How can you improve a speaker's use of gestures and body language?

Watch a recording of yourself speaking, perhaps with a trusted friend or mentor. Try to dissociate from seeing the person on screen as you, try to be neutral when watching and observing. From there, you can see where it may make sense to have a gesture. Try it next time, record yourself, watch & critique, and repeat. With gestures its better to not be over the top... BUT when you're on a large stage it helps to be animated. You can also watch videos of other speakers for inspiration.

Video tape your presentation and then watch yourself with the sound off. You might be surprised by what you see. It can be a very eye opening exercise.

In my experience, acknowledging that gestures and body language greatly enhance communication, authenticity, and congruence is key. After 30 years of mastering the art of speaking, I've noticed that impactful gestures align naturally with the speaker's message and personality. Instead of mimicking others, focus on your own body language. Observe your natural gestures in a comfortable setting and integrate them into your public speaking. Remember, effective communication is about expressing your true self and connecting genuinely with your audience.

3. Be aware of your posture and facial expressions. Stand tall and confident, but not rigid or tense. Smile and make eye contact with your audience, but not too much or too little. Avoid fidgeting, crossing your arms, or touching your face. 4. Practice your gestures and body language before your presentation. Record yourself or ask someone to give you feedback. Observe how you use your gestures and body language, and how they affect your delivery and audience response. (2/2)

The 7-38-55 rule is a concept concerning the communication of emotions. The rule states that 7 percent of meaning is communicated through spoken word, 38 percent through tone of voice, and 55 percent through body language. So your gestures and body language really do matter when delivering a speech.

To enhance your use of gestures and body language as a speaker, focus on maintaining natural and confident movements. Practice in front of a mirror to observe and refine your gestures. Use hand movements purposefully to emphasize points, but avoid excessive or distracting gestures. Pay attention to your posture, stand tall, and maintain eye contact with your audience. Adapt your body language to the tone of your speech, ensuring it complements your message. Additionally, seek feedback from others to fine-tune your nonverbal communication skills.

Gestures and body language are important aspects of public speaking. They can help you convey your message, engage your audience, and express your emotions. Here are some tips to improve your use of gestures and body language: 1. Use gestures that match your words and tone. For example, if you are talking about something positive, use open and expansive gestures. If you are talking about something negative, use closed and defensive gestures. 2. Avoid overusing or underusing gestures. Too many gestures can distract or confuse your audience. Too few gestures can make you seem stiff or boring. Find a balance that suits your style and topic. (1/2)

🔆 Your body speaks volumes before you have said a single word. It speaks to your audience... and to you. When your audience sees how you sit in your skin, how you move and how you do things, they receive a powerful message of who you are. This message might be subconscious or even unconscious, and people might not even be able to pinpoint it. However, it creates a first impression that is hard to change once your audience has it in mind. But it's not only the audience! What we easily forget is that our body language and gestures speak to ourselves as well. Moving with ease, grace and confidence embodies those attitudes in our own minds. So what is the message you would like your body language to give your audience — and yourself?

Making a speaker's gestures and body language better is important for good communication. These non-verbal cues, like hand movements and facial expressions, help express feelings and highlight points, making the message more interesting. To get better, know that gestures matter because they add a visual element to what you're saying. Practice using movements that match your words, and avoid doing things that might distract or look repetitive. Ask for feedback to find areas to improve and make adjustments. By understanding why gestures are important, speakers can make their communication more engaging and connect better with the audience.

The differences between a public speaker and a radio set are the MOTIONS and physical ENERGY the audience can EXPERIENCE from another living human being. People watch public speakers in action for their engaging gestures, body language, and other non-verbal cues that can be JUST as interesting as listening to them speak. These bodily actions enforces the viewers' attention span, and creates a stronger bond between the viewer and the speaker. To improve your body language, simply WATCH other public speakers in action, and mimic them. Once you have had enough references (and practice), your own motions (and engagement) will improve! All the best!

The best thing to do is to watch a video of yourself. I love my hand gestures, but it is important for me to understand if I do it too often and if I repeat them. By reviewing my use of them I can avoid these mistakes in the future and ensure that I deliver an excellent speech.

I think you can set yourself up for failure if you're recording yourself speaking while being fully aware of doing so. I often find that people perform differently for an audience than they do on camera, especially so if they're doing so with a much smaller group handling the recording. What I would recommend is, having friends or associates turn up to your next few public speaking engagements and record you there, without explicitly being seated in the front row. That way you'll get a more natural performance to evaluate. Further, while watching yourself speak will certainly help you figure out what isn't working out, it's also exceptionally useful to compare your mannerisms with those you wish to emulate, and figure out what's different.

