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Gestures: Your Body Speaks

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How to Become Skilled inNonverbal Communication

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Gestures:Your Body Speaks

How to Become Skilledin Nonverbal Communication


2 Gestures : Your Body Speaks

Gestures : Your Body Speaks 3

Contents

Gestures: Your Body Speaks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Actions Speak Louder Than Words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

The Principle of Empathy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Why Physical Action Helps. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Five Ways to Make Your Body Speak Effectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Your Speaking Posture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Gestures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Why Gestures?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Types of Gestures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12How to Gesture Effectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Body Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Facial Expressions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Eye Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Why Is Eye Contact Essential? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18How to Use Your Eyes Effectively . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

How to Make a Good First Impression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Your Appearance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Before You Speak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21The First Minute . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Thumbs Up On Gestures! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Evaluating Your Body’s Spoken Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23


More than half of all human communication takes place

nonverbally. You are constantly sending nonverbal

messages – even as you read these words. When you speak

in public, your listeners judge you and your message based

on what they see as well as on what they hear. Here’s how to

use your body to effectively enhance your message.

Gestures: YourBody SpeaksWhen you present

a speech, you send two kinds of messagesto your audience. While your voice trans-mits a verbal message, a vast amount ofinformation is being visually conveyed byyour appearance, your manner and yourphysical behavior.Research shows that more than half

of all human communication takes placenonverbally. When you speak before agroup, your listeners base their judgmentof you and your message on what they seeas well as upon what they hear.In public speaking, your body can be

an effective tool for adding emphasis andclarity to your words. It’s also your mostpowerful instrument for convincing anaudience of your sincerity, earnestness andenthusiasm. However, if your physical actions are

distracting or suggest meanings that do notagree with your verbal message, your bodycan defeat your words. Whether your pur-pose is to inform, persuade, entertain,motivate or inspire, your body and the

personality you project must be appropri-ate to what you say.To become an effective speaker, you

must understand how your body speaks.You can’t stop sending your audience non-verbal messages, but you can learn tomanage and control them.That’s the purpose of this manual:

To help you learn to use your entire bodyas an instrument of speech. As you readon, you’ll learn how non verbal messagesaffect an audience, what kinds of informa-tion they transmit, how nervousness canbe alleviated by purposeful physicalactions, and how to make your body speakas eloquently as your words. Included arehow-to sections on proper speaking pos-ture, gestures, bodymovement, facialexpression, eye con-tact and making apositive first impres-sion on an audience. Also featured is a

special evaluationform that can helpyou identify yourbody’s spoken image.


sincerity by making your manner andactions affirm what you say. If they don’t,the results can be disastrous.Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “What

you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hearwhat you say.” When you speak, people notonly judge your speech – they also judgeyou. If they are not convinced of yourearnestness and sincerity, they are alsounlikely to accept your spoken message.

With it you’ll be able to determine yournonverbal strengths and weaknesses andeliminate any physical behavior thatdetracts from what you say during aspeech. You can then use your body as atool to make you a more effective speaker.

Actions Speak Louder Than WordsYour goal in public speaking is to commu-nicate. To be an effective speaker, youmust project earnestness, enthusiasm and

Amid polite applause, the speaker shuffledtoward the platform, his face registering

the look of someone being led to the guillo-tine. Upon arrival, he set down a pile ofnotes and sighed audibly. After tugging at hisnecktie, adjusting his eyeglasses and clearinghis throat, he fixed a doleful gaze on theroom’s back wall.

“It’s a great pleasure to be here today,”he said. “I have a message of extreme importance for you.”

Many people in the audience were already fidgeting. It was obvious that others werefocused elsewhere. Ten seconds after it began, the speech was already over. Why?

To begin with, the speaker set himself up for failure by sending his listen ers a double-edged message. What they saw contradicted what they heard, and when thishappens, the audience inevitably trusts only what it sees!

Even though the speaker’s words expressed pleasure in addressing the audience,his nonverbal message said, “I don’t want to be here.” Those same words declared thathis speech was important to his listeners – but his body indicated that his messagewasn’t important to him. Simultaneously, his facial expression gave the appearance thathe cared very little about his audience.

None of these visual messages was performed consciously; they were generatedby simple nervousness and inexperience. Yet they branded this unfortunate speakeras insincere and indifferent – even though he was none of those things.

Learn To LookFor Body Language


What you are is more clearly communi-cated through your nonverbal behaviorthan through your words. When presentinga speech, your listeners will use their visualsense to determine if you

� are sincere� welcome the opportunity to addressthem

� truly believe what you’re saying� are interested in them and care aboutthem, and

� are confident and in control of the situation.

The Principle of EmpathyPart of the impact your physical behaviorhas on an audience can be explained bythe concept of empathy, the ability toshare in another person’s emotions or feel-ings. When you speak, the people in youraudience tend to mirror your attitudes.They unconsciously feel what you feel andrespond accordingly. So it’s vital that yourbody faithfully portray your true feelings.If you appear relaxed and confident,

your audience will also feel relaxed andconfident. If you smile at your listeners,they will perceive you as a friendly personand smile back at you. And, most impor-tant, if they’re convinced you are sincereand trustworthy, they will pay attentionto what you say and evaluate it on itsown merits.Of course, this process can work the

other way. If you appear uneasy, youraudience also will be uneasy. If you frown– even unconsciously – your listeners usually will frown back at you. If you don’tlook at them, they will feel excluded. Andif you fidget, they will perceive a lack of

self-control and lose confidence in youand in what you say.

