One Thing You Need To Do To Help Your Audience Trust You
You step up to the mic and the applause dies down. They’ve introduced you and you open your mouth to speak. All of a sudden, you notice the 3 people in the front row who have tilted their heads to the side and bunched their eyebrows. They’re studying you. They’re scrutinizing every word.
They are deciding whether or not they should…trust you.
They hear people speaking all the time. Tons of information is constantly being chucked at them. And so, they naturally go through a process of determining whether they should make mental space for you and your portfolio of words. Or should they return to their regularly scheduled mental programming.
What are you doing or not doing that causes them to go through this process?
Nothing, actually.
They were going to go through it anyway. We all do it. But, how quickly they go through that process is determined by you and how you show up from the moment they lay eyes on you. It starts with one word…CONFIDENCE.
Your confidence is on display from the moment you make your first step.
Confidence is not being sure of the result but rather being sure of your ability to handle whatever happens.
When you enter a space, your confidence about that space carries an energy which is displayed to those around you. Your confidence energy calms them and prepares them.
Have you ever been around someone who is constantly looking around nervously? When you first come in contact with them, what is your reaction? You begin to wonder if something is wrong. You begin to mentally process whether or not there is danger in the area and if they have a legitimate reason to be nervous. This quick moment degrades any credibility and trust you may have developed.
It’s the same on stage. When your audience sees you, they immediately assess whether or not they feel safe with you and what you are about to share.
Vince Lombardi is quoted as saying, “Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.”
The energy you bring transfers and it matters.
Confident energy is displayed through the way you walk, the way you stand and the way in which you acquire eye contact. In her book, The Oxytocin Factor, Kerstin Uväs-Moberg notes how extended eye contact promotes the release of oxytocin. A study by Dr. Michael Kosfeld and others showed two effects of oxytocin. First, it lowers blood pressure and other stress related responses. Second, it increases positive social responses such as trust.
Confidence is one of those traits often viewed as easy for some and impossible for others. But, confidence is often a matter of perception. You don’t necessarily need to FEEL confident internally. You simply need to LOOK confident.
Mastering this art is the first step to moving past the door of trust when encountering an audience or most personal interactions.
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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