In public speaking, EVERYONE appears weird the first time (don't worry)! Honestly, I used to suck at public speaking (I was shy, introverted, had stage fright, and looked like a brick with a mouth). What I did was to record myself speaking and then looked at my body language, and assess how I can improve them. If I appear too stiff, I would try to walk around the stage and be "in motion". I find that that helps me to be more natural, and engaging to the audience. Now, I can wade into any room and start talking with no fear. So if I can do it, so can you! All the best!

Look to use gestures that are congruent with your content. Overuse of gestures or ‘telegraphing’ your content arises from a lack of confidence… and can lead to a presentation that looks and feels superficial.

🚀 3 life-changing tips to avoid common mistakes: 1. Record youself. I know, you don't like the sound of your voice but guesss what? Nobody does! The only thing that will help you to see your mistakes is watching your mistakes. 2. Be humble. To recognize our own mistakes is an act of true courage, but you need humility to really embrace them. Identify 1 by 1 and start to practice and get better one at a time. 3. Ask for feedback. When you are ready, ask someone to give you constructive feedback. The lonely act of doing this will boost your confidence!

Please do not try to be perfect. Being too polished can create a robotic feel, and you lose connection with your audience. Body language is like a recipe. The main ingredients are the bulk of your body language, while your "mistakes" and peculiarities are the spices that add flavour to the dish. Someone once said, the difference between a professional speaker and a novice, is that the professional speaker focuses on what they are doing right.

Using your hands when talking with friends is second nature to us. We use gestures to emphasise points without hesitation, yet when on stage, our nervousness can immediately be seen by how we under, or overuse our hands No matter how strong your message, if the audience sees you fidgeting, crossing your arms, or your hands in your pockets, an immediate impression of nervousness is interpreted One way to tackle this issue is to take your hands and interlock your fingers, clasp your palms together, or connect the tips of your fingers, and keep them at belly button height Following this, when using your hands to emphasise points, make sure to always return to your central position, this will show control and professionalism in your delivery

Presenting in public can feel like a magnified self-scrutiny session. Yet, think about chatting with a couple of friends. Do you stress over every gesture and body language nuance, or does it all just flow naturally? When facing a larger audience, channel that ease. Picture it as an extended conversation, where your gestures and body language are second nature. Keep it real—no need to overemphasize. Remind yourself, it's merely a chat with a slightly larger group. Let the natural, authentic you shine through, and your audience will connect more effortlessly. After all, it's just a conversation, even if it's with a few more faces than you're accustomed to.

The best keynote speakers tell stories that take the audience along for the journey. And that includes making them feel they are actually there, reliving the story. Caution here though, that over-acting and cringeworthy antics may have the opposite effect and put the audience off side. You want to win them over - make sure your actions on stage match the energy you want to create in the room, and that they assist in embellishing the story telling and aren't just there for no reason. Also, if you are going to make a joke using actions, make sure you are part of the joke and not making it via dragging people up on stage to embarrass them!

I once gave a presentation, and was applauded for the amount of distance I kept between my both feet, and my both hands. I never actually noticed that fact until it was pointed out. That was the day I realised that you make so many gestures while speaking, and they add value to how you speak. Now, using such gestures properly is very important because they can impact your speech in both positive and negative way. Hence, it's not only the words you need to care about. You have to match your actions and whole body with your words and express the same meaning and vibe. They should be carefully poised, and appropriate.

There’s one specific tip to bear in mind if you use a side-to-side gesture to illustrate (for example) the passage of time or the steps in a process. Namely, gesture from your right to your left (provided your audience’s first language is English or another European language). From your audience’s perspective, that looks more natural, because they’re used to time being shown from their left to their right.

👀 Eye Contact and Openness: Maintain eye contact while gesturing; it builds a connection with your audience. Keep gestures open and inviting, avoiding closed or defensive postures. 🔄 Variety and Moderation: Introduce a variety of gestures to keep your delivery dynamic. Use moderation; too many gestures can be distracting, while too few may make you seem stiff. 👍 Mirror Your Tone (Most important!): Match the intensity of your gestures with the tone of your speech. Reflect the emotions in your words through corresponding hand movements. 🌐 Cultural Sensitivity: Be aware of cultural differences in gesture interpretation. Adjust your gestures to ensure they are universally understood and respectful.

