'CONNECT' 32: Non verbal aspects of public speaking

Language is a more recent technology. Your body language, your eyes, your energy will come through to your audience before you even start speaking.

Peter Guber

In a face to face communication, you are very much there when you deliver your speech. The audience not only 'hear' you, but also see you. I am carefully using the word 'hear' and not 'listen' in this piece! Unless what you say and how you say is interesting, people will merely hear you and not listen to you. In order to make people to listen to you, you need to care about how you present yourself physically. Your non verbal aspects of communication is as important as your speech and delivery.

Next time when you deliver a speech, remember the following points:

1. Empty your hands: Do not carry notes, pen etc in your hands and free your hands so that you will use them for appropriate gestures.

2. Keep your hands free: Do not keep your hands in your pockets, meddling with your shirt buttons, holding on to the podium, adjusting your tie etc.

3. Vary your hand gestures and do not stick to one specific gesture.

4. How you stand in front of the audience is very important.

5. Gestures like wiping your face or uneasy body movements may reveal that you are nervous.

You may not notice how you appear, but others do!

N C Sridharan

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