Why Physical Action HelpsWhen you demonstrate purposeful, effective physical action while speaking infront of an audience, you provide a truebarometer of your feelings and attitudes.But there are other benefits as well:

1. Messages Are More Memorable.People become bored with static presentations. That’s why televisionnewscasts almost always include filmshowing some kind of action. If a fire,protest demonstration, or some othervisually exciting activity occurs, thenewscast will usually lead with it – evenif it’s not the most significant news story.A newscast focusing on “talking heads”would soon lose viewers, who could getas much information from radio.On the other hand, it’s difficult not

to look at a moving object. At Toast -mas ters meetings you’ve probablynoticed how people pay attention tovisual distractions. A late-comer’s arrivalor a flashing timing light usuallysiphons attention away from a speech.People also remember messages that

reach multiple senses. We remembermore of what we see than what wehear. However, we remember bestwhen both our visual and auditorysenses are involved.As a speaker you can capitalize on

these tendencies by providing visualstimuli that capture your audience’sattention and enhance retention ofyour verbal messages. Gestures, bodymovements, facial expressions – all of


these can be valuable tools when skill-fully employed.

2. Punctuation Adds Meaning.Written language has a whole arrayof symbols for punctuating messages:commas, periods, exclamation points,and so on. But when you speak, you usean entirely different set of symbols toshow the audience what parts of yourspeech are most important and to addpower and vitality to your words.Some are performed with the voice.

Just as effective are gestures, bodymovements, and facial expressions.However, to achieve the greatest possible impact, you should coordinateyour voice and body, making them worktogether. The more communicationmethods you employ, the more effec-tively you will communicate.

3. Nervous Tension Is Channeled.Being nervous before a speech is, toa certain extent, healthy. It shows youcare about doing well. Many of theworld’s top entertainers readily admitthey are nervous before a performance.But true fear – the kind that ruins aspeech – will keep you from becomingan effective speaker.Fear and nervousness in public

speaking work on three levels: mental,

emotional and physical. A speaker’smental and emotional fears are con -quered by self-confidence – a byproductof preparation and experience. You canbest control the physical manifestationsof fear and nervousness, however,through conscious use of gestures andbody movements.Public speaking activates the adrenal

glands. Your heartbeat quickens. Yourbreathing becomes shallow and morerapid. Your muscles tense. Since thebody will do almost anything to relievetension, you might unconsciously perform mannerisms that will distractyour audience – unless you can dissi-pate the tension.Gestures and body movements can

help you harness your nervous energyand make it work for you instead ofagainst you.

Five Ways to Make YourBody Speak EffectivelyHow can you marshal your nonverbal tools– posture, gestures, body movements,facial expressions and eye contact – anduse them effectively when you speak?In this section you’ll learn five general methods for strengthening your body’sspoken image.

1. Eliminate Distracting Mannerisms.Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, the founder ofToastmasters Inter national, wrote,“The speaker who stands and talks atease is the one who can be heard with-out weariness. If his posture and ges-tures are so graceful and unobtrusivethat no one notices them, he may becounted truly successful.”


When your actions are wedded toyour words, you will strengthen theimpact of your speech – even if theaudience doesn’t consciously noticethem. But if your platform behaviorcontains mannerisms not related toyour spoken message, those actions willcall attention to themselves and awayfrom your speech. In fact, rather thanadding physical characteristics, some-times the enterprising speaker mustwork on removing impediments.What are these impediments? At

your next Toastmasters meeting, watchthe speakers closely. You’ll probablydetect at least a few visual distractionsin each person’s delivery.Some mannerisms involve the whole

body, such as

� rocking� swaying, or� pacing.

Others that commonly plague inex -perienced or ineffective speakers include

� gripping or leaning on the lectern� tapping the fingers� biting or licking the lips� jingling pocket change� frowning� adjusting hair or clothing, and� turning the head and eyes from sideto side like an oscillating fan.

Most of these actions have twothings in common: First, they are physical manifestations of simple ner-vousness; second, they are performedunconsciously – the speaker isn’t awarethat he or she is doing them.

Most of us are aware of our verbalmistakes. But unless we have access tovideotape equipment and can have ourmovements recorded, many of our dis-tracting mannerisms go unchallenged.The first step in eliminating superfluousman nerisms is to obtain an accurateperception of your body’s spokenimage. And to do this, you need help.On page 23 is a special form

designed to give you an appraisal ofhow you appear as a speaker. With thehelp of this form and a fellow clubmember, you’ll discover if you haveany bad habits.Your next step is to eliminate any

physical behavior that doesn’t add toyour speeches. You can accomplish thisby being aware of your problem areasand by conscious self-monitoring dur-ing future presentations. If you haveseveral problem areas, work on one at atime. As each is eliminated, move on tothe next.

2. Be Natural, Spontaneousand Conversational.The single most important rule for making your body speak effectively isto be yourself.

Today’s favored speaking style canbest be described as “amplified conver-sation.” It’s much more informal thanthe grandiose style that characterizedpublic orators in years past. The em -phasis is on communication and thesharing of ideas – not on performanceor sermonizing.

