue and available equipment at least once before your presentation.

Often, the sorts of problems that can jeopardize your presentation will be situations beyond your control, but this doesn't mean that you're helpless. Conduct a risk analysis to identify potential issues, and come up with a good "Plan B" for each one.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Your Audience

Sometimes, speakers can get so wrapped up in delivering their presentations that they forget about the needs of their audience.

Start your presentation by telling your audience what to expect. Let them know what you'll cover first, whether and when you'll stop for a break, if you'll be taking questions during the presentation, and so on.

Providing these "signposts" up front will give your audience a clear idea of what to expect, so that they can relax and concentrate on your presentation.

Mistake 4: Using Inappropriate Content

The primary purpose of any presentation is to share information with others, so it's important to consider the level you'll pitch it at.

Do some research on your audience. Why are they here? How much do they already know about your topic, and what do they most want to learn from you? It's no use giving a presentation that's so full of jargon that no one understands you. But you wouldn't want to patronize people, either.

Try to put yourself in people's shoes, to get a clearer idea about their needs and motivations. You can also greet individuals as they arrive on the day, and ask questions to get a feel for their level of knowledge. This will also help you to personalize your presentation and make a connection with each person in your audience, so that they'll be more attentive to what you say.

Mistake 5: Being Too Verbose

Short, concise presentations are often more powerful than verbose ones. Try to limit yourself to a few main points. If you take too long getting to your point, you risk losing your audience's attention.

The average adult has a 15- to 20-minute attention span. So, if you want to keep your audience engaged, stick to the point! During the planning phase, make a note of the themes you want to cover and how you want to get them across. Then, when you start filling out the details, ask yourself: "Does my audience really need to know this?"

Our articles on the 7 Cs of Communication and Communications Planning have more tips for communicating in a clear, concise way.

Mistake 6: Using Ineffective Visuals

Poor slides can spoil a good presentation, so it's worth spending time getting yours right.

We've all seen slides with garish colors, unnecessary animation, or fonts that are too small to read. The most effective presentation visuals aren't flashy – they're concise and consistent.

When choosing colors, think about where the presentation will take place. A dark background with light or white text works best in dark rooms, while a white background with dark text is easier to see in a brightly lit room.

Choose your pictures carefully, too. High-quality graphics can clarify complex information and lift an otherwise plain screen, but low-quality images can make your presentation appear unprofessional. Unless an image is contributing something, embrace the negative space – less clutter means greater understanding. Use animation sparingly, too – a dancing logo or emoji will only distract your audience.

Mistake 7: Overcrowding Text

The best rule of thumb for text is to keep it simple . Don't try to cram too much information into your slides. Aim for a maximum of three to four words within each bullet point, and no more than three bullets per slide.

This doesn't mean that you should spread your content over dozens of slides. Limit yourself to 10 slides or fewer for a 30-minute presentation. Look at each slide, story or graph carefully. Ask yourself what it adds to the presentation, and remove it if it isn't important.

Mistake 8: Speaking Incoherently

Even though we spend a significant part of the day talking to one another, speaking to an audience is a surprisingly difficult skill, and it's one that we need to practice.

If nerves make you rush through a presentation, your audience could miss your most important points. Use centering or deep breathing techniques to suppress the urge to rush. If you do begin to babble, take a moment to collect yourself. Breathe deeply, and enunciate each word clearly, while you focus on speaking more slowly.

Our article on better public speaking has strategies and tips that you can use to become a more engaging speaker. One useful technique is storytelling – stories can be powerful tools for inspiring and engaging others. Our Expert Interviews with Annette Simmons and Paul Smith have tips that you can use to tell great stories.

Mistake 9: Showing a Lack of Dynamism

Another common mistake is to freeze in one spot for the duration of your presentation.

Some presenters feel most comfortable behind the podium. Try to emulate great speakers like Steve Jobs , who moved purposefully around the stage during his presentations.

As well as working the stage, he used gestures and body language to communicate his excitement and passion for his subject. Pay attention to what your hands are doing – they're important for communicating emotion. But only use gestures if they feel natural, and avoid being too flamboyant with your arms, unless you want to make your audience laugh!

See our Expert Interview, " Winning Body Language ," to learn more about body language and what it says to your audience.

Mistake 10: Avoiding Eye Contact

Have you ever been to a presentation where the speaker spent all of their time looking at their notes, the screen, the floor, or even at the ceiling? How did this make you feel?

Meeting a person's gaze establishes a personal connection, and even a quick glance can keep people engaged. If your audience is small enough, try to make eye contact with each individual at least once.

If the audience is too large for this, try looking at people's foreheads. The individual may not interpret it as eye contact, but those sitting around them will.

It takes practice and effort to deliver a good presentation. But, if you know how to avoid the pitfalls, your presentations will be great.

Common presentation mistakes include not preparing properly, delivering inappropriate content, and speaking poorly.

Time spent on careful planning always pays dividends. Check out the venue, and familiarize yourself with equipment in advance to avoid possible problems.

Keep your content clear and concise, with visual aids to match. And make sure that you pitch it at the right level for your audience's understanding, so that your presentation doesn't patronize or bewilder.

Remember, public speaking is a performance. Practice speaking clearly with a slower pace than your normal speech to avoid "rapid-fire" delivery. Use eye contact, body language and gestures that complement your message to keep your audience engaged.

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DETROIT, JUNE 20-21 PUBLIC SPEAKING CLASS IS ALMOST FULL! RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW

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Avoid These 4 Body Language Mistakes in Public Speaking

Body language in public speaking is the nonverbal cues that your movements make during communication. Presenters often focus on what they are going to say and their visual aids. However, we often overlook an important part of the speech — body language. Non-verbal communication makes a lasting impression and makes a marked difference in your communication skills. And when it comes to public speaking, if you look poised and confident, your audience  will believe  you are poised and confident.

In this session, we’ll cover a few simple public speaking ideas that will give you good posture and encourage better body movement. First, we show how important the power of body language is during your presentation. Next, I’ll give you a few, simple tips to look more confident and create a good impression (even if you’re nervous). Finally, I’ll share a presentation secret that, once you understand it, will change the way you look at your nervous habits forever (and in turn, help you give a great presentation).

You Body Language in Public Speaking is Important to a Successful Speech.

When presentation coaches reference body language, they often refer to a 1967 study published by Albert Mehrabian. Dr. Mehrabian is a professor at UCLA. His study showed that only 7% of communication comes from the words spoken. He said that 38% of communication comes from the voice and tone. The final 55% of the communication process comes from body language. In reality, this study has nothing to do with public speaking or presenting. So, the reference to the “Mehrabian Formula” as a reason to focus on body language in public speaking is false. However, that doesn’t mean the power of nonverbal communication isn’t important.

The better that a speaker carries himself or herself, the more credibility the speaker has with the group. If you look timid or nervous, your audience will question your competence. Confident body language has a profound effect on the unconscious mind of your audience. So much so that, even if they know you’re a new speaker, they won’t help but feel turned off by the small details, like a lack of good eye contact and other aspects of body language.

To cover for nervousness, a lot of speakers will avoid negative body language by hiding behind a lectern. Others will deliver their entire presentation from a seated position and make the slideshow the presentation. When you do these things, though, you are losing your connection to the audience. You are also, likely, inadvertently making your presentation more boring.

A Few Simple Presentation Tips to Improve Body Language

If you want to see your ability as a persuasive public speaker improve, try these simple tips. Just testing out one or two of them will show you the real impact of body language.

1. Set Your Screen to the Side, Not the Front

What? What does the screen’s placement in the room have to do with body language in public speaking? Well, everything. Many presenters will set the projection screen or digital screen in the very center of the room. When you do this, though, your ability to move around the room is significantly limited. You’re forced to work in a smaller “stage” to present from, and you’re now off to the side. Your audience didn’t come to see you click through bullet points. They came to hear you speak.

2. Take a Deep Breath and Drop Your Hands to Your Side.

Please don’t misunderstand this tip. The tip ISN’T to KEEP your hands by your side. It’s just the opposite. When you start your presentation with your hands dropped loosely by your side, your first gesture will be bigger and more powerful. This is a powerful tool you can try from wherever you are right now.

Stand up and clasp your hands together in front of your waist as most presenters do. Now, break the clasp and try to make a gesture with one of your hands. Try it a few times. When you do, you will notice that your elbow will tend to rest around your hip. The gesture will look robotic. If you alternate moving your hands from that clasped position, you will likely look like a t-rex.  Fearless Presentations , I mentioned in the book that “People judge our competence by the confidence that we show.” This statement is so true.

Now, drop both hands to your side and let them hand loosely. Try to make the same gesture that you did before. When you do, you will, most likely end up moving BOTH hands. This time, the gesture will look more powerful and energetic. Also, when you stop making the gesture, you will probably return your hands to your side so that your next gesture is also powerful. (Your hands will often return to their starting point.)

If you’re having trouble remembering to drop your hands to your side, try one of these 3 tips:

Incorporate Slow Breathing and a Relaxed Stance:  Begin your presentation with slow breathing and a relaxed body language, keeping your hands at your sides. This not only calms your nerves but also sets a composed tone for your speech. A relaxed physical presence goes a long way in making your delivery appear confident and effortless. Remember, a calm demeanor and tone of voice can make a big difference in public speech.

Practice Purposeful Gestures and Open Palms:  When rehearsing, focus on using your whole body to make purposeful and open gestures. An open palm can signal honesty and active participation from the audience. Treat this as a learned skill, where each movement, including returning your hands to your sides, is a part of your physical expression. This technique enhances audience engagement and ensures your gestures complement the tone of your voice.

Visual Cues and Physical Movements Checklist:  Create a checklist of physical movements, including keeping your hands at your sides, which you can refer to as an exhaustive list during practice. This list can act as a reminder that each aspect of your body language, from your gestures to your posture, contributes to a great idea being effectively communicated. Regular practice with these visual cues helps in embedding these actions into your muscle memory, ensuring a more natural and engaging delivery.

3. Tell More Stories

If you want to have great body language when presenting, tell more stories. It is almost impossible to tell a story without using your hands to explain what is happening. For instance, when I start my  presentation skills seminars , I will often start with a story. Typically, I tell the class what happened to me the first time I had to speak in front of a room of executives. As I describe how my hands got sweaty, I often naturally rub my palms on my pants. When I tell them how I zoomed through the presentation, I move my hands quickly in small circles. These movements add clarity to my description. No one ever taught me how to do this. These gestures happen naturally as I relive the incident from memory.

These natural gestures add a lot of enthusiasm and fun to your presentations. So, if you want to use more poised body language, tell more stories.

Here are some additional tips on incorporating gestures into your presentation:

Mimic the Action : When narrating an event or action in your story, mimic the movement with your hands or body. For example, if you’re talking about opening a door to a new opportunity, physically mimic the action of turning a door handle and pushing a door open. This not only makes your story more vivid and engaging but also helps the audience visualize the scenario better.

Use Symbolic Gestures : Incorporate gestures that symbolize concepts or emotions in your story. If you’re discussing overcoming obstacles, you might show pushing against an invisible barrier with your hands. For stories involving growth or progression, use upward or forward-moving hand motions. These symbolic gestures can powerfully convey abstract ideas and emotions, enhancing the impact of your story.

Avoid Overuse of Gestures : While gestures can greatly enhance your storytelling, it’s important to use them judiciously. Be mindful not to overcrowd your narrative with excessive or exaggerated gestures, as this can distract or even confuse the audience. The key is to ensure that your gestures feel natural and spontaneous, complementing rather than dominating the story. Let your movements flow organically from the narrative; if a gesture doesn’t feel natural or necessary, it’s often better to omit it. This approach maintains the authenticity and impact of your storytelling.

4. Use Your Visual Aid

One of the things that bug me most is when a speaker stands (or sits) clicking a clicker. If you are going to take the time to create a great slide or visual aid… USE IT! One of the techniques that we cover in our  speaking class  is to visually touch your slide. I know it sounds weird, but it works like magic.

Have you ever been in a presentation where a speaker puts up a series of bullet points and just starts talking? As he presents, you may think he is on point four, but then he clicks to the next slide. This occurs because the speaker naturally assumes that you can figure out which point he is on. As a result, he doesn’t both to tell you when he moves from one point to the next. In most cases, the points aren’t clearly defined, anyway, so there is a lot of overlap. This makes the entire presentation confusing.

A better way is to physically go to the screen and point to bullet #2 when you move to bullet #2. If you combine this technique with telling a story, your presentation comes alive. This happens because the speaker will move toward the screen to identify the next point. Then, she will jump into an example or story to clarify the point. She will naturally move back toward the audience as she tells the story. Of course, as she tells the story, she will use those natural gestures as well. This combination of techniques adds a lot of enthusiasm and energy to a presentation.

A Presentation Secret that Should Help with Presentation Gestures

In reality, most speakers feel nervousness. It is just that most of the symptoms they feel aren’t visible either. If you understand this and use a few of the tips we covered earlier, you can look very poised when you speak. (Even if you are nervous!)

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7 Body Language Tips to Ace Your Next Presentation

• By Judhajit Sen
• April 25, 2024

Key Takeaways:

• Body Language Impact : Effective body language is essential to improve your presentation, boosting audience engagement and speaker credibility. Maintain a confident posture to create a connection and convey confidence.
• Presentation Mastery : Mastering presentation skills involves minor adjustments in body language, such as an open posture. These adjustments significantly enhance audience engagement and message delivery.
• Body Language Consistency : Body language for presentations should align with the content of the presentation, emphasizing vital points and fostering clarity and persuasion. Being conscious of body language adds authenticity and impact to the delivery.
• Pre-Speech Preparation : Preparing body language to enhance presentations is as crucial as content preparation. Practicing before a mirror or recording helps refine delivery and ensure alignment between verbal and non-verbal communication.

