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By Gary Genard
Are you guilty of the ‘sins’ of nervous body language while speaking? Here are 10
signs that you may be exhausting rather than energizing your listeners!
I’ve been attending some interesting talks lately, and I’m exhausted.
How can that be, I’ve wondered? As an audience member I’ve been sitting quietly and relaxed and,
I hope, attentive. I certainly haven’t been expending any energy. But all the movement I’ve been
witnessing on stage has been making me feel like I’ve run five miles!
Could it be that these speakers are all on edge? The answer is actually much simpler. What I’ve been
seeing—and what any of us can sometimes be guilty of—is just nervous body language. What exactly
does that mean, and how can you become aware of whether you’re using it?
Want to speak with maximum impact and influence? Learn how to achieve and maintain focus!
Download my free cheat sheet, “10 Ways to Stay Fully Focused when Speaking.”
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Try a simple experiment: Imagine you’re about to discuss a topic you’re passionate about. Stand in front
of your imaginary listeners and try as hard as you can to persuade them—without moving a muscle.
Stand in a grounded position, keep your hands at your side, and set your face into a totally neutral
expression.
You’re missing something in your ability to advocate an idea powerfully, and you feel it as much as your
audience. That’s because when you speak on stage, your posture, stance, position, gestures, facial
expressions, and the emphasis you create through physical expression, all depend upon your body and
how you use it. Your topics will only come alive when you embody them physically. And audiences will
be engaged and moved by what they see!
Remember, the important visual you show in every presentation is yourself. And so you should definitely
work to improve your performance at every opportunity. One way you can do it is through learning the
5 key body language techniques of public speaking.
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1. Pacing
This is the speaking style that more than any other gives audiences that I-feel-like-I’ve-just-run-
a-marathon sensation. Motivational speakers love to use this technique to generate excitement.
Remember, though, it’s your ideas that are exciting. Get your body involved when those ideas excite
you as you talk about them.
2. Wandering
For audiences to retain your key messages, your movement has to be purposeful. Map out where you
want to be on stage for each main point. When I work with clients on achieving purposeful movement,
I use the designations of the theatrical stage: Down-center, Down-left, Up-right, etc. Use them in your
own mind, deciding where you’ll position yourself to help audiences retain what you’re saying. For
instance, three main points = three positions on stage. You’ll be helping yourself improve your influence
with audiences!
3. Fidgeting.
Here is nervousness personified, that is, in the person of the speaker. There are no specific gestures
to name here, and that’s really the point. Random movements may keep listeners fascinated by your
perpetual motion machine, but they’ll also pull their focus from what you’re saying. Here’s a striking
example of on-stage fidgeting in a TED talk.
4. Swaying.
Videotaping yourself in practice sessions is a great way to train yourself in supportive body movements.
One habit that may leap out at you is a tendency to sway back and forth. If it looks like you’re resisting a
stiff gale with shifting winds, you’re a swayer. Seeing this on video will probably be a great incentive for
gaining more control of your stance.
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7. “Escaping” PowerPoint.
Have you seen this interesting body language tic? The speaker will glance back to be sure the right
slide is displayed, then step hurriedly away from the screen each time. We all know that PowerPoint
can be coma-inducing, but it shouldn’t look like it’s actually attacking the presenter.
At The Genard Method in Boston, we specialize in helping speakers who suffer from speech
anxiety. Learn more by visiting the Fearless Speaking page on our web site.
10. Freezing.
Finally, body language nerves may manifest themselves not as extraneous movement, but no
movement at all! You may not be wearing a deer-in-the-headlights look, but discomfort that freezes you
in place is still a tip-off. A disembodied voice is great for horror movies, but it doesn’t wear well on the
public speaking stage. Again, get your body into the act.
Gary Genard, Ph.D., founder of The Genard Method, is an expert in theater-based public
speaking training. As an actor and speech coach, he uses performance techniques to help
executives and leadership teams speak with confidence and influence. Dr. Genard consults
and trains for corporations, governments, nonprofits, and individuals worldwide. He is the
author of the books How to Give a Speech and Fearless Speaking, and the blog Speak for
Success! To learn more, visit the website and follow Gary Genard on Twitter.
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Easy-to-Learn Skills for Successful Presentations,
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