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Home ›› Courses ›› Delivery ›› Delivery Skills
Using Body Language in Your Presentations
Even the most seasoned of speakers can feel uneasy or anxious, walking out to give their presentation. After all, the speaker is the center of attention and there is a certain feeling of vulnerability that naturally arises, being featured at the head of group, large or small. Your objective should be to look relaxed, however, to not let the anxiety show. "Never let 'em see you sweat," as the old show business axiom says, but there's more to it than this. There are positive aspects to body language as well as negative. You can use your stance, posture, facial expressions, arm movements and many other things to great advantage.
Let's start with the obvious: grooming is obviously important. A sloppy appearance is never appropriate, no matter the audience or the setting, so see to it that you dress well. Groom your hair and dress appropriately. Do not choose flashy or gaudy garments or adornments, jewelry, etc.
Make sure you show a smile as you come to center stage and as you are introduced. No, not a toothy grin, just a warm sincere smile. Also, stand erect, hands by your side or clasped in front of you while the introduction is made. Yes, you may feel especially nervous at this time, but stay focused on your appearance, your audience is checking you out.
If you have a podium, do not be tempted to use it as a prop, leaning on it in any way. This conveys a weakness, believe it or not. It is an unconscious statement that you are nervous— a true enough statement, but not one you want anyone to know.
Continue to smile slightly as you make your opening remarks, "thanks for the introduction," etc. Remain smiling as you get to your introduction but use a more serious expression as you outline what it is you are going to be talking about.
An aside: Winston Churchill, arguably one of the greatest orators of this century, once said of public speaking: "First tell them what you are going to talk about, then tell them, then tell what it was you told." Good general advice for all speakers and teachers.
No doubt you can think of many good speakers who have used a finger wag or other hand gesture to emphasize a point. President Kennedy did this a lot, so does Bill Clinton, but be careful. If there is a note of admonishment in what you are saying then try to avoid finger pointing, it's insulting. An open palmed hand spread wide, as if in appeal, is far less confrontational and is there fore more likely to be seen as positive.
Other hand or arm movement is useful, positive even, if it is well chosen and sparse. An animated speaker who punctuates every expression with hand or arm gestures creates diversion or distraction. One who uses such occasionally, however, adds weight and gravity to important points.
Be sure to maintain eye contact with your audience, but spread it around. There is nothing worse for an audience member sitting off to the left, say, who gets the impression you are speaking solely to the center tables. Make eye contact with each individual in the room often, and stay focused long enough that each feels you are talking to them as individuals.
Do not pace. This often relieves tension for a speaker but is distracting for the audience. If you must roam, do it when you are injecting humor or at points of departure— say at question time.
If you need to take water, as many speakers seem to do, choose your moments carefully. Significant changes in subject or tone are the right time. Find a humorous remark to make about what you are doing, it eases the moment considerably.
Remember that your head and face are your key expression amplifiers. With appropriate movement and expressions of the face you can add emphasis where needed. At an appropriate moment an exaggerated eyebrow lift or the removal of eyeglasses momentarily can give the appearance of your own realization of the importance of the particular point being made. Expressing a negative point while shaking the head from side to side, or a positive point while nodding are standard devices for amplification.
Finally, a word about voice tone, volume and pace. Your presentation should never be delivered in a monotone. Also, it should always be delivered slowly, though not too slowly. You should speak at about eighty percent of the pace you normally use in conversation— less if you are a fast-paced speaker. At points needing emphasis, go even slower and repeat the key sentences. Raise your voice level a little at moments requiring amplification or emotional content. And again, repeat what you say when needed using slightly different words and different pace and volume.
There's full meaning in the word monotony. With your body parts, tonal range, volume and changes of pace you can make reading the telephone directory interesting, for a while.
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