The importance of body language in great presentations cannot be overstated. Using it effectively can boost your chances of clinching deals or winning over your audience. For example, maintaining eye contact helps create a connection and exudes confidence.

Conversely, bad body language can be a deal-breaker. Fidgeting can give the impression that you’re not confident and relaxed. Remember, your body speaks volumes, so don’t neglect to improve your body language in presentations.

Mastering presentation skills is vital for effective communication. Minor adjustments like expressive facial expressions can significantly enhance your ability to engage any audience.

A good presentation isn’t just about what’s on the PowerPoint slides; it’s also about how you use body language to present yourself. Being conscious of your body language adds clarity and persuasion to your  public speaking , pitch or project presentation.

Your body communicates even before you speak. How you stand and hold yourself can engage your audience or leave them uninterested. So, alongside perfecting your content, hone your body language skills.

Positive body language is a powerful tool to enhance presentations, demonstrating confidence and gravitas. It’s a skill you can develop to deliver impactful presentations consistently.

In presentations, your audience not only listens but also observes. Effective body language techniques reinforces your message, while poor body language undermines it. Understanding these non-verbal cues is essential, as they form a significant part of communication, often outweighing verbal communication. Therefore, body language is a powerful tool to engage your audience.

The following are seven body language tips for presentations.

Pose with Confidence

To pose confidently during a professional presentation, adopt a power pose to establish authority, such as standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, and chin lifted. However, use these poses sparingly to avoid appearing intimidating.

Maintain a stable stance throughout your talk by planting your feet and refraining from shifting which can convey uncertainty. Purposeful movement, such as walking to another area of the stage, should be deliberate and accompanied by brief stops and eye contact with the audience.

Stand tall with your shoulders and face the audience to project confidence and command attention. Avoid crossing arms, which may signal defensiveness, and focus on keeping the lower body still while allowing movement in the upper body to engage the audience effectively. By adopting these confident poses, speakers can convey assurance and captivate their audience without appearing rigid or closed off.

Maintain Eye Contact 

Eye contact is crucial in presentations, aiding in audience engagement and establishing a connection. Maintaining eye contact throughout your presentation makes listeners feel directly addressed and keeps them attentive.

To effectively connect with a large audience, focus on a few individuals across the room  instead of attempting to make eye contact with everyone. Holding a person’s stare briefly signals attentiveness without causing discomfort.

However, striking the right balance is essential. Avoid prolonged staring, which can make others uneasy. Instead, shift your gaze every few seconds to convey confidence without appearing overbearing.

Nervousness may lead to avoiding eye contact, while excessive confidence can result in prolonged stares. Aim for a middle ground, making eye contact for about two seconds per person and adjusting as needed.

While speaking, transition your gaze to a new listener, maintaining a steady flow of engagement. Avoid sweeping the room aimlessly, as it may convey uncertainty.

Remember, eye contact is a learned skill that improves with practice. Start by focusing on friends and gradually incorporate these techniques into presentations. These simple tips can enhance your presentation delivery and make you a more persuasive speaker.

Use Hand Gestures

Hand gestures play a pivotal role in presentations, aiding in stressing important points, expressing emotions, and exhibiting passion for the topic. They demonstrate enthusiasm and engagement but should not distract from the message.

Research shows that effective hand motions contribute to successful presentations. Use purposeful gestures while speaking to enhance audience connection and comprehension. Utilize fingers to count points, emphasizing important ideas effectively.

Purposeful hand motions punctuate words and convey meaning. Avoid jittery movements, opting for broad, deliberate gestures originating from the core. Maintain motions above the sternum for visibility and clarity.

Practice synchronized gestures to match speech patterns and vary size and speed according to tone. Incorporate welcoming motions to engage the audience positively. Avoid distracting habits like fidgeting or pointing.

Use your hands to gesture symmetrically on essential words, keeping hands comfortably at your side when not in motion. Balance static posture and exaggerated hand motions to maintain audience interest without appearing unnatural or over-rehearsed while giving a presentation.

Employ gestures to clarify messages, engage the audience, and draw attention to visual aids. Use your hands to emphasize vital points and convey energy and authority. Practice and adjust hand motions based on room size for optimal impact.

Use Facial Expressions to Complement Your Message

Facial expressions are crucial in presentations, conveying emotions and building rapport with the audience. Expressing passion and authenticity through facial expressions fosters audience connection and trust.

However, it’s essential to strike a balance. Overly exaggerated expressions may appear insincere, while a blank face can disengage listeners. Stand in front of a mirror and practice facial expressions to refine your delivery.

During presentations, use expressions to complement your message. Expressions can effectively convey enthusiasm, concern, or surprise, enhancing audience engagement.

A smile is particularly powerful. It instantly creates a positive impression and fosters a friendly atmosphere. Incorporating smiles throughout the presentation makes you more approachable and helps alleviate personal stress.

Remember, your expressions play a significant role in communication. Being mindful and aligning them with your message enhances clarity, sincerity, and audience perception of trustworthiness. Adjusting expression size based on audience size ensures visibility and effectiveness.

Improve Your Posture

Posture is pivotal in presentations, influencing audience perception and speaker confidence. Maintaining proper posture projects professionalism and assurance, fostering audience engagement.

Stand tall with shoulders back and down, distributing weight evenly for an open, grounded stance. Avoid closed-off stances like crossed arms, which convey discomfort. Chin parallel to the floor and head upright facilitate eye contact and connection with the audience.

Practice standing upright regularly to cultivate confident body language. Set reminders to roll shoulders back and perform stretches targeting tight muscles. Visualization techniques , such as imagining balancing a book, reinforce good habits.

Avoid slouching or appearing tense during presentations, as these convey a lack of confidence and interest. Relaxation techniques , like deep breathing, help alleviate nervousness. Adapt to suit the audience and setting, maintaining openness and adaptability.

Whether sitting or standing, upright posture sets the tone for the presentation. Avoid slouching or appearing rigid to convey confidence and engagement. Be adaptable to different presentation setups and prioritize an open, communicative posture throughout.

Control Your Breathing and Delivery

When delivering a presentation , it’s easy to get caught up and speak too fast, causing the audience to tune out and leaving you breathless. Staying relaxed during your presentation and stopping to breathe ensures clarity and coherence and helps regulate voice pitch and tone, conveying confidence and calmness.

Feeling nervous or excited before presenting is common, often leading to a fast speech and breathlessness. Remind yourself to relax. Regardless of emotions, maintaining normal breathing rhythms is essential to feel relaxed during a presentation and seizing control of the situation. Controlled breathing allows moments for gathering thoughts and enables the audience to absorb information effectively.

Timing your breathing is crucial. Relax throughout your presentation. Too short, and you may appear flustered; too long, and it disrupts the flow. Incorporating brief silences after delivering a sentence or two establishes a steady rhythm, keeping the presenter and the audience engaged. This rhythmic cadence fosters focus, curiosity, and presenter composure, ensuring a smooth and controlled delivery.

Plan Your Movement

Incorporating movement into presentations enhances audience engagement and energizes delivery. Simple actions like stepping forward or gesturing with hands can reinforce crucial points effectively. However, excessive movement can be distracting, necessitating a balanced approach.

While it’s important to stand still for the majority of the talk to convey confidence and authority, planned movements strategically interspersed with breaks in content can enhance impact. Each movement should accompany a complete thought or point. Avoid pacing aimlessly and create a sense of purposeful progression.

On larger stages, controlled movement can engage different sections of the audience. Clear, purposeful movement around the stage towards or away from the audience can enhance interaction and demonstrate attentiveness to their involvement.

Strategic use of the stage, stepping out from behind the podium, communicates comfort and confidence in the topic. However, natural movement is key to avoiding the appearance of nervousness or distraction. By moving purposefully, speakers can maintain audience attention and convey confidence without detracting from the message.

Maintain a stable stance throughout your talk by planting your feet and refraining from shifting which can convey uncertainty. Purposeful movement, such as walking to another area of the stage, should be deliberate and accompanied by brief pauses and eye contact with the audience.

Mastering Confident Body Language for Impactful Presentations

Body language speaks volumes in presentations, influencing audience perception and speaker confidence. Every movement conveys a message. Effective body language enhances communication, fostering engagement and trust. 

Maintaining eye contact establishes connection and authority. Purposeful hand gestures emphasize key points, while controlled breathing regulates speed and tone, ensuring clarity and composure.

Strategic movement adds energy and visual interest, but excessive footwork can distract. Power poses exude confidence, but moderation is key to avoid intimidation.

In presentations, your body communicates even before you speak. Understanding and mastering body language is crucial for consistently delivering impactful presentations. By honing these skills, you can captivate your audience and convey your message with clarity, sincerity, and authority.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why is body language important in presentations?

Body language is crucial in presentations as it can significantly impact audience perception and speaker confidence. Maintaining eye contact and confident posture helps establish connection and authority, while purposeful hand gestures emphasize key points. Effective body language enhances communication, fostering engagement and trust.

2. How can I pose confidently during a presentation?

To pose confidently, adopt a power pose sparingly, such as standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, and chin lifted. Maintain a stable stance throughout the talk, avoiding shifting or pacing. Purposeful movement, such as walking to another area of the stage, should be deliberate and accompanied by brief pauses and eye contact with the audience.

3. What role does breathing play in presentation delivery?

Breathing is essential for regulating voice pitch and tone, conveying confidence and calmness during presentation delivery. Taking pauses to breathe ensures clarity and coherence, allowing moments for gathering thoughts and enabling the audience to absorb information effectively. Controlled breathing establishes a steady rhythm, fostering focus, curiosity, and presenter composure.

4. How can I effectively incorporate movement into presentations?

Incorporating movement into presentations enhances audience engagement and energizes delivery. Simple actions like stepping forward or gesturing with hands can reinforce key points effectively. However, excessive movement can be distracting, necessitating a balanced approach. Strategic movement towards or away from the audience sustains visual interest and demonstrates attentiveness to their involvement, while natural movement avoids the appearance of nervousness or distraction.

Master Confident Body Language for Impactful Presentations with Prezentium’s Interactive Workshops!

Unlock the power of body language to captivate your audience and deliver impactful presentations. Join our AI-powered business presentation service and interactive communication workshops to refine your posture and gestures.

Learn to establish authority with power poses without intimidating your audience. Discover the art of maintaining a stable stance while strategically incorporating purposeful movements for engagement. Our presentation training programs provide practical tips to enhance eye contact and hand gestures, fostering authenticity and enthusiasm in your delivery.

Don’t let bad body language sabotage your presentations. Invest in mastering confident body language with Prezentium ‘s workshops today, and stand out with confidence in every presentation!

Why wait? Avail a complimentary 1-on-1 session with our presentation expert. See how other enterprise leaders are creating impactful presentations with us.

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Bad body language: five ways to ruin your presentation

Body language is usually the last thing anyone thinks about when preparing a presentation. They may design their slides with love and care , choose their words with precision and even practise out loud to get the volume, pace and intonation of their speech right. But they give no thought at all to how they are going to stand, move, gesture and use their eyes.

However, just as effective body language can support and reinforce the words being spoken, so inappropriate body language can undermine and obscure them. As the American essayist and Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson put it: ‘What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say ’.

Here are the five commonest body language blunders I regularly encounter in my work as a communication skills coach.

• Defensive posture

An open body posture, with arms held loosely at elbow height, exposes you to your audience (not literally!) and encourages them to trust and hear you. A closed posture builds barriers that inhibit clear and honest communication. The main no-nos here are:

• Arms held across the body, either in front or behind;
• Hands stuffed in pockets;
• Standing behind a lectern or table – and all-too-often clinging onto it for dear life!
• Weak stance

I used to write descriptive captions for keep-fit exercises, which normally started ‘Stand with feet hip-width apart and feel the ground beneath your feet’. I now give the same advice to the presenters I coach. This firm, powerful stance helps you feel in control and conveys confidence, authority and ease to your audience. If you start with a weak stance – feet too close together or weight unevenly distributed – you will inevitably start shuffling around and shifting from foot to foot, which makes you look (and feel) nervous and hesitant. Your audience will start worrying about you – and as soon as that happens they will stop listening.

• Inappropriate movement and gestures

Standing stock still throughout a presentation is never a good look. You need movement and gestures to punctuate and reinforce your content. But they need to be congruent with what you are saying. So, moving to another area to emphasise a break between topics is fine and helpful, but striding back and forth across the stage like a caged lion is distracting. Gestures that illustrate words – hands spread wide for ‘big’, brought close together for ‘small’, raised in the air for ‘up’ etc – are good; arms waving like demented windmills are not. And it’s always a good idea to avoid pointed fingers, which look aggressive and can be offensive in some cultures.

• Awkward relationship to the screen

You need to work out in advance where you are going to stand so that you can see the screen and gesture towards it without turning your back on the audience. There is usually a sweet spot in the room that allows you to do this. I always advise presenters to get to the venue at least 45 minutes early, not just to check that all the technical stuff is working but to identify the sweet spot for presenting. Sometimes the organisers will have placed you somewhere difficult – directly in front of the screen, for example, or immediately beside it. Or they may have put you to the right of the screen, which inhibits your natural tendency to point to the screen with your right hand (or vice versa). You then have time to change things round.

You might think this doesn’t matter if you are presenting from a laptop because you can simply look at the laptop rather than the screen, but actually staring at the laptop is another way of shutting yourself off from your audience: far better to gesture inclusively towards the screen.

