5 Quick Body Language Tips To Rock The Stage
Learn these tips and you will be well on your way to having them LEAN IN every time you speak!
You’re sitting in the audience or in a room and the speaker casually strolls to the podium. Before they have opened their mouth to speak, you’ve formed an opinion. Well, that was quick. They haven’t been there 5 seconds and yet, here you are with a judgment.
Or maybe you’ve been on the other side. You’re the speaker and you look out into the room, seeing the eyes peering back at you and knowing they’ve already framed an initial thought. You next words will either confirm or dispel their ideas about you.
Don’t feel bad. We all do it. We can’t help it. We can be aware of it and we can seek to shift it somewhat. But, we can’t help it. It’s a natural human mechanism. Whether we admit it or not, we form thoughts about others simply based on their body language.
We notice when someone walks in with shoulders slouched. We notice when people come in with their heads down, making no eye contact. We see it when they enter with their head held higher than what might be considered normal. All of these actions give us a baseline thought which is either confirmed to be right or shown to be incorrect based on their next actions.
Fully controlling what others do is impossible. But, you can notice your own tendencies and decide how you want to be perceived.
As a speaker, it is important for me to form the impression of confidence and credibility. This begins before I ever hit a stage or podium. Here are some of the ways I do this.
- I arrive early to greet the event planner/organize and help them check one stressor off their chart. While this is technically not body language, time is an area where people are sensitive. Arriving early says you value their time and you are now freeing them up to concentrate on the next phase of things.
- I make sure to greet people with a smile. I don’t stand by a wall and wait for them to approach me. I go up to them, briefly introduce myself and encourage them to enjoy themselves. Be sure to focus on them and only them. Don’t try to greet several people at once.
- I stand tall when I enter a room. This is intentional and practiced. Our bodies get tired and our muscles can become lazy if we allow them. So, consciously practicing the art of standing tall gets you in the habit of being aware. When you practice it, you’ll notice the benefit of wanting to smile also. They are like a pair.
- I pay attention to my walking pace. I don’t move in too quickly but I also don’t lollygag. An even, purposeful pace indicates I’m clear on where I’m headed but I’m not desperately behind schedule.
- I use my entire arm. The further away from people I am, the bigger gestures I tend to use with my arms. Instead of going alligator arms, gesturing just from the elbow, I use the full range of my arms and shoulders. This conveys a bit more passion about my subject. When I’m closer, in conversation, I’m a bit more subdued because I don’t want to overwhelm or even hit them. Besides, at close range, the energy from my voice and my smile is enough. They are not seeing my full body at close range.
Although we might treat it like just another term or descriptive set of words, body language is actually another language well worth learning. The more proficient you are at it, the easier it is to connect with people.
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About The Author
My name is Robert Kennedy III. I’m a professional speaker and author. I speak and write mainly about leadership and communication. Connect with me on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or on my website, RobertKennedy3.com