Don’t try to imitate another speaker.Instead, let yourself respond naturallyand spontaneously to what you th ink,feel and say. Strive to be as genuine


and natural as when you talk withfriends or family members.

3. Let Your Body Mirror Your Feelings.The “father of modern public speaking,”Dale Carnegie, wrote, “A person underthe influence of his feelings projects thereal self, acting naturally and sponta-neously. A speaker who is interested willusually be interesting.”

If you are interested in your subject,believe in what you are saying, andwant to share your message with others, your physical movements willcome from within and be appropriateto what you’re saying. By involvingyourself in your message you’ll be natural and spontaneous without having to consciously think about it.

4. Build Self-Confidencethrough Preparation.Nothing influences a speaker’s mentalattitude more than the knowledge thathe or she is thoroughly prepared. Thisknowledge inspires self-confidence, avital ingredient of effective publicspeaking.When you’re well-prepared, your

behavior can be directed outwardtoward your audience instead of inwardtoward your own anxieties. You’ll beless likely to send visual messages that contradict what you’re saying, and youwill find it easier to be natural andspontaneous. Almost effortlessly, you’llproject the magic qualities of sincerity,earnestness and enthusiasm.Practice and rehearse your material

until it becomes part of you, but do nottry to memorize your speech verbatim.This can defeat your preparation

because the conscious effort required torecall each word will make you nervousand tense. Instead, know your materialso well that you need only memorizethe flow of ideas. You’ll find the wordswill spring forth spontaneously.

5. Use Your Club as aLearning Laboratory.The key to improving your performancein any endeavor is to practice. YourToastmasters club offers you a “hands-on” workshop where you’ll gain valuableexperience. It’s a place where mistakescost you nothing and the audience isalways patient, supportive and helpful.Attend meetings faithfully and speak

as often as possible. Welcome feedbackprovided by your evaluators and closelyheed comments relating to your physi-cal platform behavior. By incor poratingwhat you learn from this manual intoyour regular assignments, you’ll becomeadept in all facets of public speaking.

Your Speaking PostureHow you position your body when youspeak communicates its own set of visualmessages to an audience. More than anything, it reflects your attitude, tellingyour listeners whether you’re confident,alert and in command of yourself and thespeaking situation.Good speaking posture has other bene -

fits to a speaker. It helps you to breatheproperly and project your voice effectively.It also provides a good starting point fromwhich to gesture or move your body inany direction. And by helping you to feelboth alert and comfortable, it helpsdecrease nervous tension and minimizerandom, distracting movements.


What constitutes proper speaking posture? Ask another person to read thenext two paragraphs aloud as you followthe instructions:Stand straight but not rigid, with your

feet about six to 12 inches apart and oneslightly ahead of the other. Balance yourweight evenly on the balls of your feet.Lean forward just a little. Your kneesshould be straight but not locked. Relaxyour shoulders, but don’t let them droop.Keep your chest up and your stomach in.Your head should be erect and your chinup, but not uncomfortably so. Let yourarms hang naturally at your sides, withyour fingers slightly curled.Now, take a few deep, full breaths. Do

you feel comfortable? Your stance shouldbe alert but not stiff, relaxed but not sloppy. If this position doesn’t feel naturalfor you, try repositioning your feet slightlyuntil your body feels in balance.Do not maintain the same position

throughout a presentation. But when youmove from one spot to another, performa gesture or vary your stance, be sure tobalance your body once your movementis concluded.

GesturesA gesture is a specific bodily movementthat reinforces a verbal message or conveysa particular thought or emotion. Althoughgestures may be made with the head,shoulders or even the legs and feet, mostare made with the hands and arms.Your hands can be marvelous tools of

communication when you speak. Butmany inexperienced speakers are unsurewhat to do with their hands. Some try toget them out of the way by putting them

in their pockets or behind their backs.Others unconsciously relieve nervous tension by performing awkward, distractingmovements. A few speakers over-gestureout of nervousness, waving their armsand hands wildly.A speaker’s gestures can suggest very

precise meaning to an audience. TheIndians of North America devised a signlanguage that enabled people with entirelydifferent spoken languages to converse.Sign language has also made it possiblefor deaf people to communicate withoutspeaking. The use of gestures in communication

varies from one culture to the next. Insome cultures, such as those of SouthernEurope and the Middle East, people usetheir hands freely and expressively whenthey speak. In other cultures, people usegestures less frequent-ly and in a more subdued way.The specific gesture

we make and themeanings we attachto them are productsof our cultural train-ing. Just as culturesdiffer, so do the per-ceived meanings ofgestures. For example,nodding one’s head upand down signifiesagreement or assent in Western cultures –but in some parts of India this gesturemeans the exact opposite. A common gesture used in the United States – that ofmaking a circle with the thumb and fore-finger to indicate approval – is con sideredan insult and an obscenity in many areasof the world.


To be effective, a speaker’s gesturesmust be purposeful – even if they’re per-formed unconsciously. They must be visibleto the audience. They must mean the samething to the audience that they mean tothe speaker. And they must reflect what’sbeing said, as well as the total personalitybehind the message.