• Little or no eye contact

I am very short-sighted, and when I was a youngster doing amateur dramatics I used to leave off my spectacles during performances, not out of vanity but because I thought it would put me off if I could see the audience. The same self-consciousness afflicts many of the presenters I work with. And, of course, the more text-heavy slides you have to read out – another presentation no-no – the easier it is to avoid eye contact altogether.

This is a big mistake: eye contact is what keeps your audience engaged, alert and attentive because you appear to be talking to them. As soon as you turn your back on your audience you give them permission to disengage from you.

Eye contact is a big subject, to which I will be returning in a future post. But for now just remember that if ‘eyes are the windows to your soul’ you need to look at your audience if you want to have credibility.

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Clearsay Communications works with professionals from all sectors to improve their spoken communication skills for use in presentations, media interviews and meetings of all kinds. To find out what we could do for you, return to the Home Page.

7 Presentations

Delivering your message brilliantly.

Creating a great presentation involves more than coming up with a topic or designing the  perfect PowerPoint  to go with it. While those things are important, there is one more element that you need to pay attention to—your body language.

While the  presentation template  you use is important, your body language during a presentation can make all the difference between  a successful presentation  and a downright disaster.

Because of this, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of body language in presentations and in this guide, we’ll explain what body language is along with different types of body language and share powerful body language tips that you can use for your next presentation.

What Is Body Language?

Body language is the way your body communicates without the use of words. It combines hand gestures, posture, facial expressions, and movements that tell others what’s going on inside your head. Body language can happen consciously and unconsciously.

For example, the way you’re sitting right now paired with your facial expression can tell others a lot about you. Based on your body language, they can tell whether you’re amused or concentrating hard. They can tell whether you’re approachable or if you’re having a bad day.

If you’re in a discussion with someone and verbally agree with them, your body language will either confirm that you indeed agree with what is being said; or betray you and tell others you don’t feel the same way.

In other words, your body language reveals the true story behind your words.

What Is the Importance of Body Language in Effective Presentations?

Using body language in  presentations  the right way can help you close more sales or win that pitch. Your body language can help you engage your audience and be confident and relaxed during your presentation. When you make eye contact, maintain a confident posture and eye contact, your presentation will be more dynamic, and you'll be able to connect with your audience.

On the contrary, if you don’t pay attention to it, bad body language during a presentation, such as slouching, no eye contact or arms on hips, will make your presentation appear dull and you'll wind up alienating your audience.

10 Quick Tips Body Language Tips For Better Public Speaking

Now that we’ve covered what body language is and why it matters while giving a presentation, here are 10 tips that'll show you how to use body language to improve your presentation.

Believe it or not, a smile is the most powerful tool you've got in your body language toolbox. A  UC Berkeley study  from 2011 found “that smiling can be as stimulating as receiving up to 16,000 Pounds Sterling in cash.” What’s more, a smile can instantly change the perception we have about someone, not to mention it leads people to smile back at us.

Smiling makes you seem more approachable. (Image source:  Envato Elements )

While it’s true that smiling can be hard when you’re nervous, but keep in mind that a University of Kansas study found that smiling  reduces stress . So, the next time you're up there giving a presentation, don’t forget to smile every so often. Not only will you seem more approachable to your audience, but you'll relieve that stress you’re feeling as well.

2. Don’t Slouch

Slouching makes you appear less confident and like you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. If you're physically able to stand straight, then be sure to do so the next time you’re giving a presentation. Stand tall with your shoulders pulled back and your stomach tucked in—you'll appear more confident and get a quick jolt of energy to boot.

3. Assume a Power Pose

Professional speaker  Amy Cuddy  shows that a power pose can help you establish authority when you need to come across as confident and authoritative in your presentation. An example of a power pose is standing with your feet a shoulder-width apart, with hands on your hips, and chin lifted up. However, be careful not to overdo it, unless you want to come off as intimidating. Reserve the power poses for crucial parts of your presentation.

4. Make Use of the Space

Notice how the speaker has moved to the side, making use of the available space, rather than standing stiffly behind the podium. (Image source:  Envato Elements )

Another quick tip is to make use of the stage. Instead of standing still, move around the stage. By doing so, you'll send a message to your audience that you’re comfortable in your skin and confident about your topic matter. It'll also help you avoid fidgeting.

Step out from behind the podium and let your audience see you. Move from one spot to another by taking a couple of steps, stopping, and then taking a few more steps.

Be natural as you move about though and avoid pacing as this will achieve the opposite effect and make you look nervous, not to mention you'll run out of breath.

5. Don’t Forget Facial Expressions

Facial expressions can do wonders for keeping your audience interested and convincing them to believe in your cause. Your presentation isn't the time nor the place to bring on your poker face as you'll come off as a robot.

By letting your passion for your topic shine through with your facial expressions, your audience will be able to connect with you and trust you. A word of caution though: don’t purposely go overboard with your facial expressions as this will come off as exaggerating and insincere.

You can practice your facial expressions in front of the mirror while you practice your speech. Alternatively, record yourself with a camera and analyze your facial expressions later on.

6. Speak Clearly

It’s not uncommon for the nerves to get the better of you during the presentation and you stutter or mumble, especially if there are tricky words involved. Practicing your speech before the presentation is a good way to make sure you feel comfortable delivering it and that your audience will be able to understand you.

Another tip that'll help you speak clearly and confidently is to imagine you’re delivering your presentation to your friends.

7. Don’t Be Afraid to Gesture

If you watch other presenters, you’ll notice one thing in common: all great presenters always use hand gestures to help deliver their presentation. Hand gestures will help you stress what's important as well as express feelings and convictions. Your passion for the topic will become more apparent as our gestures are more lively when we're passionate about something.

Gestures can help you express feelings during a presentation. (Image source:  Envato Elements )

Hand gestures will show your audience you care about the presentation topic and that you're an effective communicator so don’t be afraid to use them during a presentation.

8. Maintain Eye Contact

As you give your presentation, be sure to maintain eye contact with your audience and face them. Doing so will make them feel like you’re talking directly to them and will help keep them interested in your presentation.

Avoiding eye contact or turning your back to them, on the other hand, will come off as rude and break the connection with the audience.

9. Remember to Breathe

While you’re on the stage, it can be all too easy to get caught up in your presentation and start to speak fast. But if you speak too fast, your audience will tune out because it'll be hard to follow you and you’ll run out of breath. That’s why it’s important to take a pause and remember to breathe. Breathing properly will also help you with your voice pitch and tone so you don’t sound strained and nervous.

10. Learn From Other Presenters

The last tip is to learn from other great presenters. You can study their body language and see how they use facial expressions, movement, and gestures to help them convey their ideas. A good place to start is to check out various TED Talks.

Different Types of Body Language

By following the previous presentation body language tips, you'll be able to deliver more effective presentations. But if you want to implement those tips successfully, you need to be aware of different body language types.

1. Eye Contact

Eye contact is an important part of body language. (Image source:  Envato Elements )

We mentioned earlier how important it is to maintain eye contact with your audience. Eye contact helps you establish a personal connection with your audience. Keep in mind that you don’t have to look each person in the eye as this can prove to be difficult with large audiences.

Instead, focus your eye contact on a few people in different parts of the room will help you establish and maintain that contact. If they look at you, hold their gaze for a few seconds but avoid staring as long eye contact can make people feel uncomfortable.

Eye contact can also help you get a feel for how the audience is receiving your presentation. If you catch them yawning or trying to stifle a yawn or if they're looking around, it’s a sign they're losing interest in the presentation. Eye contact can help bring their attention back and re-engage them with the topic.

2. Head Movements

The way you move your head can signal a lot of different things. For example, when you lower your head, you send signals such as being tired or waiting for the right moment to speak. Looking up at the ceiling or away may signal you’re bored or that you’re hiding something from your audience as you’re avoiding eye contact. Nodding, on the other hand, signals agreeing with someone.

With the right  head body language , you can engage your audience and convince them to agree with your idea.

3. Facial Expressions

Facial expressions are another important part of body language. As you can see from the man's expression here, he's clearly happy and excited about something. (Image source:  Envato Elements )

Facial expressions  help us convey our emotions to others or mask them when we feel uncertain about the person we’re talking to. That’s why using facial expressions during a presentation is crucial.

When it comes to facial expressions, keep in mind that anyone can recognize the 7 universal emotions (as described in research into facial expressions from  Dr. Paul Ekman ). Given that fear is one of those emotions and also the emotion that can crop up during your presentation, it’s important to conquer your fear instead of letting it get the better of you. Practice your speech and practice giving your presentation in front of a familiar audience first. Once you feel confident about your speech and performance, it’s less likely that fear will show up when the time comes for the official presentation.

4. Hand Gestures

According to a study by  Vanessa Van Edwards , lead investigator for Science of People, hand gestures are one of the five key patterns of all successful TED talks. In other words, the more you gesture with your hands, the better the likelihood of your presentation being a stellar success.

Use your hands to communicate different points in your presentation. The most effective way to do this is to use your fingers to count the points you’re explaining.  

5. Body Posture

Posture is another important part of body language. It's important not to slouch when you give your presentation. (Image source:  Envato Elements )

The way you hold yourself matters. As covered in one of the earlier tips, poor posture such as slouching will give your audience the impression that you’re not confident in your topic or yourself. If your back is tense, they'll sense your tension and wonder what’s causing it.

Remind yourself to relax throughout your presentation and to straighten up if your start to slouch. Not only will this give you the chance to improve your posture, but it'll also allow your audience to take in the points you’ve just covered.

Make Use of Your Body Language to Ace Your Presentation

Delivering a great presentation requires a carefully chosen topic as well as an engaging slide deck and body language that'll help you win over your audience. The topic should be relevant to your audience and help you raise brand awareness as well as generate trust.

Once you’ve nailed down your topic, make sure you've got a well-designed slide deck. You can save a lot of time by using a  professionally designed PowerPoint template  such as those found on Envato Elements or  GraphicRiver  so be sure to check them out.

Lastly, don’t underestimate the importance of body language in a professional presentation. Your body language says a lot about you, not to mention it's got the power to help you deliver an engaging presentation. Put your body language to good use by making use of the space, maintaining eye contact, speaking clearly and with confidence, and by standing tall without slouching.

The Importance of Body Language in Presentations

All eyes are on you.

Before you’ve even spoken the first word, your audience can already read how you’re feeling through your body language.

Nonverbal cues are the key indicators of your true emotions. If you’re a nervous presenter, this doesn’t work to your advantage, but fear not, as it is a skill that can be taught and mastered with practice.

We’ll dive into the importance of body language in presenting, which nonverbal cues are most important when presenting and what not to do when all eyes are on you. Plus, how to use body language in sit-down presentations.

• Why is Body Language Important in Presentations
• 5 Non-Verbal Cues to Think About When Presenting

What Body Language Not to Use When Presenting

• Body Language Tips to Rock Your Next Presentation
• BONUS: How to Use Body Language for a Remote Presentation

Why is Body Language Important in Presentations?

In simple terms, body language can make or break your presentation.

Anyone can get up on stage and talk. But it’s how you present and use body language to convey your passion and authority that will keep your audience engaged in the long run. Your body language can reinforce your points and guide your audience towards the next stage of your presentation.

Before you’ve even said the first word of your presentation or speech, it’s likely that the audience has already decided whether they trust you or not.

There are lots of different aspects that go into acing your body language. We’ll go over 5 of them in more detail.

5 Nonverbal Cues in Presentations

Body language is heavily influenced by 5 other nonverbal communication cues that you should be aware of in public speaking – trust us, they make a big difference. These include:

• Hand gestures
• Eye contact
• Facial expressions

Let's get started...

1. Hand gestures

The purpose of hand gestures during a presentation is to make your message clearer, not more complicated. Using the right amount of hand gestures is the key. Overly exaggerated gestures can be distracting but using clear gestures can add impact to your points. For example, using gestures to address certain slides, making contrasts or a numbered list – the combination of visual and audio aids will draw in your audience’s attention.

Show your enthusiasm through controlled and natural gestures, not forced hand gestures that can distract your audience.

2. Eye contact

Have you ever heard someone say, “…you could see the emotion in their eyes”? This isn’t a lie. Human beings portray lots of emotion and feelings in their eyes, so much so that many of us can understand what another person is saying just by eye movements alone. Use the audience’s eyes and body language to gauge their reaction to your presentation – if they look bored, make changes to your tone or try to engage them.

When it comes to eye contact when presenting, aim to use 50% eye contact as you’re speaking and looking around the room intently to show your audience your confidence and interest in the subject. Good eye contact can also help incorporate the audience into your presentation, making them feel part of the process.

If you avoid eye contact, you will come across as nervous. This can make your audience feel uncomfortable and prevent you from forming a genuine connection with your audience.

Top tip: It can be nerve-wracking when the attention is all on you. A common technique often used in public speaking is picking three central spots in the room to focus on. While presenting, look at each spot for 3-5 seconds, and then move onto the next. This gives the illusion that you are making eye contact with the audience without actually doing it.

Presentation posture is all about standing tall, chin up and open arms – never cross your arms. This can be tricky if you’re a nervous presenter. But, if your audience can tell that you’re afraid of them, it’ll be hard to win over their trust and full attention.

Stand with your feet apart, shoulders open and naturally relaxed. This will convey confidence and authority and will invite your audience in, instead of pushing them away. Having good posture will also help you to breathe more easily and project your voice further across the room – particularly useful if you’re presenting to a big group.

Here are some effective body language examples for presentation posture:

4. Movement

X marks the spot. There’s an old myth that every presenter should stand still, feet shoulder width apart and just simply speak – almost like a statue. Now, we see some of the best presenters (whether it be during TED Talks or CEO product launches) walking around the stage with confidence and natural energy. We are human beings after all – it’s not in our nature to simply stand still.

