Many of us remember our teachers or college professors. It's a hard job standing up in front of large groups of young people everyday, who may not want to be there, and keep them interested! I can guess that one of the reasons the teacher or professor put you to sleep is because he was boring! If I asked you to describe "boring" in detail, what would you say? What makes a public speaker boring?
In this case, let's specifically look at someone's non-verbal behavior. The presenter can have the best written speech, have spoken eloquently and even given plenty of visual aids, but what if that person did any of the following:
Use your arms to add interest and draw your listeners into your message. |
- Stood stiff as a board
- Never moved their arms
- Did not walk around
- Moved around too much
- Was jumpy or jittery
While a lack of movement can cause us to feel sleepy or loose interest, too much movement can be distracting or irritating. A balance between the two is ideal.
Take note that it does take practice. I'd suggest practicing presentations in front of peers or with a video camera handy to get good feedback and adjust accordingly. While analyzing your performance, ask yourself,
- Do I look open or closed to the audience?
- Do I look as if I am interested to be there?
- Will the audience find me interesting or boring?
- Do I have the traits of interesting speakers or boring speakers?
- What are my strengths? How will I overcome my challenges?
There are natural ways to use your arms in a presentation, as shown in the video below. (This video is not made by Jennifer Kumar or Authentic Journeys.)
This second video showcases a speaker I think uses his arms effectively in a presentation. Please watch the video and share your thoughts in the comments critiquing his arm movements.*
Thank you for spending time on this blog.Thank you for spending time on this blog. Jennifer Kumar is a corporate communication coach for IT professionals working with Americans based in Kochi, India. Feel free to contact her for more information about individual and small group coaching sessions today.
Related Posts:
How to use a podium effectively
9 Tips to be a better Public Speaker
How to speak slowly and clearly
Networked blogs link: http://networkedblogs.com/LXxRe
9 Tips to be a better Public Speaker
How to speak slowly and clearly
Networked blogs link: http://networkedblogs.com/LXxRe