Public speaking is a topic many people don’t like to talk about. They feel uncomfortable to speak about it but also the act itself makes many people feel anxious.
It then comes as no surprise that public speaking is the number one fear in the U.S. Closely followed by death.
But what can you do to deliver a better presentation? How can you use your body language to appear more comfortable?
I hope to answer these questions in the following article.
Posture
Your posture is extremely important when speaking in public. You should appear to be confident and even if you aren’t confident at all then simply fake it, after a while it will feel natural.
The first step to a better posture is to stand straight up. Put your feet shoulder-wide apart. That will make you appear more confident since it’s harder to fall over for you.
Shoulders
Depending on where your shoulders are it can make you look very insecure or on the other hand very confident. So what is the best way to use your shoulders to great effect?
Naturally it’s what your dad probably told you when you were little. You should put your chest out and pull your shoulders back. This is the natural posture of an alpha male.
Head
How should you use your head? Generally it’s easy to say that you should behave like people who are comfortable speaking in public. That means that you should look straight, not down or up. Don’t look too long at a certain person or you will be seen as cold or mean. On the other hand don’t look at your audience just for a second, that’s the behaviour of an insecure person. Simply look at your audience from time to time while you speak.
Public speaking is important and there is nothing more important than learning from someone who has the experience and skills necessary to deliver a dazzling presentation.