It’s easy to get this confused though. The key is not to walk or pace around as if you’re getting your daily steps in. Instead, walk slowly between your key talking points when describing less important details of your presentation.

Use your movements to punctuate your statements and stop to make an impact. Just be sure to match your movements with your presentation slides in the background so your audience isn’t distracted.

Want more body language examples? View our other post on why body language is important in communication for bonus videos.

5. Facial expressions

We, humans, can make over 10,000 facial expressions. When it comes to presenting, your facial expressions can suggest a lot to your audience. For example, a monotone facial expression can suggest a lack of interest or belief in your own ideas to your audience. If you’re not interested in your own words and ideas, you can’t expect your audience to be.

It’s important to fully utilise the power of facial expressions when presenting. Watch the faces of your audience to get an insight into how they’re feeling as you present – then you can make adjustments to your own expressions to keep them engaged. Also, if your audience is a big one, ensure you exaggerate your expressions so everyone can read your face.

1. Slouch or look uncomfortable

We get it, presenting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. But sometimes it cannot be avoided, especially if you hold a senior position in the organisation. Your posture tells a lot more about you than you think. Try to stand up straight, take your arms away from your body and relax your shoulders.

Not only will this make you feel more confident, but it’ll also make you look more confident, and it will tell your audience that you know what you’re talking about giving them a reason to believe you.

Watch this video for an example of a good and bad presentation – see if you can spot the differences! Tag us on Twitter at @UModernGov and tell us what you find.

2. Turn away from your audience

Moving around in the right moments of your presentation can be impactful but be sure to not turn your back on your audience at any point. As 93% of communication is nonverbal, turning your back on your audience means you’ve lost the impact of your nonverbal cues, but you’re also making it difficult for your audience to hear you and understand what you truly mean.

It’s okay to gesture to the screen if you’re talking about a specific presentation slide, but make sure to keep your body language open and turn towards your audience to keep the attention on your point.

3. Use too many/over-exaggerated hand gestures

Although hand gestures can be a great way to show your passion for a subject, using too many or overly extravagant hand gestures can be distracting or even off-putting to some audience members. You don’t want them spending their time calculating which direction their arms are going to go in next – you want them focused on your words and presentation.

3 Body Language Tips for Presentations

• Maintain eye contact – No matter how big or small your audience is, look them in the eye. No, we don’t mean staring so much to creep them out, we mean looking at them every so often to create a bond and ensure they are focused on you and your words.
• Use open body language – Avoid closing yourself off. If you’re standing still and tense, your audience will feel this. Using open body language will help you clearly express your message in a positive professional and natural manner.
• Get advice or record yourself to see how your body language really looks – it can be difficult to know how your body language really comes across when presenting, especially if it’s not something you do often. Ask a friend to help you practice your presentation or record a practice run to help you see how to improve your body language.

Use this helpful graphic to understand the body language you use and how you can improve.

Bonus: How to Use Body Language for a Remote Presentation

Sometimes you might not have the option of conducting a standing presentation. If this is the case, there are things you can do to still promote positive body language to your audience. Sitting down and presenting your ideas or opinions can offer a great chance to be intimate with your listeners. Use this time to engage in natural sharing in a casual and relaxed tone – putting the listeners at ease.

While you might not have the chance to use your full body to show communication, you can still keep your arms open, and back straight, hand gestures natural and use clear facial expressions and eye contact to support your points.

5 Quick Tips for an Effective Remote Presentation:

• Use vocal variety and modulation to increase your personal impact: A monotonous voice is difficult to listen to so ensure that yours is full of vocal colour. Practice by reading out loud and varying tone, emphasis, and pitch and never forget the power of the pause.
• Become an excellent storyteller : Create a narrative for the meeting so that it flows efficiently. Use examples and stories and ask questions to engage your colleagues in order to get buy-in so that you influence effectively.
• Articulate your message with clarity: Ensure that every word can be easily understood by opening your mouth well and using your articulators - tongue, teeth, lips, hard and soft palate - to maintain clarity. Keep your message short and concise to achieve maximum impact.
• Sit "well" and own your space: Ensure your feet are flat on the ground and that your sitting bones are comfortably in the back of the seat. Sitting too close to the screen can come across as being mildly threatening to the viewer. Use gestures with definition, but also with grace.
• Be aware of your physical presentation: Dress appropriately in single-block colours to avoid distraction. Look behind you to ensure the backdrop your colleagues are witnessing is one you want to reveal.

Your Voice and Body Language Go Hand in Hand – Learn How to Combine The Two Effectively

Now you’ve got your body language in check, it’s time to make sure your words follow suit. Take a look at our upcoming Confidence & Resilience training courses  to present the maximum impact.

Related posts

What is the Importance of Body Language in Communication?

25 Common Body Language Examples in Action

What Your Digital Body Language Says About You | Plus Tips to Improve

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How To Use Body Language To Enhance Your Presentation Skills

How you physically hold and carry yourself makes a huge difference in how your audience receives your words.

Improve Your Presentation Body Language

As a manager, you know that mastering presentation skills is critical for effectively communicating ideas , motivating your team, and projecting leadership presence. But even if your message is compelling, poor body language can undermine your talk’s impact .

How you physically hold and carry yourself makes a huge difference in how your audience receives your words. Simple tweaks like standing with open posture, using natural hand gestures, maintaining eye contact, and having expressive facial reactions can dramatically boost your ability to captivate and connect with any crowd.

But how can you use all the tips to improve your next presentation ?

In this guide, we’ll help you understand all the small tweaks you can do to improve your presentation style . From building a strong stage presence to making sure that your audience doesn’t doze off , you’ll be able to become a speaker who naturally commands attention and gains trust.

So, let’s see how you can become a speaker that not only informs but also inspires.

Key Components of Effective Body Language in Presentations

Posture – conveying confidence and authority.

Proper posture is crucial for projecting confidence and professionalism while presenting. Stand tall with your shoulders comfortably back and down to achieve an open, grounded stance. Distribute your weight evenly on both feet, positioned shoulder-width apart in a power pose. This occupies space and subconsciously signals assurance and leadership capability. Avoid closed-off postures like crossed arms and legs, which telegraph discomfort or aloofness. Train yourself to stand upright often outside of presentations, as posture habits inform body language cues .

Keep your chin parallel to the floor and your head upright. This levels your gaze naturally to readily meet the audience’s eyes and establish an engaging connection . Periodically roll your shoulders back to keep your chest open if needed. Use torso twists to limber up before taking the stage. Stand with authority by clasping hands behind your lower back. Small posture adjustments like these will instantly lend you greater gravitas.

Hand Gestures – Adding Emphasis and Clarity

Hand motions are a powerful tool to punctuate words and underscore meaning, so use them with deliberate purpose. Open palm gestures fluidly direct the audience’s gaze, highlighting key points without unnecessary flourish. Sweeping hand motions also reinforce ideas spatially and describe size and shape. Avoid overuse of gestures which distract. Keep hand motions above the sternum where the audience can readily see them.

Prevent anxious habits like wringing hands or touching your face. Instead, drill smooth motions originating from the core that emphasise ideas. Calibrate hand gestures to your message’s tone using palm orientation, speed, size and range appropriate to each point. Well-executed hand motions timed to accent important content, clarify the presentation and amplify impact . But use sparingly, only when meaning is enhanced.

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Practical Application in Presentations

Integrating body language into presentation preparation.

When preparing your presentation , consciously plan how physical presence will complement the narrative. Script instances to stand tall to convey confidence at key points. Note when expansive gestures could underscore important ideas. Plan for natural eye contact with participants throughout the room. Identify areas where facial expressions might heighten engagement.

Practice fluid transitions between postures and gestures. Appropriately time movements and gestures to sync with speech patterns. Review the video to confirm body language aligns with your intentions. Refine through repetition to eliminate distracting motions and polish physical delivery.

Dynamic Body Language During Live Presentations

While presenting, let body language emerge naturally from the content while adhering to openness, purpose and confidence principles. Avoid remaining static, or you may disengage the audience. Move with an intention to occupy the stage using diagonal crossing patterns. Pivot your torso and stance when transitioning.

Continually scan the room, making eye contact . Use sustained gestures more dynamically when speaking passionately to boost energy and enthusiasm. Allow facial expressions to reflect the speech’s emotion. Respond physically to audience reactions. Adjust pacing, gestures, and proximity as needed to recapture wandering attention. An authentic , dynamic physical presence will keep your audience engaged .

Simple Exercises to Enhance Body Language Skills

Daily routines for better posture.

Building better posture requires daily practice. Set reminders so you periodically stand tall and roll your shoulders back to open your chest. Stretches like overhead reaches target tight muscles that pull shoulders forward. Yoga poses that extend the spine help counteract slouching. Perform exercises like planks to build core strength for a balanced stance.

Use visualisation techniques daily, too – imagine balancing a book atop your head as you walk. Adopt grounded public speaking stances like hands clasped behind your back. The more upright postures become an ingrained habit, the more poised and confident you’ll appear when presenting.

Practice Drills for Effective Hand Gestures

Avoid small, jittery hand motions – instead, drill broad, purposeful gestures that fluidly originate from your core. Rehearse synchronised motions in front of a mirror, timed to match speech patterns. Mark words for emphasis gestures on your script or teleprompter.

Vary gesture size and speed to fit the tone of your message. Watch TED talks and replicate speakers’ effective motions to expand your repertoire. With consistent practice, gestures will become a seamless way to emphasise key points and amplify your presentations.

If you are looking for In-House Presentation Skills Training for a group or teams, please see our

Advanced Body Language Strategies for Presentations

Adapting body language for diverse audiences.

Tailor your body language approach based on audience demographics to increase engagement:

• Research cultural norms on gestures and personal space to avoid miscommunicating with international attendees.
• Adjust formality appropriately for executives versus new hires.
• Adjust gestures to be visible and expressions to be exaggerated if presenting to an audience with visual or hearing impairments. Use simplicity, repetition, and descriptive language.
• Make body language inclusive by scanning the full room with eye contact, not just focusing on leadership.
• Naturally pace stance and gestures to resonate across generations.

Responsive, adaptive physical presence fosters audience connection.

Context-Specific Body Language Techniques

Adjust techniques based on the presentation context. Subtle, confined gestures suit lecterns, while expansive motions engage stage audiences. Convey passion facially and physically for motivational speeches. A CEO may feature formal postures, while an engineer can relax formality for tech demos. Conversational gestures engage small groups.

For video conferences, look into the camera when speaking, then pan side-to-side to show attentiveness. Lean slightly forward on intensifying words. Exaggerate nods, smiles and frowns for clarity onscreen. Contextual mastery makes every talk more effective.

Body Language in Digital Presentation Platforms

Challenges and strategies for virtual presentations.

Presenting through video conferencing poses body language challenges:

• Limited mobility due to being seated and on camera can make presentations feel static and disengaged.
• Distance from the camera may mean facial expressions and subtle gestures get lost.
• Lack of audience visual feedback is difficult.

However, some strategic tweaks can help amplify your virtual presence:

• Stand and gesture when possible to emulate live delivery . Incorporate periodic movement.
• Position the camera at eye level and look directly into it to simulate eye contact.
• Use visual aids like slides or images behind you for audience focus.
• Request audience webcams be on for virtual nods, smiles and eye contact.

Effective Use of Body Language in Video Conferencing

When presenting via video chat platforms:

• Properly position the camera at eye level to emulate eye contact.
• Look into the camera when speaking, then pan to side screens to view participants’ faces.
• Project confidence through purposeful posture and avoid distracting fidgets off-screen.
• Convey energy by varying pace, emphasis gestures, and vocal delivery.
• Use exaggerated facial expressions for clarity onscreen.
• Occasionally lean forward subtly on key points for intensified engagement.
• Send “looking to audience” visual cues before asking questions.

Proper use of virtual body language techniques makes online presentations more dynamic and impactful.

Elevate Your Presentation Skills With Impact Factory

Now armed with evidence-based techniques to amplify your body language impact, it’s time to put these tips into practice. Reflect on your upcoming presentations and identify areas needing improvement. Set goals to integrate one new technique per talk until a powerful physical presence comes naturally. Also, continue observing seasoned speakers to expand your skills repertoire .

For professionals seeking to master presentation skills beyond just body language, our Impact Factory Presentation Skills Training Course offers an intensive learning experience. The program elevates verbal delivery, content structure , audience engagement, and physical presence through hands-on sessions with expert coaches.

The course features modules dedicated to body language mastery, including stance, movement and eye contact for gravitas. However, you’ll also be able to identify your strengths, learn how to become less nervous and make your presentations more engaging.

So, whether you need to pitch ideas within the company, win over new customers, enchant stakeholders in a boardroom or talk to the public and media, you’ll become more confident and learn how to craft a presentation that allows you to reach your goals .

To learn more about our transformative presentation training, browse through our offer of courses or email [email protected]. Our knowledgeable coaches provide personalised guidance to dramatically boost your public speaking capabilities .

Contact us today to amplify your presence and confidence as a presenter.

What are soft skills for body language?

Key soft skills for mastering body language include:

• Self-awareness – recognising your natural gestures
• Empathy – reading others’ nonverbal cues
• Adaptability – adjusting body language by context
• Active listening – paying attention to others’ signals
• Authenticity – using gestures that feel natural

What are the 5 P’s of presentation skills?

The 5 P’s are a framework for excellent presentations:

• Planning – research and outline content
• Preparation – create slides, handouts, notes
• Practice – rehearse delivery out loud
• Presentation – deliver material confidently
• Post-Evaluation – review feedback afterwards

What is the 5/5/5 rule for better presentation?