Keep calm, and use gesture and word simultaneously with your action. Everyone has unique way to express yourself so way of express should be ideal and disciplined. Each thing do better if it is done in simple way not in complex way. Simple and clear thing does special work and give confidence then your gesture also will be in controllable way.

Just as a speaker uses pauses for effect, so too should gestures be used for effect… connected to and arising from the content. Ensure your gestures have a purpose, whether to heighten understanding or bring variation to your delivery.

To use gestures effectively in speaking, they should complement the spoken word, not distract. For instance, when emphasising a significant point, a speaker might use a hand gesture pointing upwards, symbolising growth or success. This visual cue reinforces the message, making it more impactful. The key is subtlety and relevance; gestures should feel natural and align with the message being conveyed.

Your body language (including your facial expression) will communicate a lot to your audience and can be used as another tool to support your delivery. If you are not comfortable on stage, it might be a it harder to master the use of bodylanguage to support you, but small steps can help you get started and gain confidence. When discussing numbers, support them with your hands. "Today, I will show you 3 ways to make your quota in 2024" - raise 3 fingers in the air. For each topic, use your hand/fingers to show where you are in your story. Simple, but effective.

The subtlety of palm positioning can significantly impact your message during a presentation. When you want to invite others in, seeking their opinions or input, opt for the palms-up approach. It's like saying, "What do you think?" and creates an open, inclusive vibe. On the flip side, when you're making a firm point or expressing your stance on an issue, go for palms facing down. This gesture subtly emphasizes, "This is what I think about the matter." The nuanced use of palm orientation can add a layer of clarity and emphasis to your spoken words, enhancing the overall impact of your presentation.

You don't want to pace the stage like some caged lion in a zoo, but you should be confident enough to speak without the use of a lecturn - which is a barrier between you and the audience. If you know your keynote well enough you can even improvise a bit and have fun!

In the past I have found that if I match the speed of my speech with the movement of my body, hands, feet, etc it imbues a sense of control. It has prevented me from rushing through my slides, and ensures I clearly get the key points across to the audience without losing their interest. Making sure that each gesture corresponds with a core moments of the speech will allow the audience to engage with your content. A calmness to your movement conveys a controlled confidence of your material.

I could say something powerful with no hand gestures and with hand gestures. The one with the hand gestures (as long as they aren't erratic) will always have the most impact with the audience. That is because our body language is such a powerful tool in helping convey our message and emotions. Just make sure not to do it for the sake of it.

I suggest the following: Maintain Confident Posture: Stand tall with shoulders back to convey confidence and authority. Engage with Eye Contact: Establish a connection by maintaining eye contact with the audience. Gestures for Emphasis: Use purposeful gestures to accentuate key points and keep the audience engaged. Facial Expressions: Display a range of expressions that align with your message, conveying sincerity and emotional connection. Consistent practice and self-awareness enhance overall body language effectiveness.

Begin by establishing a strong connection with the audience through eye contact, portraying confidence, and demonstrating an open posture. Use purposeful and meaningful hand gestures that align with the message, emphasizing key points and adding dynamic elements to the speech. Avoid excessive or repetitive movements that may distract from the content. Be attuned to facial expressions, ensuring they convey sincerity, enthusiasm, and engagement

Big smiles is something that has always worked for me. This offers a welcoming approach to your delivery. Another key one is controlled hand gestures that help emphasise your points on key delivery moments - using your body (especially your hands) is like you conducting an orchestra - use your hands to bring to life the power of your message.

Breaking free from the traditional static speaking style can transform your presentation. Don't confine yourself behind a lectern; instead, own the stage. Walking around not only adds dynamism to your presentation but also keeps your audience engaged. It's an often overlooked technique that can significantly elevate your impact. Embrace the space you have, and watch how your audience tunes in with every step. Ditch the monotony and let your movement emphasize key points. It's a powerful way to connect with your audience, making your message more memorable and dynamic. So, step away from the lectern, walk the stage, and witness the difference it makes in capturing and holding your audience's attention.

If you are just starting out then the below 3 basic points can be greatly helpful: 1)FF (Firm feet): To avoid pacing unnecessarily and shaking your legs, plant your feet firmly on the ground and feel connected to the surface below you. 2)SS (Strong Shoulders): To avoid a bad and slouched posture, roll back your shoulders ever so slightly and strongly hold them there. 3)HH (Head High): Nothing screams lack of confidence than a head looking at the floor, so have your head high and look at the audience in their eyes.

