Hand Gestures When Making a Speech - A Good Thing or Bad Thing?
September 17th, 2008
Can you recall a time when you were standing in front of an audience, their full attention upon you and all you could feel was extremely exposed and self-conscious? All speakers feel this way at some time and the most overwhelming problem in this situation seems to be what to do with your hands. Nothing you do with them seems to feel natural or easy.
Having to address an audience, all of whom are eagerly awaiting the start of your speech, simply magnifies the problem of what to do with your hands.
Should you put them into your pockets? What about letting them hang limply by your sides? Maybe a ‘grand gesture’ or two might look more natural to your audience, in which case, should you fling your arms about wildly to emphasize your words?
And the more you focus on what to do with your hands, the more you will become distracted from what you should be saying and the more anxious you will begin to feel.
So, give the following tips a go and you’ll soon find that you can forget all about your hands and concentrate fully on the job of delivering an audience-pleasing and enjoyable speech.
Learn to relax. It’s a fundamental truth that you only worry about what to do with your hands when you are feeling under stress and anxious. During your normal daily routine you don’t spend time worrying about what your hands are doing whilst speaking to the people you meet, do you? And the reason is because you are relaxed and at ease and are not feeling nervous at all.
Take time to notice whether you regularly use hand gestures to enhance what you are saying in your day-to-day life. Try describing the shape of a spiral staircase to a friend or give them instructions on how to knot a tie. Whilst you are doing this, take a mental note of how you use your hands to help illustrate your words.
If you find that you naturally use hand gestures, then continue to do so when delivering your speech. Do what you always do and it won’t feel artificial or forced.
As a general rule, if you don’t feel comfortable using gestures, then don’t try to start!
It’s a safe bet that if you feel at all nervous, your emotion may be unconsciously demonstrated by what your hands are doing. Are you repeatedly putting your hands in and out of your pockets, clenching your fists or clutching your notes tightly?
Be constantly aware that gestures like pointing your finger, banging the desk and clenching your fists will undoubtedly convey negative or hostile overtones and may even be insulting to those members of your audience who belong to certain cultures. Avoid these actions at all costs!
Be sure to limit your gestures during your presentation or you will appear to be windmilling your way through your speech.
If you find that focussing on what to do with your hands during your speech makes you feel uncomfortable, spend some time practising relaxation techniques and trying out different hand gestures in front of a mirror in the privacy of your own home. Being able to see what the audience sees will soon allow you to relax and enjoy delivering your speech.
Always remember that although these gestures are physical in nature, they simply form another part of your communication with your audience. Just as your words go towards making up your speech, so do your actions.
Once you begin to see how the use of your hands can support and enhance your words, you will begin to find that you no longer think and worry about what you are doing with them. Instead you will discover that you are using your gestures naturally and in a relaxed manner.
When you can do this, you can congratulate yourself on graduating to the next level of expertise in public speaking!
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