The 5/5/5 rule suggests:

• 5 key points maximum per slide
• 5 words maximum per bullet point
• 5 text-heavy slides maximum in a row before visuals

This technique improves engagement by simplifying slides and varying content types.

Related Articles:

Here are more resources to help you plan your next steps:

• Presentation Skills Training – Browse through our offer to see what you can gain from the training.
• Presentation With Impact – In this course, you can find your unique presentation style and sharpen your skills to perfection. Explore what our course has to offer.
• Tips To Improve Your Presentation Skills From Industry Insiders – Learn more about small yet impactful tweaks to your next presentation so you can captivate the audience and reach your goals.
• How To Create Impactful Presentation Slides – The days with slides full of barely readable text are long gone. Explore our tips to make your slides more engaging.

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10 Worst Body Language Mistakes You Can Make When Giving A Presentation

by Shanthi Streat | 8 Aug, 2016 | Business English , Presenting Skills | 0 comments

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When you’re giving a presentation, the audience is listening to you but they are also registering your non-verbal communication, in other words your body language. So, if your words don’t match what your body is ‘saying’, your presentation message could get lost.

Many studies have shown that the single most impactful factor in presenting is non-verbal communication – body language. In fact, some studies say that body language makes up as much as 55% of the total influence of a presenter! (Source: SOAP)

So, it makes sense to look at the worst mistakes you could make and look at how to improve them. The tips that I share here were put together by State of the Art Presentations (SOAP) in Brazil. I found their excellent presentation  while doing research for this article and decided to adapt their advice and share it here with you. Let’s take a look…….

1.   C rossing your arms and/or your legs

When you talk to someone who has their arms crossed during the conversation, what does it say about them? For me, it says that they feel threatened and are using that posture to go on the defensive. It also shows a lack of openness. Imagine doing that while giving a presentation. What message are you giving your audience? That you feel threatened by them and therefore need to defend yourself against them?  Quite the contrary (opposite).

Similarly, crossing your legs shows you’re nervous and can come across lacking in professionalism.

You want to show confidence and look approachable so your posture needs to be open. Back straight, head high with chest and arms in an ‘open’ position. I refer to this latter point in my Guide on Better Communication.

2. Turning your back on the audience

Don’t you just hate it when you see a presenter with their back to you? They spend the entire presentation talking to the screen. What’s that all about? That’s so rude and it says that the presenter doesn’t care about his/her audience.

Your audience wants to see your face, your eyes and your mouth to engage with you, particularly if you’re giving a presentation in a foreign language. They need to see your facial expressions.

Turn and face the audience and if you need to draw their attention to the screen, turn sideways and point.

3. No eye contact

When we feel insecure we unconsciously avoid eye contact with the people we’re talking to. The trouble is that when you’re giving a presentation, you have to feel secure and show confidence or else your audience won’t pay you the attention you want.

It’s therefore crucial (important) you look your audience in the eye. By giving them eye contact, they will pay attention to you and what you’re saying because they feel more engaged.

A word of caution: don’t stare! Don’t pick one person out of the audience and give them exclusive eye contact. You’ll only make them nervous and avoid your eyes.

4. Don’t focus at a single spot in the audience

It’s a bit like staring at one person only. If you pick a single spot and focus on just that, people will notice that you’re not looking at them and they will feel disengaged from you. This will also make them think you lack confidence or are nervous.

Look at various people around the audience. Hold their attention for a second or two and this will make them feel that they matter to you and will consequently listen to you.

5. Standing in the same position

Unless you’re a totem pole , I’d suggest avoiding standing in the same position throughout your presentation. The brain needs movement to stay alert and your audience also wants variety. Furthermore, movement is a powerful tool to keep your audience’ attentive.

6. Don’t walk too fast or for too long

Having said to move around, don’t walk too fast or for too long or worse up and down. You don’t want your audience to think they’re at a tennis match following you as the ball! They’ll think you’re super nervous.

Move when it makes sense to do so and it helps to convey (communicate) your message. For example, if you’re addressing someone in the audience, move to a spot closer to them. Or if you are making a list of 3 points, take a step to make point 1, then a further two or three steps to and make point 2 and a few more for point 3 (Source: SOAP).

7. Repeating gestures ……a lot

I have to say that I can be guilty of this and I have to work at it. Gestures are an excellent way of emphasising your message but not when the gestures are used too often because they become meaningless and it looks like you don’t know what to do with your hands.

By varying your gestures and using them carefully, you can help your audience follow your message.

8. Fidgeting

Fidgeting equals nervousness and can totatally distract your audience because all they’ll do is focus on your fidgeting and not listen to a word you have to say.

However, fidgeting is sometimes something we do unconsciously and therefore can be difficult to control. You need to be aware of when you’re fidgeting to stop yourself. One way to do this is to video yourself while rehearsing your presentation. Watch the replay and see how much you fidget and then try to correct it.

9. Forgetting to smile

Your nerves take over, you’re worried about how you’re going to present; about forgetting your words; about the technology failing that you completely forget to smile.

Not only do you come across as too serious, you show no warmth and seem unapproachable. This will stop your audience from empathising with you and stop you from creating a warm rapport with them.

So before you do anything, be sure to smile and look like you really want to be there with your audience. A beautiful smile shares a thousand words without a single word being said.

10. Don’t speak too fast, too slow or too low

In our nervousness and desire to get the presentation done, we can sometimes end up talking too fast. Or you could be someone who speaks far too slowly which could leave your audience reaching for their smartphones or worse still, nodding off (falling asleep!) Another problem could be that your voice is too low and the people at the back can’t hear you.

Your voice is one of the most powerful tools you have in your presentation armoury. Think about how actors use their voice to get and keep the audience’s attention. Think of the great orators of recent history and how they use their voice to captivate their audience – Barack Obama, Martin Luther King Jr.

As presenters, we need to do the same. We need to use our voice at the right volume, to emphasise the words we want our audience to hear and to articulate key expressions clearly. You want your message to be understood and your voice is the perfect tool to hold your audience’s attention. Using pauses and intonation are further techniques you can use to captivate your audience.

There’s so much more to engaging an audience in a presentation than a good grasp of the English Language. What our body “says” is equally important. These skills can all be worked on and improved which is half the battle won!

Good luck with your next presentation and do please let me know how you get on.

Ciao for now

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• Delivery Techniques →

Body Language in Public Speaking: How to Master It

Public speaking can be daunting. Even seasoned speakers can sometimes lack confidence and poise in front of a crowd. Your words may be carefully constructed, but what about your body language? Are you making the best use of everything from your head tilt to your hand gestures to create the most impressionable, powerful performance? It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to improving your body language for public speaking. After all, there’s so much to take into account. Which can make you even more anxious! But never fear – in this blog post we’ll show you how to master your body language and make your public speaking more impactful. We’ll cover basics, like posture and facial expressions, to finer details, like microphone technique, to ensure you make the right impression every time. So let’s get started on taking your public speaking to the next level – the only way is up!

Quick Answer

Using body language when giving a speech or presentation can help to convey your message more effectively and engage the audience. Make sure to avoid any nervous habits such as fidgeting and maintain good posture. Use hand gestures and facial expressions sparingly and intentionally for maximum effect.

Understanding Body Language

Understanding body language is key for any public speaker to be successful in creating an impact. On one hand, researchers suggest that body language can provide insight into a person’s true feelings, intentions and thoughts.

Whether it be positive reinforcement like a thumbs-up or negative reinforcement like facial expressions of frustration - body language always plays an important role in the understanding of communication.

Additionally, during the speaking portion of a presentation, a speaker’s posture will affect their delivery, giving off strong signals of confidence and power when done correctly. On the other hand, many people have studied nonverbal communication and report mixed findings on its accuracy. 

Our own biases as individuals tend to influence our interpretation of what we observe in another’s body language. Context can also play a big role in how we interpret cues - something that someone may consider as confident body language could easily be considered intimidating or aggressive depending on the scenario and the audience it is being given to. Overall, understanding the basics of both verbal and nonverbal communication is essential for any successful public speaker to make an impactful statement. By understanding these essential differences between each form of speaking, a speaker can craft their presentation accurately and congruently in order to achieve their desired outcome. Now that an understanding of body language has been discussed, the following section will discuss "What is Body Language" in further detail.

Must-Know Summary Points

Body language, both positive and negative, plays an important role in communication. Body language can influence how successful a public speaker is, as their posture not only affects delivery but also signals confidence and power.

The interpretation of nonverbal communication, however, can be affected by the individual's biases and context-dependent cues. To make a successful impact through speaking publicly, one must understand both verbal and nonverbal forms of communication.

What is Body Language?

Body language is a form of communication that uses nonverbal cues, such as posture, gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact to convey messages. It is defined as “ the behavior that one displays during communication through body movements, posture, and gestures .” 

Body language can be used to express a variety of emotions, including happiness, anger, sadness, confusion, or surprise. It is also an effective way to make a point or emphasize something important when delivering a speech. Body language can be both beneficial and detrimental depending on the context in which it is used. For instance, standing up straight with your arms crossed applied can make you appear more authoritative or confident. On the other hand, this gesture may come off as aggressive and intimidating if the tone of your message isn't aligned with the assertive body language. By being mindful of our body posture and movements before and during a presentation we can ensure that the message we are trying to convey is accurately interpreted by our audience. With a better understanding of how body language affects public speaking, we can use it to our advantage and create meaningful connections that foster trust and respect with our audience. In the next section we will explore how to use body language to make your public speaking more impactful.

The Impact of Body Language

When it comes to public speaking, what we say matters, but the way we say it matters even more. Body language is a universal language and can have an immense impact on how your message is received by an audience. Often times, before you have even said your first word, your body language has already spoken thousands of words to the audience. The lines of your face, curve of your throat, folds in your clothing and the look in your eye all speak volumes about how you are feeling and what kind of attitude you bring to the podium. For example, if a speaker appears tense or closed-off, it may cause some audience members to become defensive or uncomfortable. But if a speaker comes across as open and confident, it helps put the audience at ease and encourages them to respond positively to what they hear. Body language can also have numerous other nonverbal communication benefits during public speaking . For example, well-timed pauses , emphasis on certain points through gestures, and capturing attention with eye contact can all help take an average speech and turn it into something that really resonates with the listener. On the other hand, there’s no denying that people’s perception of body language can be highly subjective. While certain body language cues such as crossed arms may be indicative of being closed off to ideas that don't align with one’s own beliefs for some people, for others crossed arms may simply mean deep concentration.

So its important to keep in mind that how we interpret someone else’s body language largely reflects our own preconceived notions rather than calling out any specific trait of another person. The impact of body language when giving a public presentation should not be underestimated - it can turn a mediocre performance into something extraordinary by creating a connection with listeners and keeping them engaged throughout. Now let's take a closer look at how you can use body language effectively during public speaking to maximize this impact.

Body Language During Public Speaking

Body language during public speaking can have a huge influence on the delivery of your speech, as well as your overall success. The way you move and use your body to convey your message is one of the most important elements of delivering an effective presentation . Your body language can reveal how confident or hesitant you are about the material you’re conveying and how engaged or disinterested your audience is. When speaking in front of people, maintaining an open body language can demonstrate your confidence and help put them at ease. Some people tend to cross their arms when they become nervous , which can come off as confrontational or even hostile.

Your posture should be relaxed but upright—avoid slouching or hunching over, as this comes off as unprofessional and may signal a lack of confidence in yourself and your message. On the other hand, standing too straight and rigid can also be intimidating. Standing with your feet slightly apart in an open stance conveys openness and comfort with yourself and your message. Your facial expressions should also match what you’re saying—a grimace when telling a funny story, for example, is confusing for the audience. It’s important to stay aware of flinching or winking too much, which can make it seem like you’re not paying attention to what you’re saying or are uncomfortable with the content. Make sure to look out for any unintentional visual cues that might distract or confuse your audience. Keeping good posture and making sure your movements coincide with the flow of your speech will enable you to project confidence and enthusiasm that will keep your audience engaged throughout the duration of your presentation.

Your facial expressions play an equally vital role in helping you get your point across efficiently so it’s important to become aware of them while speaking. With greater awareness and practice, mastering nonverbal communication during public speaking will become easier and more natural. Next we will discuss how facial expressions and posture play key roles in how impactful a speaker is during public presentations.

Facial Expressions and Posture

The way we use facial expressions and posture when speaking publicly has a huge influence on how people perceive us. Our eyes, forehead, mouth, and chin all send organic cues to others about our feelings and thoughts.

It’s important to pay attention to the signals our faces are sending, making sure they are intentional rather than merely fleeting. Additionally, our posture speaks volumes when it comes to communicating with an audience. One of the most important gestures that can help you connect with your audience is smiling. A charming smile can boost credibility, increase positive reactions, and help keep the atmosphere light-hearted.

On the other hand, the opposite can also be true: frowning and furrowing your eyebrows may distract or upset a room of listeners. So practice your presentation with a big smile and choose wisely when changing expressions during your speech. In addition to facial expression, posture is essential in public speaking. Standing up straight and tall projects strength and authority while slouching signals weakness and uncertainty. By standing up with proper posture while speaking publicly you give off an impression of capability and confidence, which will make people better listen to what you have to say.

For example, when talking to an audience try planting your feet hip-width apart; this will ground yourself in your message. Slumping or swaying back-and-forth sends a negative message about self-belief that your audience can sense subconsciously; so pay attention to subtle adjustments that express dedication and seriousness for your speech topic . Overall, facial expressions and posture play an integral role in public speaking as they set up tangible associations with the message one is trying to communicate as a speaker or presenter. Next up in this article we will discuss practical tips for utilizing body language during public speaking.

