9 common body language mistakes to avoid during presentations
TRANSCRIPT
9 BODY LANGUAGE MISTAKES TO AVOID DURING PRESENTATIONS
BAD POSTURE
Keep your shoulders back and hold your head up so you can make eye contact. This posture conveys confidence and helps you breathe more fully.
Posture is one of the most important
attributes within body language
during delivering a presentation.
CROSSED ARMS
Keep your arms open, and at a certain distance from your body, almost like you are giving a big bear hug. It will give a message of peace and confidence to the audience.
Crossing your arms might also give the impression to your
audience that you are unenthusiastic about your presentation or
information.
LEGSMOVEMENT
While presentation stand confidently, make controlled movements towards the audience and make them believe you are a seasoned expert.
Jiggling your legs and constantly settling
your standing position will signal the audience that
you’re uncomfortable and restless.
FORGET TO
SMILE
Begin your presentation with a smile, in result your audience will receive your message more willingly.
Unless you are delivering horrible
news, it is appropriate for
you to smile, even in a business
meeting.
BAD BODY MOVEMENT
If you do need to move, it should have a purpose. Limit your motion, move only to emphasize a point or mark a transition in your presentation.
Walking back and forth and moving
your arms and legs quickly will give an
odd feeling. Too much movement can make you seem nervous.
ROLLING YOUR
EYES
Instead of rolling your eyes, practice smiling and try to hold steady eye contact.
When you roll your eyes, you are loudly telling your audience that you don't respect them. This is a natural cue that someone is
lying or not being himself.
AVOIDING EYE CONTACT
Always consider to make an eye contact with audience when making a point. You can even make it short but don’t be too quick, stay truthful when eye contact.
Lack of eye contact often implies
deception. Studies suggest that holding
eye contact while speaking has an
enormous impact on your ability to
persuade.
MOVEMENTS OF
THE HANDS
Try keeping your arms in front in an open manner. Use smaller, more subtle hand gestures to demonstrate your point with authority.
Hiding your hands, clasping them, or
fidgeting with them demonstrates
weakness and a lack of confidence.
TURNING YOUR BACK ON THE
AUDIENCE
Your audience wants to see you AND the screen. Face forward to your audience and ‘cheat’ with a turn of your head so you can glance at the screen ever so often.
If you turn your back on your audience you will bore them. You bore
them… you lose them. You should always –
using the best of your ability – be in direct eye
contact with your listeners.
