Ever come out of a presentation feeling energized and ready to take on the world?

What was the speaker’s secret?

How did he keep you engaged and effectively deliver his message?

It could’ve been his or her gestures.

In public speaking, the way you express yourself nonverbally is just as important as – if not more so than – what you actually say. In fact, well-known (but often misrepresented) research by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, UCLA, shows that:

• Nonverbal elements (things like posture and gestures) are particularly important for communicating feelings and attitude.
• When deciding whether we like someone who’s delivering an emotional message, body language is more important than the speaker’s words or even tone of voice. Body language accounts for 55% of our decision, while words and tone account for just 7% and 38%, respectively.
• For emotional communication to be effective and meaningful, nonverbal aspects must support a speaker’s words and tone of voice.

In a nutshell?

When it comes to giving a motivating speech (especially an emotional one), the nonverbal stuff is really important. So once you craft your message, here’s how to use gestures to deliver your presentation in an engaging way:

Adopt the Right Base Posture

When you’re giving a speech, you need to have a comfortable framework for your body when you’re not gesturing. The best resting position for your arms is hanging naturally from your shoulders, with your thumbs resting gently on the side of your legs. It may feel initially awkward, but it looks just fine to your audience.

When you adopt this comfortably neutral pose, any gestures you make require significant movement – which makes them more noticeable, even to people in the back of the room.

Choose the Right Gestures to Support Your Message

Effective gestures fall into three main categories. Use these sparingly to boost your confidence, support your message and enhance the meaning of your stories:

• Symbolic gestures (e.g., thumbs up, pointing up/down) are useful for reinforcing numbers, position or other words.
• Descriptive gestures (e.g., using hands to define a shape or approximate distance) help you better communicate abstract ideas and/or movement.
• Emotional gestures (e.g., clenching fists, wringing hands, fist pumping) reinforce your feelings.

Don’t Overdo It

Every time you make a gesture, you require your audience to shift attention from your words to your actions. A certain amount of gesturing will enhance your stories, but overusing them will only undermine your effectiveness – and make you look manic. Take a “less is more” approach.

Avoid Distractive Gestures

When you’re uncomfortable with public speaking, that discomfort is naturally reflected in your gesturing. Unconscious reactions like the following may be misinterpreted by your audience:

• Placing your hands on your hips (may come across as condescending or parental)
• Crossing your arms (may read as being disagreeable or defensive)
• Thrusting your hands in your pockets (may be misconstrued as nervousness – and can lead to other distracting behaviors like jingling change or keys)

Be mindful of what you’re doing with your hands and arms to ensure your nonverbal cues complement your message.

Need More than a Great Speech?

Sometimes, an effective, motivational speech is enough to rally the troops and boost productivity in your workplace. But for those times when you need extra help, Exact Staff’s temporary employees are here to provide support – keeping your staff happy and working at their peak for you. To learn what our national staffing agency can do for you, schedule a free workforce consultation today.