Tips for Using Body Language in Public Speaking

When preparing to give a public speech , body language plays an essential role in connecting with and impressing your audience. It can be used to emphasize key points and create the kind of lasting impression you want to make. Here are some tips for using body language effectively: 1. Stand Confidently – A confident posture expresses power, passion, and conviction. Keep your hands at your sides instead of crossed over your chest as this has been shown to make people appear more defensive and tense. Make sure your body weight is well-distributed by standing with both feet firmly planted on the ground. 2. Don’t Fidget – People tend to fidget when nervous and this can be distracting or even annoying to an audience. To combat this, practice presenting in front of a mirror so that you can become familiar with how you move and where you may need to adjust. 3. Use Intentional Gestures – If done properly, gestures can help add energy and excitement to an otherwise dull presentation. Avoid robotic gestures that don’t mean anything; practice deliberate gestures that connect with the topic or point you are making in meaningful ways for maximum impact. 4. Make Eye Contact – People love it when presenters look them directly in the eye because it makes them feel included in the action, connected to their speakers, and more likely to remember what was spoken about. Aim for 3-5 seconds of direct eye contact with each person who is listening so that you communicate strong, vibrant energy throughout the room. By taking advantage of these speaking techniques and using meaningful gestures, powerful stances, and confident looks, you will have presented a far more impactful speech than had any of these body language methods been overlooked or neglected. Now, let's talk about common mistakes to avoid when delivering public speeches...

• Research studies show that a speaker's body language accounts for up to 93% of their communication when presenting (although this may not be true).
• Effective body language can help to create rapport between the presenter and the audience, leading to more effective communication
• Studies have shown that positive body language, such as open and inviting gestures, can help increase audience engagement and understanding of the message.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Public speaking is a challenging endeavor, and even seasoned presenters can make mistakes. It can be easy to forget about the need for attentive body language if you get too caught up in your presentation. To mitigate the possibility of ‘faux pas’, it is important to understand some common blunders that can lessen the impact of your performance. It is vital to avoid maintaining an unfavorable facial expression; for instance, scowling or yawning. Such expressions tend to leave negative impressions, making it difficult to maintain attention. Instead, try to adopt a relaxed and pleasant facial expression which will help put people at ease and keep them engaged.

Your posture is another essential aspect of body language. Don’t slouch or hunch your shoulders as this position communicates a lack of confidence or enthusiasm and disengages the audience. Aim to stand with even proportions; your feet shoulder-width apart with your chest held up and arms loose by your side. This establishes a stance that suggests dynamism, engagement, and assurance - words you want associated with yourself and your speech. On the other hand, it is also important not to contort yourself into an over-assertive pose that may distract from the content of your address. Many speakers adopt hyperextended poses such as spreading their arms wide and pacing back-and-forth across the stage setting their audience on edge rather than inspiring them with confidence in the speaker’s message. In conclusion, practice mindful body language when speaking publicly: maintain a friendly expression, appropriate posture, and avoid gestures that detract from what matters most -your presentation content! Building self-confidence to ensure successful public speaking requires both clever content delivery and skillful manipulation of body language – something we will explore further in the following section on building self-confidence while speaking publicly.

Building Your Self-Confidence

Confidence is the cornerstone of public speaking. It is essential for conveying effective messages and connecting with your audience. Building up your self-confidence before a speech or presentation will ensure that you are ready to deliver an impactful performance. Here are some strategic tips for increasing your self-confidence when you take the stage: 1. Practice, practice, practice – Before delivering a speech, engaging in multiple rehearsals helps individuals become more familiar and comfortable with their material. Rehearsing enables speakers to focus on specific points of their speech and practice the flow and delivery of their words with precision.

Additionally, rehearsing also provides an opportunity to perfect and enhance content that can potentially elevate the level of enthusiasm within your audience. 2. Boost your posture – Holding yourself in a “power pose” can be an effective way to channel confidence both onstage and offstage. Highlighting important moments with dramatic gesture indicates a grounded, passionate presence that leaves a lasting impression on viewers.

When people feel as if they can trust and respect who is communicating a message, it increases engagement and creates opportunities to further dialogue or discussion afterwards. 3. Set attainable goals – Curating manageable objectives for yourself is another great way to build self-confidence before going on stage. This includes building out an agenda (also known as ‘ speaker notes ’) that lays out talking points and bullets important sections of your presentation beforehand so that you can confidently navigate transitions between slides or topics during delivery.

Setting clear expectations beforehand not only reminds the speaker what topics are of importance, but it also offers direction so speaking becomes easier when conducting research or writing scripts ahead of time.

4. Visualize success – Visualization is another form of preparation that can have significant effects on one’s self-confidence levels prior to taking the stage. It involves creating vivid mental images related to successful performance while simultaneously reminding oneself that they have successfully conquered other speaking engagements prior preceding this one; this essentially helps make it easier transitioning from anxiousness into preparedness pre-speech day nerves. Confidence can be seen as both an intrinsic quality associated with personality traits such as charisma, charm, poise and eloquence, as well as something environmental or situational like body language, external feedback or attitude surrounding a particular event or task at hand that contributes to overall comfortability levels onstage (or offstage).

Consequently it can be argued that one needs both external factors working in tandem with personality attributes to establish robust personal confidence capable of maximizing success onstage as a public speaker; however where people depict various levels of comfortability with how each contributes towards self-efficacy depends largely upon individual beliefs about their own character and abilities involving communication(s).

Ultimately, developing strategies for harnessing confidence for public speaking requires individuals to assess what works best for them based upon what makes them feel most prepared & competent when under pressure - that’s why it’s important to review all available options prior developing tactical plans designed to elevate public speaking performances; good luck!

Most Common Questions

How does body language emphasize content when public speaking.

Body language is an important factor when it comes to emphasizing content when public speaking. This is because people tend to take in nonverbal cues more than verbal cues. S

tudies have shown that 93% of communication is nonverbal, which means that what you do with your body language can be just as influential as the words you use.

When delivering a presentation or speech, gestures and movements can be used to emphasize key points, draw attention to certain ideas, and add depth and meaning to the content.

For example, making large hand gestures when discussing a significant idea helps communicate a powerful message, while pointing at relevant diagrams or visuals helps guide the audience’s attention toward important information.

Additionally, maintaining strong and confident posture while speaking also sends a signal of authority and helps engage listeners. Ultimately, by deliberately incorporating body language into presentations or speeches, presenters can effectively emphasize the content being presented and increase its impact on audiences.

What are some common mistakes to avoid with body language in public speaking?

One of the most common mistakes to avoid with body language in public speaking is not maintaining good posture. Keeping your head up and shoulders back shows confidence. Avoid slouching, which can make you appear uncomfortable or insecure.

Additionally, avoid excessive movements such as fidgeting, gesturing too much or rocking back and forth. These habits can be distracting to your audience and detract from the message that you are trying to get across. Another mistake to avoid is using negative gestures and facial expressions. Too many negative expressions like frowns or eyerolls can provide a conflicting message to your audience, weakening the impact of your words.

As a speaker, it’s important to project confidence, so negative body language can be counter-productive. Smiling or looking positive while speaking will give off a confident air and help keep the atmosphere positive and engaging. Finally, be aware of how much space you are taking up and remain conscious of what your body is saying. Invading too much personal space makes people in the audience feel uncomfortable.

Be sure to match people’s body language cues so that it doesn’t come off as aggressive or intimidating. By paying attention to these small nuances, you will be able to properly control your body language in public speaking and make a bigger impression on your audience!

What are the most important tips for using body language in public speaking?

The most important tips for using body language in public speaking are: 1. Establish good eye contact - to your audience, look around the room and make sure to engage people with eye contact at different points while you speak. 2. Use open body language - avoid postures that suggest discomfort or lack of confidence such as crossed arms, fidgeting, and avoiding direct eye contact. Instead, strive to use body language that suggests openness and comfort. 3. Use gestures to emphasize points - gestures can help engage your audience, amplify the message you're trying to get across, and give energy to your presentation. Practice beforehand what gestures will help accentuate each point in your presentation and use them appropriately when speaking. 4. Use facial expressions - don't just stand still like a statue! Make sure to smile, frown, use surprise and other subtle expressions as appropriate to convey emotion with your words and make your story come alive for the audience. 5. Vary Your Speech Pace & Volume - vary the speed of your delivery based on the content of your speech and don't forget about pushing up or down on the volume of your voice for multi-syllable words or when emphasizing a point – movement of your hands can be helpful too! Using these tips during public speaking can help make it more impactful and have better results in conveying your message across effectively to any audience.

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How to Look and Sound Confident During a Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Your audience will make up their minds about you in seconds.

How you look and sound during a speech or presentation are going to make a big impression on your audience. Within seconds, listeners will decide whether you are trustworthy, and they will do it based on your body language and vocal attributes. The good news is that there is plenty of hard evidence that explains how you can give the appearance of confidence and competence — even if you’re nervous or timid on the inside. To look confident, make eye contact, keep an open posture, and use gestures to emphasize your message. To sound confident, eliminate filler words, take time to pause before important messages, and vary your pace.

You’ve crafted the message and created the slides for your next presentation. Now it’s time to wow the audience. How you look and sound are going to make a big impression — and your audience will form opinions quickly .

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Body Language Mistakes to Avoid During Presentations

May 17, 2017 / Blog, Presentation Science, Tips & Tricks body language, presentation tips, public speaking tips

When you’re conversing with someone, which of the following do you do: look at that person in the eye or look away? focus or check your watch every few seconds? listen or play with your fingers, seemingly absentminded?

There are many negative connotations when you answer the latter for every pair. That’s because arbitrary cognition affects how people perceive your actions. In short, body language . The more negative those perceptions are, the more badly it reflects upon you, especially when you’re onstage and speaking in front of a large crowd.

But what specific “negative body language” indicators do you have to avoid during a presentation? Below are a few.

Poor Posture

If anything, this will be the most glaring and most obvious presentation blunder you can make. Slumped shoulders and slouching are its two biggest indicators, and they already tell much: nervousness, little to no confidence, a feeling of discomfort and inferiority, and that hint of the “I don’t really want to be here” idea. Poor posture reflects as much on your audience as it does to your own body .

Instead, practice proper posture in front of a mirror. A straight body not only improves bodily functions, like blood circulation, breathing, and the like, but also exudes an air of confidence and self-worth. Then, when you’re in front of your audience, do the same and think of it as your power pose . They will perceive you as a professional with the right things in mind to be worth their time.

Crossing Arms

Defensiveness is not a new concept. Humans survived basically because of it. But when talking about body language, it’s not a good thing; it gives off the message that you aren’t receptive to anything, are resistant to everything except yourself, and would rather stay in your comfort zone—three things you wouldn’t want your audience to emulate because, by then, your words will fall on deaf ears.

What do you do with your hands then? A good trick is incorporating hand movements to your spiel. If you’re about to introduce a point, motion to the audience. If you want a word or phrase emphasized, you can point to your presentation. You can also address to your viewers with a welcoming wave using both hands.

Exaggerated Gestures

Moving around the stage is good. It makes your speech lively with movements and can even draw attention to you and/or to what you’re pointing to, especially when emphasizing points (see above). But there is such a thing as “over the top.”

There should be a limit. If you use exaggerated gestures, like doing a sweeping wave when a small movement of the hand is enough, you can be seen as trying too hard or being too theatrical; the latter isn’t necessarily bad, per se, but if what you’re doing diverts your audience’s attention away from your words, then it’s time to keep your actions in check or, at least, dial it down a notch.

Turning Your Back

There’s a reason live TV strictly discourages showing its stars’ back to the camera: it’s to show the faces of the actors and actresses, the best tools they can use to portray the emotions the scene evokes.

It’s the same with public speaking. What would you rather your audience see: your back or your face? Choosing the former can denote that you’re not really interested in seeing them—much more talk to them. The worst perception is that you don’t trust and respect your viewers. Soon, they’ll reciprocate that feeling and think they just wasted their time.

Make Eye Contact

Have you ever had a conversation with an individual where your eyes just don’t meet, and you feel more awkward with each passing moment? Not having eye contact gives off the air and sentiment that much of what happens isn’t worth the time and could be just safely ignored. Thus, trust isn’t formed.

Looking at your audience members eye to eye fosters better understanding of each other because of the sincerity and trust that comes with it. You feel there’s a deeper connection steadily forming from that connection. The more it develops, the more your audience sees what makes you stand and speak in front of them: “ confidence, leadership, strength, and intelligence ,” as Dr. Travis Bradberry, author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0 , writes.

When it comes right down to it, when hundreds of pairs of eyes are on you, there’s no greater fear than making a mistake and humiliating yourself. With the wrong kinds of body language, you’re just digging your grave deeper. When you’re rehearsing, take extra care and effort to eliminate these habits, no matter how much of a mannerism they have become. It’ll serve you better in the long run.

