Public Speaking - The Importance Of Body Language

Are you a confident speaker? Many may think that they are but when looking at their body language it tells a whole different story. The real problem with being a confident speaker is not how well you prepare or how well you string sentences together. Its absolutely about what you project as you stand up in front of people. Body language is critically important and you have to project strength, confidence and self assurance if you really want to command attention.

Very few speakers can really grip people and command undivided attention. Speakers that can do this however have influence and have the ability to really capture people to truly listen to them. The good news is that a positive body language is something that you can work on and improve on. Lets quickly look at some basics.

1. PostureYour body posture when you speak is important in more than one way. Being upright and standing tall actually makes you feel more confident and by using a confident posture you can feel confident. It also improves your breathing which will help you relax and perform better.

2. Eye ContactOne of the easiest ways to spot a nervous speaker is to look at their interaction with the audience. A lack of eye contact is usually a sign of nerves and someone who won;t connect with their audience. Its important that you maintain eye contact and speak to your audience.

3. TwitchesNervous speakers usually have nervous twitches that can sometimes annoy an audience. Its normal in a sense to want to do something with your hands when you are on the spot. What works well is to have a microphone in your hand(s) or if you can stand behind something you can steady your twitches.