If you want the points of your keynote to really hit home, you need to change the pace and use both large and small gestures, big and small voice, upfront and caved in body language, depending on the part of your story - so the message is delivered in all forms, both orally and visually. The way you know it's working, is when you see people copying what you did on stage, in the lunchbreak!

So this is going to be a little embarrassing, but somehow I used to be in possession of a group of teddy bears (this was before kids and marriage), and I used to line them up on a couch and practice presenting to them, focusing on eliminating the practice of grazing (ie just moving across the entire audience), and trying to make authentic connections (yes with an inanimate object). I didn't have a camera back then to record, but it did give me the space to try things I wouldn't normally do and see how it felt (teddy bears don't judge you). It wasn't until the day my flat mate walked in and busted me presenting SQL Server architecture that I really got embarrassed, but we all got a kick. Those teddy bears were the most attentive audience!

I used to suck at public speaking (I was shy, introverted, had stage fright, and looked like a brick with a mouth). It's so bad that when I gave a presentation last time, people would sometimes fall asleep! However, I have learnt to improve by : - Watching other public speakers in action - Watching comedians on Netflix (they are next level!) - Watching self-improvement videos on Youtube - Watching myself in a mirror and lastly.... Practice & get feedback, practice & get feedback, practice & get feedback! Give yourself some time to improve, keep working at it, and most importantly, have FUN! When you go into any presentation with an attitude of FUN, you will naturally be more natural and perform better. So all the best!

You will make mistakes, and that is ok. Be kind to yourself. Interesting tip: In South Africa, we have right-hand drive cars. So, if I am on stage in South Africa and telling a driving story, I will shift gears with my left hand. In other places where they have left-hand drive, I shift gears with my right hand. It sounds small, but not doing this will make your audience feel something is wrong, and you might lose them.

In my experience, enhancing a speaker's use of gestures and body language is key to effective communication. One practical approach is to observe accomplished speakers. For instance, watch how a seasoned presenter uses hand gestures to emphasize points or how a teacher uses facial expressions to maintain student engagement.

When you're in the early stages of practicing public speaking, adding gesture remarks into your script/speech can be beneficial. For example: - (Use fingers to count 1, 2, 3) - (Open your hands) - (Move closer to the camera) - (Raise your hands) And so on. By doing this, you develop the habit of associating specific gestures with particular words or phrases. With time and practice, these gestures will become second nature to you.

A simple yet effective technique to improve your use of gestures and body language while speaking is to watch recordings of yourself with the volume turned off. This method allows you to focus solely on your physical expressions, without the distraction of words. Observe your gestures: Are they fluid and natural or stiff and restricted? Pay attention to your posture: Does it convey confidence and engagement? Notice your facial expressions too: Are they matching the tone of your message? By muting the audio, you get a clearer perspective of how your nonverbal cues come across to an audience. This focused observation helps you refine your gestures and body language, making your overall communication more impactful and convincing.

In the sphere of public speaking, I used to be quite reserved, particularly when addressing to smaller group of audiences as well. However, with the support of influencers and mentors on social platforms, I managed to overcome this fear, primarily on a mental level. The following strategies were instrumental in my journey: Having mentors and influencers who were receptive to providing valuable feedback. Collaborating with like-minded individuals for mutual practice sessions. Building confidence through interactions with new generations and children. These steps played a crucial role in enhancing my proficiency in public speaking.

The #1 way to improve your non-verbal communication is by recording yourself and watching the playback without any sound. This way, you will focus all your attention on how you move your arms, where you are placing your hands, how you are moving your legs, your facial expressions and so forth. Take notes of your observations and try to improve the thing that you find is the biggest flaw. Record yourself again and see how this change has helped your delivery. Then, rinse and repeat until your gestures and body language are supporting your speech, not taking away from it.

I appreciate the insightful suggestions! I'll make sure to study effective speakers, try out various gestures, and actively seek feedback. Recording and reviewing my own speeches will be a key part of refining my communication skills. Thanks for the helpful advice!

Film yourself giving the intended talk - or watch other talks and presentations you've given in the past and critique yourself. This can be hard (and a bit stressful) but you are your best critique.