� Why Gestures?All good speakers use gestures. Why?Gestures are probably the most evocativeform of nonverbal communication aspeaker can employ. No other kind ofphysical action can enhance your speechesin as many ways as gestures. They:

� Clarify and support your words.Gestures strengthen the audience’sunderstanding of your verbal message.

� Dramatize your ideas. Together withwhat you say, gestures help paint vividpictures in your listeners’ minds.

� Lend emphasis and vitality to thespoken word. Gestures convey yourfeelings and attitudes more clearly thanwhat you say.

� Help dissipate nervous tension.Purposeful gestures are a good outletfor the nervous energy inherent in aspeaking situation.

� Function as visual aids. Gesturesenhance audience attentiveness andretention.

� Stimulate audience participation.Gestures help you indicate the responseyou seek from your listeners.

� Are highly visible. Gestures providevisual support when you address alarge number of people and the entire audience may not see your eyes.

� Types of GesturesDespite the vast number of movementsthat qualify as gestures, all gestures canbe grouped into one of the followingmajor categories:

Descriptive gestures clarify or enhance averbal message. They help the audienceunderstand comparisons and contrasts,and visualize the size, shape, movement,location, function and number of objects.

Emphatic gestures underscore what’sbeing said. They indicate earnestness andconviction. For example, a clenched fistsuggests strong feeling, such as anger ordetermination.

Suggestive gestures are symbols of ideasand emotions. They help a speaker createa desired mood or express a particularthought. An open palm suggests giving orreceiving, usually of an idea, while a shrugof the shoulders indicates ignorance, perplexity or irony.

Prompting gestures are used to help evokea desired response from the audience. Ifyou want listeners to raise their hands,applaud or perform some specific action,you’ll enhance the res ponse by doing ityourself as an example.

Gestures made above the shoulder levelsuggest physical height, inspiration oremotional exultation. Gestures made belowshoulder level indicate rejection, apathy orcondemnation. Those made at or nearshoulder level suggest calmness or serenity.The most frequently used gestures

involve an open palm held outward towardthe audience. The meaning of this type of


gesture depends onthe position of thepalm. Holding thepalm upward impliesgiving or receiving,although this ges-ture is sometimesused as an uncon-scious movement,with no specific intended meaning. A palmheld downward can express suppression,secrecy, completion or stability. A palmheld outward toward the audience sug-gests halting, repulsion, negation orabhorrence. If the palm is held perpendic-ular to the speaker’s body, it tends to implymeasurement, limits in space or time,comparisons or contrasts.

� How to Gesture EffectivelyGestures reflect each speaker’s individualpersonality. What’s right for one speakerprobably won’t work for you. However, thefollowing six rules apply to almost every-one who seeks to become a dynamic,effective speaker.

1. Respond Naturally to WhatYou Think, Feel and Say.When you present a speech, you naturally express yourself though ges -tures. No matter what our personalityor cultural background may be, everyone of us has a natural impulse topunctuate and strengthen our wordswith gestures.The trick is not to suppress that

impulse by retreating behind a mask ofimpassiveness; this can only create abuildup of tension. At the same time,don’t get gestures out of a book orfrom another speaker. Be genuinely

and spontaneously yourself. If you imposeartificial gestures ontoyour natural style, youraudience will sense it andlabel you a phony.

Some people are naturally animated, whileothers are naturally

reserved. If you naturally use your handsfreely when you converse informally,use them freely when you give a speech.If you’re by nature a reserved, low-keyperson, don’t change your personalityjust to suit public speaking situations.

2. Create the Conditions forGesturing – Not the Gesture.Your gestures should be a natural out-growth of your own unique thoughtsand feelings. They should arise naturallyand habitually from your attitudetoward the message you present.When you speak, you should be

totally involved in communicating –not in thinking about your hands.Your gestures need to be motivatedby the content of your presentation.By immersing yourself in your subject matter, you will create the conditionsthat will enable you to respond naturallywith appropriate gestures.

3. Suit the Action to theWord and the Occasion.Your visual and verbal messages mustact as partners in communicating thesame thought or feeling. When a speak-er fails to match gestures with words,the outcome can be wooden, artificialand sometimes comical. Every gestureyou make should be purposeful and

reflective of your words. In this wayyour listeners will note the effect ratherthan the gesture.Make sure the vigor and frequency

of your gestures are appropriate foryour words. Use strong, emphatic gestures only when your feeling for themessage calls for them. On occasion,you may need to adapt your gesturesto fit the size and nature of your audi-ence. Generally speaking, the larger theaudience, the broader and slower yourgestures should be. Also keep in mindthat young audiences are usuallyattracted to a speaker who uses vigorous gestures, but older, more conservative groups may feel irritatedor threatened by a speaker whose physical actions are too powerful.Your gestures during a speech are

also affected by the logistics of thespeaking situation. When you speakfrom a physically confining position,you may be restricted from using broad,sweeping gestures. A common exampleof a confining speaking position is ahead table, where people are seatedclose to the speaker.

4. Make Your Gestures Convincing.Your gestures should be lively and dis -tinct if they’re to convey the intendedimpression. A gesture performed in ahalf-hearted manner suggests that thespeaker lacks con viction and earnestness.

