Ask Niels: Pickup for public speaking March 10, 2007
Posted by Niels in : How to , trackback
I am doing a small seminar on motivation and confidence with public speaking for my communications class. Can you offer me any advice on how I should teach my group to become more motivated and confident?
-Michelle
Most people know, at least subconsciously, that the way you feel affects your body language. If you are nervous, your shoulders slump and you take up less space. If you’re confident, your chest expands and you take up more space. What many people don’t realize, however, is that it also works the other way around.
Put a goofy smile on your face. No, even bigger! Now try to feel sad. Hard, isn’t it? When you open up your body language and really stand confidently, you can’t be nervous.
What’s more, the audience takes you more seriously. This was a tough lesson for me to learn when I started doing introductory seminars to large rooms. The first one I gave, the audience didn’t take me seriously. Small tells in my body language gave me away. I worked on fixing them for my next seminar and met with much more success. I completely controlled the room at last Sunday’s seminar in Los Angeles, which was a record-setting success.
Work on your students’ body language. Have them stand still, don’t fidget, head up, shoulders back, chest open, speak loudly, all that good stuff. Make them stand confidently before they even open their mouths. Make them dominate the room.
Comments»
Wow, that’s amazing man! I really like the way you put in details of how to use body language, so audiences can take you seriously. I really like what you said. I will definitely use this to build my confidence, when I’m presenting to a lot of my clients and classmates.