Babar, Tayab. “8 Fatal Body Language Mistakes to Avoid During Presentations.” Lifehack . n.d. www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/8-fatal-body-language-mistakes-avoid-during-presentations.html

Bradberry, Travis. “13 Body Language Blunders that Make You Look Bad.” Huffington Post . March 4, 2017. www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/13-body-language-blunders-that-make-you-look-bad_us_58b88c2fe4b02eac8876cc70

Chernoff, Marc. “25 Acts of Body Language to Avoid.” Marc & Angel Hack Life . July 7, 2008. www.marcandangel.com/2008/07/07/25-acts-of-body-language-to-avoid

Economy, Peter. “9 Body Language Habits That Make You Look Really Unprofessional.” Inc . May 13, 2016. www.inc.com/peter-economy/9-body-language-habits-that-make-you-look-really-unprofessional.html

Grickej, Peter. “5 Negative Effects of Bad Posture on Your Body and Mind.” Posturebly . June 20, 2014. www.posturebly.com/5-negative-effects-of-bad-posture-on-your-body-and-mind

Herold, Cameron. “5 Absolute Worst Body Language Mistakes Made at Work.” COO Alliance . November 16, 2016. www.cooalliance.com/blog/communication/5-absolute-worst-body-language-mistakes-made-at-work

Navarro, Joe. “The Psychology of Body Language.” Psychology Today . November 29, 2009. www.psychologytoday.com/blog/spycatcher/200911/the-psychology-body-language

Smith, Jacquelyn. “The 11 Worst Body Language Mistakes Professionals Make.” Business Insider . April 17, 2014. www.businessinsider.com/common-body-language-mistakes-employees-make-2014-4

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Body Language During Presentation? Best 14 Tips To Use In 2024

Mattie Drucker • 08 April, 2024 • 14 min read

What your body language during presentation says about you? Do’s and Don’ts! Let’s learn the best tips with AhaSlides!

So, what is the best presentation posture? Got awkward hands syndrome? You probably don’t because I just made that up. But – we all have moments when we don’t know what to do with our hands, legs, or any part of our body.

You may have a fantastic icebreaker , impeccable introduction , and excellent presentation, but the delivery is where it matters most. You don’t know what to do with yourself, and it’s perfectly normal .

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• Use  live word clouds  or  live Q&A  to  survey your audience  easier!
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Get free templates for your next interactive presentation. Sign up for free and take what you want from the template library!

To what extent do you know about a successful presentation? Aside from well-designed PowerPoint templates, it is important to utilize other performance skills, especially Body language. 

Now that you know that body language is an irreplaceable part of presentation skills, it is still far from mastering these skills to deliver effective presentations. 

This article will give you a holistic view of body language and how to take advantage of these skills for your perfect presentations.

Table of Contents

• Importance of body language during a presentation

Consider Your Appearance

Smile, and smile again, open your palms, make eye contact, hand clasping, touching ear, don’t point your finger, control your voice, walking around, frequently asked questions, importance of body language for presentation.

With body language presentations, when it comes to communication, we mention verbal and non-verbal terms. It is crucial to remember that these terms have a relative relationship. Hence, what it is?

Verbal communication is using words to share information with other people, including both spoken and written language. For example, the word “how’s it going” that you choose to let others understand what you are trying to greet them. 

Nonverbal communication is the transfer of information through body language, facial expressions, gestures, created space, and more. For example, smiling when you meet someone conveys friendliness, acceptance, and openness.

Whether or not you’re aware of it, when you interact with others, you’re constantly giving and receiving wordless signals besides talking. All of your nonverbal behaviours—your posture, your intonation, the gestures you make, and how much eye contact you make—deliver vital messages. 

In particular, they can put people at ease, build trust, and draw attention, or they may offend and bewilder what you are attempting to express. These messages don’t stop when you stop speaking, either. Even when you’re silent, you’re still communicating nonverbally.

Similarly, a presentation is also a way of communicating with your audience; while speaking up about your idea, show body language to emphasize it. Thus, understanding the importance of non-verbal and verbal communication skills simultaneously will help you avoid dull presentations.

To make it much more straightforward, we explore elements of body language, a part of non-verbal communication skills. Body language comprises gestures, stances, and facial expressions. When you are presenting, robust and positive body language becomes a powerful instrument for building credibility, expressing your emotions, and connecting with your listeners. It also helps your listeners to concentrate more intently on you and your speech. Here, we give you 10+ language body examples and tips to leverage your 

10 Tips to master Body Language in Presentations

First, it is essential to have a neat look during presentations. Depending on which occasion, you may have to prepare the appropriate outfit and well-groomed hair to show your professionalism and respect to your listeners.

Think about the type and style of the event; they may have a strict dress code. Choose an outfit you’re much more likely to feel poised and confident in front of an audience. Avoid colours, accessories, or jewellery that might distract the audience, make noise, or cause glare under stage lights.

Don’t forget to “smile with your eyes” instead of just your mouth when smiling. It would help to make others feel your warmth and sincerity. Remember to maintain the smile even after an encounter—in fake happiness encounters; you may often see an “on-off” smile that flashes and then vanishes quickly after two people go their separate directions. 

When gesturing with your hands, make sure your hands are open most of the time and people can see your open palms. It is also a good idea to keep the palms facing most of the time upward rather than downward.

It is usually a bad idea to make eye contact with individual members of your audience! Finding a sweet spot for “long enough” to look at your listeners without being offensive or creepy is necessary. Give it a try to look at others for about 2 seconds to lessen awkwardness and nervousness. Don’t look at your notes to make more connections with your listeners.

Check out tips on Eye Contact in Communication

You may find these gestures helpful when you want to conclude a meeting or end an interaction with someone.  If you want to appear confident, you can use this cue with your thumbs stuck out—this signals confidence instead of stress.

Around close friends and trusted others, it’s lovely to relax your hands in your pockets once in a while. But if you want to make the other feel insecure, sticking your hands deep in your pockets is a surefire way to do it! 

Touching the ear or a self-soothing gesture subconsciously takes place when a person is anxious. But do you know it is a good help when encountering difficult questions from audiences? Touching your ear when thinking of solutions may make your overall posture more natural. 

Whatever you do, don’t point. Just make sure you never do it. Pointing a finger while talking is taboo in many cultures, not only in presentations. People always find it aggressive and uncomfortable, offensive somehow. 

In any presentation, speak slowly and clearly. When you want to underline the main points, you may speak even more slowly and repeat them. Intonation is necessary; let your voice rise up and down to make you sound natural. Sometimes say nothing for a while to have better communication.

Moving around or staying in one spot when you are presenting is fine. Yet, don’t overuse it; avoid walking back and forth all the time. Walk when you intend to engage the audience or while you are telling a funny story, or while the audience is laughing

4 Body Gestures Tips

In this article, we’ll spell out some quick tips on body language and how to develop your presentation skills regarding:

• Eye contact
• Hands & Shoulders
• Back & Head

Your body language is crucial because it not only makes you look more confident, assertive, and collected, but you will also end up feeling these things. You also should avoid looking down while talking.

Eyes – Body Language During Presentation

Don’t avoid eye contact like it’s the plague. Many people don’t know how to make eye contact and are taught to stare at the back wall or someone’s forehead. People can tell when you’re not looking at them and will perceive you to be nervous and distant. I was one of those presenters because I thought public speaking was the same as acting. When I did theatre productions in high school, they encouraged us to look at the back wall and not engage with the audience because it would take them out of the fantasy world we were creating. I learned the hard way that acting is not the same as public speaking. There are similar aspects, but you don’t want to block the audience from your presentation – you want to include them, so why would you pretend they aren’t there?

On the other hand, some people are taught to look at just one person who is also a bad habit. Staring at one individual the entire time will make them very uncomfortable and that atmosphere will distract the other audience members as well.

DO connect with people like you would a normal conversation. How do you expect people to want to engage with you if they don’t feel seen? One of the most helpful presentation skills I’ve learned from Nicole Dieker is that people love attention! Take time to connect with your audience. When people feel that a presenter cares about them, they feel important and encouraged to share their emotions. Shift your focus to different audience members to foster an inclusive environment. Especially engage with those already looking at you. Nothing is worse than staring down at someone looking at their phone or program.

Use as much eye contact as you would when talking to a friend. Public speaking is the same, just on a larger scale and with more people. 

Hands – Body Language During Presentation

Don’t restrict yourself or overthink it. There are so many ways to hold your hands incorrectly, like behind your back (which comes off as aggressive and formal), below your belt (limiting movement), or stiffly by your sides (which feels awkward). Don’t cross your arms; this comes off as defensive and aloof. Most importantly, don’t over-gesture! This will not only become exhausting, but the audience will begin to fixate on how tired you must be rather than the content of your presentation. Make your presentation easy to watch, and, therefore, easy to understand.

DO rest your hands at a neutral position. This will be a bit above your belly button. The most successful looking neutral position is either holding one hand in another or simply just touching them together in whatever way your hands would naturally.  Hands, arms, and shoulders are the most important visual cue for the audience. You should gesture like your typical body language in a regular conversation. Don’t be a robot!

Below is a quick video by Steve Bavister , and I recommend you watch it to visualize what I just described.

Legs – Body Language During Presentation

Don’t lock your legs and stand still. Not only is it dangerous, but it also makes you look uncomfortable (making the audience uncomfortable). And no one likes to feel uncomfortable! The blood will start to pool in your legs, and without movement, the blood will have difficulty recirculating to the heart. This makes you susceptible to passing out, which would definitely be … you guessed it … uncomfortable . On the contrary, don’t move your legs too much. I’ve been to a few presentations where the speaker is rocking back and forth, back and forth, and I paid so much attention to this distracting behaviour that I forgot what he was talking about!

DO use your legs as an extension of your hand gestures. Take a step forward if you want to make a statement that connects with your audience. Take a step back if you want to give space for thought after an astounding idea. There is a balance to it all. Think of the stage as a single plane – you shouldn’t turn your back on the audience. Walk in a way inclusive of all people in the space and move around so you can be visible from every seat. 

Back – Body Language During Presentation

Don’t fold into yourself with slumped shoulders, drooping head, and curved neck. People have subconscious biases against this form of body language and will begin to question your capability as a presenter if you project as a defensive, self-conscious, and insecure speaker. Even if you don’t identify with these descriptors, your body will show it. 

DO convince them of your confidence with your posture. Stand straight like your head is connected to a taught string attached to the ceiling. If your body language portrays confidence, you will become confident. You will be surprised by how little adjustments will improve or worsen your speech delivery. Try using these presentation skills in the mirror and see for yourself!

Lastly, if you have confidence in your presentation, your body language will improve drastically. Your body will reflect how proud you are of your visuals and preparedness. AhaSlides is a great tool to use if you want to become a more confident presenter and WOW your audience with real-time interactive tools they can access while you’re presenting. Best part? It’s free!

Conclusion 

So, what does body language during the presentation say about you? Let’s take advantage of our tips and consider how to incorporate them into your presentation. Don’t hesitate to practice in front of the mirror at home or with a familiar audience and ask for feedback. Practice makes perfect. You’ll be able to master your body language and get favourable outcomes from your presentation . 

Extra tip : For a virtual online presentation or wearing a mask, you may encounter difficulties in showing body language; you can think of leveraging your presentation template to capture the audience’s attention with 100+ AhaSlides types of presentation templates . 

What to do with your hands when presenting

When presenting, it’s important to use your hands purposefully to make a positive impression and enhance your message. Therefore, you should keep your hands relaxed with open palms, use gestures to benefit your presentation and maintain eye contact with your audience.

When presenting to a neutral audience, why should I present both sides of the issue?

Presenting both sides of an issue to a neutral audience is essential, as it helps lots to engage with the audience, enables your critical thinking skills, makes your presentation better and also helps to increase credibility.

Which type of gestures should be avoided in a speech?

You should avoid distraction gestures, like: speaking dramatically but not relevant to your contents; fidgeting like tapping your fingers or playing with objects; pointing fingers (which show disrespect); crossing arms and surprisingly and overly formal gestures!

Mattie Drucker

Public speaking trainer at AhaSlides

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How to use body language effectively during your presentation

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Your body has something to say

Body language is a powerful form of nonverbal communication. Whether you’re talking with a friend or waiting for a bus, your body is always sending signals out to those around you. During a presentation, when all eyes are on you, the importance of body language is heightened. Here’s some key areas to be aware of:

• Your facial expressions. You can heighten or emphasize your message as you speak or pause with subtle movements such as raised eyebrows or larger expressions such as a smile.
• Your hands. Your hands might be at your sides, in your pockets or gesturing to illustrate a point or your material. Each position conveys something different to observers.
• Your feet. Are you staying in one place, shifting your weight from foot to foot, or walking around? How fast are you walking? Those are potential clues to your feelings in the moment.
• Your position. How close are you standing to others? Are you standing straight or slouched slightly. Are you in front of, next to, or behind your materials and visual aids? During a presentation, position is key—try standing in front of a projector and see if your message gets across.

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Making body language work effectively for you

If you think about the areas above, you can probably think of strengths and challenges you have with each. Maybe you tend to “talk with your hands” or shrink away from your audience because of presentation anxiety . These tips can help you remember what to focus on and help you overcome some of your natural tendencies that might be distracting your audience. You’re the area of focus, so whatever you do will have a disproportionate impact on those watching.

• Smile. Smiling can help you feel more confident in the moment and eventually raise your level of happiness. Plus, you’ll look more approachable and even glad to see your audience, no matter if you’re still a bit nervous. Of course, if your content is more serious or has a moment where the tone changes, make sure your expression is appropriate for what you’re saying. But a slight smile that says, “I know what I’m talking about, and I want to share it with you” is generally a good default face to have.
• Shift your gaze. It’s totally ok if you’re still at the “look above the audience’s head” stage of presenting, and eye contact is less important in virtual presentations , since you need to be focused on the camera. But if you’re in person and you’re able to direct where you look, doing a slow pan glance over the crowd, or finding a few friendly faces to periodically zoom in on, can help provide that important illusion of confidence and strengthen your connection to the audience overall.
• Think about when you want to gesture. Don’t be afraid to gesture but try to choose gestures that will emphasize your language or your topic in any given moment, rather than wildly waving your hands about. Controlled gestures are a very effective tool, as your audience’s eyes will follow your hands—but not if they realize your hands are going nowhere most of the time.
• Be open and try to stand up straight. Have your shoulders tilted toward the audience rather than away to convey your desire to connect with them. Also, avoid slouching, which can also project a lack of confidence in your words or material, and instead try to subtly point your chest toward the crowd, as if you’re leading with your message. And try to be rooted but ready, not shifting from side to side as you speak.
• Control your pace. While you can stand in one spot while you present, it’s sometimes more impactful to be able to move around slightly when illustrating a point or perhaps telling a story. Try to move slowly and with purpose so as not to look too nervous, like you’re pacing, and so you can avoid being a distraction to those who already have trouble focusing. And, it goes without saying that you want to make sure you’re not talking too fast, particularly if you’re committed to moving around.