Every hand gesture should be atotal body movement that starts fromthe shoulder – never from the elbow.Move your entire arm outward fromyour body freely and easily. Keep yourwrists and fingers supple, rather thanstiff or tense.

Effective gestures are vigorousenough to be convincing, yet slowenough and broad enough to be clearlyvisible. Your gestures should be distinctbut not jerky, and they should neverfollow a set pattern.

5. Make Your Gestures Smoothand Well-Timed.Any single gesture has three parts:the approach, the stroke and the return.During the approach, your body beginsto move in anticipation of the gesture.The stroke is the gesture itself, and thereturn brings your body back to a balanced speaking posture.The flow of a gesture – balance,

approach, stroke, return, balance –must be smoothly executed in such away that only the stroke is evident tothe audience.Just as timing is an essential ingredi-

ent of comedy, a gesture’s timing is justas important as its quality. The strokemust come on the correct word – neither before nor after it. However,the approach can be initiated wellbefore the stroke; in fact, you canobtain an especially powerful effect byapproaching a gesture several secondsin advance, then holding the approachuntil the exact instant of the stroke.The return simply involves droppingyour hands smoothly to your sides –it doesn’t have to be rushed.Don’t try to memorize gestures and

incorporate them into a speech. Memorizedgestures usually fail, because the speak-er cues himself or herself by the wordthe gesture is designed to punctuate.This results in the gesture following theword, which looks artificial and foolish.



6. Make Natural, SpontaneousGesturing a Habit.The first step in becoming adept at gesturing is to determine what you’redoing now. Use the evaluation form onpage 23 and the help of a fellow Toast -masters club member to find out if youhave any bad habits. If you do, strive toeliminate them from your body’s spokenimage.To improve your gestures, practice –

but don’t wait until the day of yourspeech! Work on enhancing your gesturing abilities in front of friends,family members and coworkers. Relaxyour inhibitions, gesture when you feellike it, and let yourself respond naturallyto what you think, feel and say. Throughawareness and practice, you can makeappropriate gesturing a part of yourhabitual behavior.

Body MovementBody movement – changing your positionor location during a speech – is the broad-est, most highly visible kind of physicalaction you, as a speaker, can perform.Because of this, it can be either a tremen-dous asset or a tremendous liability toyour delivery system.When you move your entire body in a

controlled, purposeful manner during aspeech, you can benefit in three ways. Tobegin with, body movement can supportand reinforce what you say. And, ofcourse, motion will almost always attractan audience’s attention. Finally, usingbody movement is the fastest, most effec-tive means of burning up nervous energyand relieving physical tension.All of these characteristics, however,

also have the potential to work against

you. One rulefor makingbody move-ment your allyand not yourenemy is this:Never movewithouta reason.The eye

is inevitablyattracted to a moving object,so any wholebody move-ment you make during a speech invitesattention. Moving for a reason in leaguewith your verbal message stimulates thealertness and attentiveness of your audience while simultaneously enhancingwhat you say.Watching a stationary object is tedious,

so you don’t want to glue yourself to onespot while you speak. On the other hand,your body movement should be governedby moderation. Too much body movement– even the right kind – can become dis-tracting to an audience. Ideally, you shouldseek a middle ground that consists ofenough movement to keep your listeners’attention, yet not enough to divert atten-tion away from what you’re saying.Just as purposeful movements beckon

for attention, so do random movements.The body will do almost anything to riditself of tension. Inexperienced speakerscommonly perform such body movementsas rocking, swaying and pacing withoutbeing aware of what they’re doing. If pub-lic speaking makes you nervous and tense,try to incorporate enough purposeful bodymovement into your speeches so your


body won’t unconsciously indulge in dis-tracting mannerisms.Another valid reason for body movement

is to enhance understanding of your mes-sage. The means suggested by most types ofbody movement are less precise than thosearoused by individual gestures, but bodymovement can still be an effective visualcomplement to your spoken word.Stepping forward during a speech

suggests you are arriving at an importantpoint. A step or two backward indicatesyou’ve concluded an idea and are willing

to let the audience relax for a momentand digest what you’ve just said. A lateralmovement implies a transition – thatyou’re leaving one thought and takingup another.In some instances, you can use body

movement to illustrate or dramatize a spe-cific point. For example, if you’re describinga physical action – such as throwing aball, or a runner straining to break the tapeand win a close race – you can help yourlisten ers clearly visualize what you’re saying by acting out your description.

Learn to Look for Body Language

Sometimes we learn best by watching others and picking up our cues from them. If you are unsure about what types of gestures, expressions, and other body

movements you would like to incorporate into your own speaking style, observing thetechniques of others might be a good first step. For instance:

Become a people watcher. The next timeyou are at a shopping mall, amusementpark or other well-populated area, takesome time to observe others. Not only ishuman behavior fascinating, but watchinghow others act and react can be invaluablefor a speaker studying visual behaviors.

Watch television. Here’s the catch: the sound must be turned down! Vintage showssuch as I Love Lucy are especially instructive when watching body signals. But eventhe most straightforward news broadcaster communicates nonverbally; contract thesubtleties of this type of communication with the more exaggerated style displayed inbroad physical comedy.

