Body language and delivery
Audiences judge confidence before they judge content. Steady posture, purposeful movement and genuine eye contact make your message more credible.
Key ideas
- Stillness signals confidence; constant movement signals nerves.
- Hold eye contact with one person per thought.
- Gestures should support the words, not distract from them.
Step by step
- 1
Plant your feet and start from a still, open posture.
- 2
Move only with purpose, such as at a transition.
- 3
Deliver one complete thought to one person before moving your gaze.
- 4
Let your hands rest naturally between deliberate gestures.
Example
A speaker who paced constantly records herself, then practises standing still and moving only between sections. Feedback shifts from 'nervous' to 'authoritative'.
Your drill
Record a two-minute talk, watch it without sound and note every unplanned movement, then repeat with deliberate stillness.
Common mistakes
- Pacing or swaying throughout the talk.
- Scanning the room without really looking at anyone.
Check yourself
How should eye contact be used during a talk?
Show the answer
Hold contact with one person for each complete thought before moving to another.
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