You can practice your presentation with an eye toward rethinking your body language, or if you’re working on a new one, look for moments to incorporate strategic body language, as if you’re an actor working through a scene. Have a friend or trusted colleague watch you and take notes so they can share feedback later, and if someone else isn’t handy, the mirror is a tried-and-true way to reflect on how you might be coming across as you speak.

Using body language effectively can take your presentations up a notch. So, start thinking about how you can train your body to be just as convincing and as confident as your words, and soon, the audience will be hanging on your every sentence.

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How to use body language during a presentation

• 19 February 2018
• 10 minute read

It’s easy to spend a long time agonising over what to say when it comes to giving a presentation. However, it’s important to remember that a great presentation is about much more than just content. Elsewhere on the Future Skills Blog we’ve talked about the most important public speaking skills to have in general, but here we’re going to focus on body language.

Body language can make all the difference between a dull, static presentation and a dynamic, engaging one. Of course, body language has many different elements, and so we’ve broken it down into five categories:

• Facial expressions
• Eye contact
• Position and movement

Some of these may seem like small details, but they have a big impact on how your presentation comes across. When your body language is working hand in hand with the other aspects of your presentation, such as content and tone of voice, then you’re sure to win over your audience.

1) Facial expressions

People will travel half-way around the world to meet one another “face-to-face” for a reason – when it comes to interacting with others, what we do with our faces is vital. We may not usually control our facial expressions in any conscious way, but there are times when we have to think about what our face is telling others, such as when giving a presentation. Study-body-language.com has produced a fun guide to facial expressions and why they matter.

The first and most obvious thing to remember is to make sure that you are using your face at all. Giving a presentation with a blank face, without any particular facial expression is like speaking in a monotone – no matter how great your content is, your audience will not be engaged. Even some simple steps from the outset, such as opening your eyes wider, raising your eyebrows a little, and smiling, can make a huge difference in setting the tone for your presentation. You can also “reset” at different points during your presentation to make sure that you haven’t fallen back into a dull resting expression and to re-engage your audience’s attention.

Of course, putting rehearsed facial expressions into your speech mechanically is never going to be effective, and what you do with your face should look natural. The important thing is to be attentive to what you’re saying. If your facial expressions are in line with the tone of your words, then the information you are presenting will come across more clearly, and you will seem more sincere. Remember that the expression you wear tells people a lot about how trustworthy you are. Don’t forget that the size of the room and the audience matters too – a bigger crowd requires bigger facial expressions.

2) Eye contact

Having thought about what your face is doing in general, it’s time to get even more specific and think about eye contact. This is crucial when it comes to communication, as explored in a recent Psychology Today article .

Just as with facial expressions and the other parts of body language we’ll be looking at below, the way in which you use eye contact and look at your audience depends on the size of the room and the audience. However, here are some general tips:

• Make sure you look at everyone – Staring at the same spot throughout a presentation is visually dull and unengaging for your audience. Make sure that by the end of your presentation you have made eye contact with everyone at least once – that might mean every individual if you have a small audience, or every section of a crowd if you have a bigger audience.
• Don’t be afraid of eye contact – Prolonged eye contact can make people nervous, but that’s because it’s so powerful. You may be perceived as aggressive or bullying. A brief glance, however, suggests that you are monitoring their expression as you speak to them, and thus that you care about how your message is being received. While it may be tempting to find a spot to stare at on the back wall, it is always better to try and make a more personal connection with members of your audience. But remember…
• Don’t stare – No one wants to feel uncomfortable or that they are being put on the spot. Keep your gaze moving and engage as many people as possible.

Again, remember that different situations call for different approaches, but as long as you are consciously using eye contact, you’ll be well on the way to making your presentation as involving as possible.

We’ve talked about facial expressions and eye contact, now it’s time to look at the bigger picture: posture. Whether you’re sitting or standing, the way in which you hold yourself is incredibly important and sets the tone for the whole presentation before it’s even begun.

With this in mind, here are a few Do’s and Don’ts when it comes to posture during a presentation:

• DON’T slouch – In almost all presentation situations, your posture should be upright and open. This will make you look and feel more confident, and it will invite your audience in rather than pushing them away. If you are not sitting or standing upright it suggests that what you have to say is not particularly important to you. If you suggest to your audience that what you have to say is not really worthy of your attention they are unlikely to pay much attention either.
• DON’T be tense – It’s important to look and feel relaxed during a presentation. If you’re standing upright but look rigid, it won’t make a good impression. No matter how nervous you may feel, a speaker who seems to be afraid of his audience will not win their trust. Pause and take a deep breath before you begin, and remind yourself to relax at different points throughout the presentation. Pausing and giving your audience time to think about what you have just said is a good thing to do anyway. You can take that time consciously to relax and re-set your expression and posture.
• DO think about your audience – A formal presentation to the board of a company is very different to an interactive talk with schoolchildren. While you still need to be upright, open and relaxed in all situations, remember that different situations require different levels of formality. Do you want to be interrupted if someone has a question for example, or will you only take questions at the end of your presentation? Adapt your posture to be more open or more formal accordingly.
• DO be adaptable – If you are sat down or have a lectern for your presentation, don’t hold onto them for support or let them get in the way. You should have an open and communicative posture no matter what the specific set-up is. Be prepared to adapt to unexpected situations. If you are addressing a large audience or being recorded you may need to use a microphone – this may mean you have to remain at a lectern, or you have to hold a microphone in one hand, which can restrict your gestures. Try to find out beforehand, but if things are not at you expected, adapt quickly to make the best of the facilities provided.

In addition, Ethos3 also gives some very helpful advice on how to improve your posture for a presentation .

4) Gestures

Varied facial expressions, eye contact and a good posture will put you well on the way to presentation success, but if you stand still without moving any other part of your body, it can create a very strange impression. On the other hand, over-rehearsed or exaggerated hand gestures can be off-putting and look unnatural.

A happy medium is needed. Remember that the purpose of using gestures when giving a presentation is to make your message clearer and more interesting. In short, your gestures should mean something. For example, if you are making a contrast between big and small, you can use hand gestures to represent this. If you are giving a numbered list, you can show the numbers with your hand so that both people’s eyes and ears are engaged. Alternatively, if you want to address the audience directly, you can gesture towards them (but try not to point aggressively as though you’re accusing them of something). If you have a PowerPoint slideshow or other visual aids, use gestures to draw people’s attention to them. If you have a particular point which is one of the key messages of your presentation you may want to make your gestures more exaggerated as you work up to that point – in this way you can communicate to the audience which of the things you have to say matter most to you.

The Science of People blog’s article on hand gestures gives some great insight into this aspect of presentation along with some further ideas. Remember that whatever happens, gestures should look relaxed and natural. If you are struggling with this, remember that practice makes perfect – film yourself presenting or ask your friends to give you feedback. Also, as with all the other aspects of body language we’ve been talking about, you’ll need to adjust things depending on the size of the room.

5) Position and movement

This last area is more variable depending on the specific set-up of your presentation. It will be clear straight away whether you have any flexibility over where you position yourself or if movement around the space is even possible, but it’s always worth considering.

For example, if you are giving your presentation on a big stage, a bit of movement around the space can help to create visual interest and keep different parts of the audience engaged. Likewise, if your presentation has interactive elements, you could move closer or slightly further back from the audience depending on whether they’re involved or not. The golden rule is that any movement should be clear and directed – you should never look like you’re just wandering around the stage. You may, for example, want to engage your audience early on in your presentation by moving to the front of the stage and asking them a question – “Who can tell me…”, “Put your hand up if you have ever…” – this not only enables you to make some judgements about how much your audience already knows about what you have to say, it also engages them and suggests that you care about their experiences. Most people are much happier if they feel a speaker is “talking to” them rather than “talking at” them with no concern for their opinions.

The five topics above give an overall sense of how you can use body language to make your presentation clearer, more engaging and more powerful. Remember that body language is not something you apply later to a pre-written script, but a core part of how you present. It should go hand-in-hand with every other aspect of the presentation, such as the content and the tone of your voice, to create a compelling overall experience for your audience. Good luck and happy presenting!

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5 Body Language Errors that Will Sink Your Presentation

Physical expression is a speaking tool that can help give you smooth sailing. Here's how to avoid 5 body language errors that will take you down with the ship!

Do you express yourself well when you speak? For your answer to be in the affirmative, you have to understand and employ the language of the body. 

As you probably already know, there is a lot of paint-by-numbers advice out there on this topic. Most of it concerns reading what other people are showing you. Follow those tips if you want to stay confused and in the weeds.  . . .  "She just tucked her hair behind her ear. What does it  mean! "  (Here are   20 positive suggestions   you should know about instead.)  

If, on the other hand, you want to understand how true leaders move when they speak in public, you have to take a different approach. That's what we do at The Genard Method, where I tell my speech coaching clients to forget the how-to advice. How many leaders do you know who hold themselves and move in specific ways because someone told them they ought to do so?

Instead, invest yourself in accepting this general rule: Do what you   find natural in terms of movement. Make your physical performance spontaneous yet controlled. In other words, learn how to create  natural movement and gestures .

Nonverbal communication is a key skill in public speaking. Learn how to boost your stage presence and charisma! Download my   free cheat sheet ,   "Body Language: 6 Skills Building Exercises."

Performance Habits to Recognize and Avoid

Prescriptions for public speaking —do this so you appear natural(!) —simply don't work. It's  more helpful to learn how to avoid the errors that will brand you as an amateur. I discuss five of those errors below. Avoid them at all costs if you want your speech or presentation to be engaging, rather than one that elicits sly grins and rolling eyes (now  there's  an easy-to-read gesture).

1. Using Weak Eye Contact with Your Audience 

What's happening here? Is the speaker's name written on those 3 x 5 cards? Does he or she need to be reminded of the name of their company?

Of course not. The real culprit is self-consciousness. Notes or a PowerPoint deck are familiar objects in a sea of strangers —in fact, they can function as life presevers.  But your opening is the moment when you connect with audiences and establish rapport. So they need you to look at them 100% of the time. 

2. Posture Matters! — Adopting a Weak or Unbalanced Stance

Take a look at this photograph:

Although it's from some years ago now, it remains a perfect illustration of the rule that "How you stand affects your standing with an audience." In other words, posture is related to knowing  how to command the stage . The person on the left is Sen. Arlen Specter. To his right is Harriet Miers, briefly put forward for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court by President George W. Bush. 

Compare the two. Sen. Specter, with feet planted firmly on the floor and hands at sides, is the picture of the experienced politician, at his ease before the press. But Ms. Miers stance is weak and literally unbalanced. If you stand like this, you'll give the impression that's probably exactly the opposite of what you want to convey in terms of professionalism, poise, and polish.

3. Closed Gestures Is a Sign of an Insecure Public Speaker

Self-consciousness often causes us to "close" our gestures when presenting. After all, what ranks with speaking in public to make us feel exposed and vulnerable? So we have to protect ourselves, right? 

Just the opposite, of course: we need to open up and reach listeners, emotionally as well as intellectually. But those feelings of unease and vulnerability make us begin to close shop. What those crossed arms and hands-held-together gestures are really doing, though, is alerting the audience that you're creating a barrier between you and them, and hiding behind it. Find out if you're committing any of the 7 deadly sins of nonverbal communication .

4. Poor Use of Space So You Don't Command the Room

Leaders  command  the space that is due them when they speak. They use the space that's rightfully theirs —for being in the spotlight involves performing on a stage of some kind, from conference room to auditorium. 

Shy or reluctant speakers, on the other hand, don't move purposefully. They may even try to diminish their presence, by folding in on themselves to occupy a smaller space. To have a physical impact,  fill your space. How? Use most or all of it; approach your audience if you can; move toward your PowerPoint screen; and free yourself from the lectern where that's possible.  

5. The Tiger-in-the-Cage (Side) Show

Finally, learn a lesson from the world of bad motivational speaking. If you're saying something interesting, if you're knowledgeable and passionate about your topic, and if it truly meets some need in listeners, what you say will be exciting. A problem arises, however, when a speaker tries desperately to generate excitement where none inherently exists.

You've seen these performances, where the motivator strides (or runs) back and forth across the stage, gesticulating wildly, shouting "Give it up!" or "Are you READY!" Personally, I always feel exhausted by these performances, even though I haven't moved an inch.

Excellent speakers stay grounded in reality, and on the stage as well. You need a physical expression of what you're saying, but it lies more in a secure stance and powerful appropriate gestures than pacing like a tiger in a cage. If you trust the honesty of your message and the moment of connecting with your audience, your listeners will see it that way too.

This blog was previously published. It is updated here. 

You should follow me on Twitter  here .  

Tags: body language , gestures , public speaking tips , nonverbal communication , Public Speaking Techniques , use of space , body language errors , body language mistakes , The Genard Method , Dr. Gary Genard , command the room

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