Study photographs. Ever wonder why the saying, “A picture is worth a thousandwords,” continues to be popular? Once you’ve studied old family photographs, thereason will be self-evident. Although social conventions of the time may have some-thing to do with the way the people were posed, a great deal can be inferred from theproximity of the subjects, how – or if – they are physically connected, and the natureof their facial expressions.


The final reason for body movement isperhaps the simplest: Getting from oneplace to another. In almost every speaking situation, you must walk to and from thepoint where you deliver your speech. Andif you incorporate visual aids into a pre-sentation, you will be moving about as youuse them. The key to effective movementlies in making those movements easy, natural and smooth.When changing your speaking position

during a speech, always lead with the footnearest your destination. If you’re going tostep to your left, lead with your left foot.Never cross one foot over the other whenyou begin a movement.

Facial ExpressionsA dead-pan expression may be an assetto a good poker player, but to a speakerit is a barrier to effective communication.People watch a speaker’s face during

a presentation. Politeness, of course, is onereason for this, but equally important is theneed to obtain visual data that will makethe speaker’s message more meaningful.Facial expression is often the key deter-

minant of the meaning behind a message.Here’s an example. If a friend were to smilewarmly at you and say, “You’re crazy,”would you feel insulted? Probably not; infact, you might even take it as a sign ofendearment. But what if this statementwere accompanied by a contemptuoussneer? The verbal message would be thesame, but your reaction would no doubtbe drastically different.When you speak, your face communi-

cates your attitudes, feelings and emotionsmore clearly than any other part of yourbody. According to behavioral psychologists,people can easily recognize – simply by

observing a speaker’s facial expressions –such distinct feelings as sur prise, fear, happiness, confusion, disgust, interest, disbelief, anger and sadness.To an audience, your face serves as a

barometer for what’s inside you. Your lis-teners will watch your face for clues aboutyour sincerity, your attitude toward yourmessage and your earnestness in sharingyour ideas with them.Remove expressions that don’t belong

on your face. These include distractingmannerisms and unconscious expressionswhich are unconnected to your feelings,attitudes and emotions. Both types ofunwanted facial expression usually aremanifestations of nervousness.Just as nervous speakers exhibit dis-

tracting gestures and body movements,they also may release excess energy andtension by unconsciously moving theirfacial muscles. Examples of random facialexpressions include licking or biting thelips, tightening the jaw, raising the cornersof the mouth and making twitching move-ments of any part of the face.An audience considers these expressions

as indicators of nervousness and a lack ofconfidence, experience and preparation.Such behavior can also make an audience


nervous and decrease its receptivity to thespeaker’s verbal message.Once you are aware that you display

distracting facial expressions, work towardscontrolling your apprehensions about speak-ing. Thorough preparation and involve mentin your subject matter will help you projectconfidence and control.The key to conveying friend-

liness is remembering to smile.To do so constantly is inadvis-able – you might be labeled asa lightweight, and it would beinappropriate during a seriouspresentation. But by all meanssmile when it’s suitable to thesituation. Show your listenersthat you are pleased to havethe opportunity to share yourideas with them, that you areenjoying yourself, and that youare interested in them.No rules govern the use of specific

expressions. By relaxing your inhibitions andallowing yourself to respond naturally toyour thoughts, attitudes and emotions, yourfacial expressions will be appropriate and willproject sincerity, conviction and credibility.

Eye ContactEach one of the categories we’ve just discussed – physical appearance, posture, gestures, body movements and facialexpressions – provide critical nonverbalelements for your speeches. But after yourvoice, your eyes are your most powerfultool for communicating.

� Why Is Eye Contact Essential?When you speak, you involve your listenerswith your eyes, making your presentationdirect, personal and conversational. One

sure way to break the communicationbond is to fail to look at your audience. No matter how large an audience may

be, each listener wants to feel important,to sense a personal connection with thespeaker, and to feel that the speaker iscommunicating directly with him or her.

Public speaking,remember, is amplifiedconversation. Just asa member of a small,informal group feelsexcluded from a con-versation if the speakerdoesn’t meet his orher eyes, the people inyour audience will feelleft out if you fail toestablish eye contactwith them.In most cultures, the

act of looking some-one directly in the eyes is a symbol of sincerity. Failure to meet another person’sgaze when speaking implies disinterest,lack of confidence, insincerity or shiftiness.The same psychological associations arefound in public speaking. In one study,speakers who established eye contact werejudged more truthful, honest, credible,friendly and skillful than those who didnot. Only by looking at your listeners asindividuals can you convince them thatyou are sincere, that you are interested inthem and that you care whether or notthey accept your message.When you speak, your eyes also

function as a control device. Simply bylooking at them, you have an influenceon your listeners’ attentiveness and concentration. On the other hand, if youdon’t look at them, they won’t look at you,


and attentiveness to your message willsuffer. In turn, the attentiveness generatedby your effective eye contact can serve asa source of strength and encouragementfor you. When you see that the audience isinterested in your message, you will gainconfidence and become more comfortable.Eye contact can also help you overcome

nervousness. Fear is the most commoncause of nervousness in speaking, and fearis caused by the unknown. Eye contactmakes your audience a known quantity.When you look at your listeners and realizethat most are interested in your message,your fear will evaporate, and your nervoustension will decrease.Not only do your eyes send vital

messages while you’re speaking, they alsoreceive them. Effective eye contact is afeedback device that makes the speakingsituation a two-way communicationprocess. Only by looking at your listenerscan you determine how they are reacting.Are you performing well? Does the audi-ence understand what you’re saying?Are you holding the audience’s attention?Is your message being accepted?By watching the audience’s reactions,

you can make immediate adjustments toyour presentation. Experienced speakersconsider this visual feedback to be thebiggest benefit of eye contact. Onceyou’ve developed the ability to gaugeaudience reaction and tailor your wordsaccordingly, you will become a muchmore effective speaker.