🎭 Facial Expressions: Coordinate facial expressions with your gestures. Your face can convey emotions and amplify the impact of your words. 👥 Group Dynamics: Adjust your gestures based on the size and layout of your audience. Use broader movements for larger groups and more subtle gestures for intimate settings. 🎨 Visual Consistency: Maintain consistency in your gestures throughout your speech. Cohesiveness in your body language reinforces your message. 👣 Movement in the Space: Move purposefully if the setting allows. Controlled movement can complement your gestures and engage your audience.

Always play a home game! I always try to find time to practice in the space I will be speaking. If you are like me and hate being a statue behind a lectern or podium, getting comfortable with the stage, spacing, where your monitor or screen are in respect to your audience will allow you to be yourself and use your natural (still want to practice and watch video) body language and gestures. I move around while I talk, and I want to avoid walking through the projection if using a projector and I want to be cognizant of how close the first row of folks are to me (don't want to make a sweeping gesture and spill their coffee). Be in the moment and enjoy the time your audience is giving you - it's your show and if you have fun, they will too.

Consider the use of props. When used properly (pun intended), they can help your make presentation more memorable. I once used a (local) newspaper when I delivered a presentation around forecasting in contact centers. I asked the audience what I had in my hand (a newspaper, duh!) and asked what it was worth to engage them, and asked a few people coming up with a number. I then asked them what the value was if it was yesterdays newspaper. We pretty much agreed it was fairly useless and had little value. I then asked what it would be worth if it was tomorrow's newspaper, making the link to improving forecasting accuracy in contact centers. When closing i said a good forecasting tool is like having tomorrow's newspaper every day of the week.

Be patient with yourself. It will take time to master this. Don't tell yourself, "I will get this right in the next 90 days". Can you? Possibly. However, in my experience, I mastered body language over three years, and now it is just a natural part and extension of my voice. Let go of the goal, embrace the journey. Focus more on what you are doing right than what you are doing wrong.

I had a client who was very nervous-looking onstage. Hunched shoulders, looking at the floor, etc. I asked her what sports she did, if any, and she replied: "swimming." I asked her to imagine representing her country (Macedonia) at the Olympics, and she said: "I did that." She was an OLYMPIAN, and she was still nervous to be onstage! I asked her to imitate what her body language looked like when she walked up to the edge of the pool. Her body language completely transformed. Moral of the story: think about a sport, dance, hobby etc. where you have physical confidence. USE THAT PHYSICALITY ONSTAGE!

An effective communicator can improve his body language by focusing on the non verbal communication. Almost 70 to 80 % of effective communication is based on non-verbal communication. Hence to improve it, the speaker must first notice the body language of the audience along with observing the non-verbal cues. Once you are in sync with your audience, you can then use effective body language while moderating your vocal tones, improvising your facial expressions, strategically using head and hand gestures (not excessively), maintaining a flexible body posture and ensuring there is a respectful physical distance with the audience. Practicing and mastering it with a flexible mindset can help a speaker navigate all kinds of audience & situations

🔆 You cannot see yourself! This is why feedback on your body language is so vital. Alert: Receiving feedback isn't always easy. Take a deep breath, be strong and know that the information you receive is there to improve your speaking. Be genuinely grateful, especially for constructive criticism. You can get feedback from: • People you know well and trust. (Just remember that they might gloss over your areas for improvement. Let them know that you need constructive criticism.) • Mentors who speak publicly • Audience members • Videos of yourself... Be brave, get over the cringe and notice what you do well AND what needs work. You will be amazed at what you find! How will you get feedback on your body language today?

Play back a recording of yourself delivering a presentation - with no volume. Doing this means we watch ourselves delivering our presentation - and the no volume part lets us focus on gestures / movement / positioning. While watching, verbalise the presentation in our mind and see if the non-verbal communication matches what we are thinking / saying. It's painful to watch - and an excellent method to asses our gestures and body language :)

A lot of gestures and body language on stage happen on what I'd call "auto pilot" without the speaker even being aware of it. This happens when you are nervous and preoccupied with remembering what to say, etc. You're dealing with a large cognitive load the body kinda just doing its thing while you talk. It's essentially a question of regaining control of your nervous system. The more comfortable you are on stage and the better you know your material, the more mental energy you can free up and dedicate to being more conscious and deliberate about your body language and how you use it. It is difficult in the beginning and takes a lot of practice - but the more experience you get, the easier it becomes.

While mastering body language and gestures during a presentation is crucial, the message may still be lost if the audience doesn't sense your energy and passion for the topic. The energy you convey is always the key!