� How to Use Your Eyes Effectively

1. Know Your Material.Being prepared – having control overyour verbal message – is a prerequisite

for establishing effective eye contactwith your audience. You should knowyour speech so well that you don’thave to devote your mental energyremembering the sequence of ideasand words. Your projection must beoutward to the audience – not inwardtoward mental turmoil.If you can speak effectively without

notes, by all means do so. But if youmust use an outline or some other formof written reminder, go ahead – justdon’t let it be a substitute for prepara-tion and rehearsal.You can use your eyes effectively

while using notes, but this requirespractice and conscious effort. Manyexperienced speakers are highly adeptat this skill, taking advantage of suchnatural pauses as audience laughter orthe aftermath of an important point toglance briefly at their notes. To makethis technique work, you must keepyour notes brief – a few simple wordsor symbols keyed to the sequence ofyour message. If you know your materialand are well-prepared, these cuesshould be enough to keep you oncourse and avoid losing eye contactwith your audience.

2. Establish a Bond.When you speak, you are communicatingwith a group of individual people – notperforming before a single unit. So mak-ing effective eye contact means morethan just passing your gaze through outthe room; it means focusing on individ-ual listeners and creating person-to-person relationships with them.How do you do this? Begin by select-

ing one person and talking to him or


her personally. Hold that person’s eyeslong enough to establish a visual bond– perhaps five to 10 seconds, or thetime required to say a sentence or shareone thought. Then shift your gaze toanother person.You may have noticed the speaker

who wags his head from side to side, orslowly shifts his gaze from right to leftlike an oscillating fan. Always rememberthat although your eyes need to movefrom one person to the next, theyshould not follow any set pattern.With an audience the size of a typical

Toastmasters club, this is relatively easyto do. But if you are addressing hundredsor thousands of people, it’s impossible!However, if you pick out one or twoindividuals in each section of the roomand establish personal bonds with them,each listener will get the impressionyou’re talking to him or her directly.

3. Monitor Visual Feedback.While you deliver a speech, your listenersare responding with their own nonverbalmessages. Use your eyes to seek outthis valuable feedback. By monitoringthese visual messages, you can gauge theaudience’s reactions to what you say,then adjust your presentation accordingly.If individuals in the audience are not

looking at you, they may not be listen ing,either. Some times this is because theycan’t hear you. If you are not using amicrophone, speak louder and see if thatgets a positive reaction. Perhaps they arejust bored. If so, you’ll need to regaintheir attention, perhaps by using appro-priate humor, increasing your vocal variety, or adding some purposeful gestures or body movements.

Do your listeners look puzzled? If so,you may need to provide additionalexplanation for something you’ve said.Watch them as you do, and when theirfaces register understanding, move onto the next point or idea.Are your listeners frowning at you?

Remember, an audience unconsciouslymirrors the speaker. Maybe you’reunconsciously frowning at them. Smile– then see if their expressions change.The same holds true for audience mem-bers who are fidgeting nervously: Maybeyou’ve been engaging in a distractingphysical mannerism. On the other hand,if their faces indicate pleasure, interestand close attention, don’t change athing – you’re doing a great job.

How to Make a GoodFirst ImpressionFirst impressions are critical. People meetingfor the first time form immediate judgmentsof one another that for ever color their relationships. When you present a speech,you’ll be judged by the people in your audience, and the initial impression youmake on them will directly affect the success of your presentation.One of your objectives as a speaker

should be to create a visual image thatcomplements and enhances your verbalmessage. You want your listeners to likeyou, trust you and want to hear whatyou say.As a Toastmaster, you’ve already made

your first impression on your fellow clubmembers. Remember, however, that yourclub is a learning workshop that preparesyou for outside speeches delivered to otheraudiences, and in the future you may bespeaking in front of business groups and in


your community. To many of these audi-ences, you’ll be a stranger and making agood first impression will be crucial.

� Your AppearanceLike it or not, your physical appearancestrongly influences how others judge you.When you deliver a speech, your appear-ance conveys a powerful visual messageto the audience – a message vital to yoursuccess as a communicator.You can’t change your age, height or

facial features, but you can enhance yourappearance through proper attire, groom -ing and physical conditioning. This manualcannot offer detailed information on thesesubjects; styles and preferences vary greatlywith time, location and socioeconomic factors. However, a few general commentsapply to all speakers.A good rule of thumb for dress is to be

at least as well-dressed as the best-dressedperson in the audience. If your listenerswill be wearing suits and dresses, wearyour best suit or dress – the outfit thatbrings you the most compliments. Makesure every item of clothing is clean, well-tailored and well-fitting.Don’t wear jewelry that glitters or jingles

when you move or gesture – it mightdivert attention away from your speech.For the same reason, empty your pocketsof bulky objects or things such as pocketchange or keys that produce audiblesounds when you move.Audiences like speakers who

reflect good health and physicalvitality. Research has shown thatan audience associates a speaker’swell-being with the soundness ofhis or her verbal messages. So watchyour diet and exercise regularly.

� Before You SpeakPart of your first impression is made beforeyou are introduced to begin your speech.As the audience is arriving, your prepara-tions should be concluded – you shouldnot have to study your speech. Instead,mingle with the audience, and project thesame friendly, confident attitude that willmake your speech a success.When the meeting or program begins,

be attentive and courteous. If you are nervous, breathe slowly and deeply. Onespeaker recommends performing isometrics.These unobtrusive exercise movements goun noticed by others and are useful in helping to dissipate nervous tension.

� The First MinuteWhen you speak, especially if you are notwell-known to the audience, the most crucial part of your presentation is thefirst minute. During those few seconds,the people in the audience will be making critical judgments about you. They willdecide if you’re confident, sincere, friendly,eager to address them and worthy of theirattention. And to a large degree, they willbase this decision on what they see.After your introduction, walk purpose -

fully and confidently to the speaking position. Balance your body as you assumeyour speaking posture. Achieve an im -mediate connection with the audience by

combining directeye contact witha warm smile.Keep your movements andgestures to aminimum duringthe first fewmoments of


your speech – let the audience first getaccustomed to you.

Thumbs Up On Gestures!As speakers, we need to remember thatmuch of our message is not just in ourwords, but also in our visual presentation.For some of us, this means enlarging uponour gestures and facial expressiveness as

well as developing a stronger sense of eyecontact. For others, it means modulatingthose very same attributes. Whatever your vocal strengths and

speaking skills, your ability to visually com-municate your ideas through gestures andother forms of body expression willenhance not just your presentation, butyour overall effectiveness as a speaker.

Instructions for EvaluatingYour Body’s Spoken Image

On page 23 is a special evaluation formto help you identify your nonverbalstrengths and weaknesses as a speaker.

Begin by selecting an experiencedToastmaster other than your assignedspeech evaluator. Ask him or her toread the following instructions and tocomplete the form while you deliver amanual speech to your Toastmastersclub. After your speech, speak with themember and discuss the results, makingsure you fully understand his/her ratingsand comments.

Then review the portions of Gestures:Your Body Speaks that deal with anyproblem areas. Give priority to eliminatingany random, distracting mannerisms fromyour speech delivery. Work on all areas inwhich you received a low rating and/orrecommended improvement; if there areseveral, focus on one at a time. You cangauge your progress by periodically con-ducting follow-up evaluations of yourbody’s spoken image. You can orderadditional evaluation forms (Item 201A)from Toastmasters International.

Evaluator’s Instructions

You have been asked to help a fellowToastmaster by evaluating the non -verbal aspects of his/her speech delivery. The form on page 23 hasfive categories: posture, gestures,body movements, facial expressions,and eye contact. Under each categoryare sets of opposite characteristicsseparated by a five-point rating scale.

During the speaker’s presentation,rate each characteristic from one to five– one being negative and five beingpositive – by circling the appropriatenumber. Then offer your specific com-ments and recommendations forimprovement in the space providedalong the right margin.

Please keep in mind as you completethis form that you’re making value judgments. Be as objective as you can.The numerical ratings you assign are not“scores.” Their sole purpose is to helpthe speaker identify his/her nonverbalstrengths and weaknesses. Be sure tooffer positive, supportive recommenda-tions for areas in which improvement iswarranted. You are also encouraged todiscuss your ratings with the speakerwhen you return the evaluation form.


Evaluating Your Body’s Spoken Image

POSTURE POSTURENervous/uneasy 1 2 3 4 5 PoisedUncertain 1 2 3 4 5 ConfidentUncomfortable 1 2 3 4 5 ComfortableSlouching 1 2 3 4 5 ErectStiff 1 2 3 4 5 Relaxed

GESTURES GESTURESArtificial/wooden 1 2 3 4 5 Natural/spontaneousRandom 1 2 3 4 5 MeaningfulPassive 1 2 3 4 5 LivelyFurtive 1 2 3 4 5 ExpansiveVague 1 2 3 4 5 PreciseDetracted from 1 2 3 4 5 Enhanced verbalverbal message message

BODY MOVEMENTS BODY MOVEMENTSLifeless/dull 1 2 3 4 5 Fluid/animatedAwkward 1 2 3 4 5 GracefulRandom 1 2 3 4 5 PurposefulDrew attention away 1 2 3 4 5 Enhanced attentivenessfrom speech to speech

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS FACIAL EXPRESSIONSDeadpan 1 2 3 4 5 AnimatedUnfriendly 1 2 3 4 5 FriendlyArtificial 1 2 3 4 5 Natural/genuineIncongruent 1 2 3 4 5 Appropriate to speech

content

EYE CONTACT EYE CONTACTForced/artificial 1 2 3 4 5 Natural/smoothFollowed set pattern 1 2 3 4 5 No set patternDid not establish 1 2 3 4 5 Established bondsvisual bonds with listeners

CATEGORY RATING CATEGORY COMMENTS/RECOMMENDED ACTION

ITEM 201


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