You might ask the audience for a response and tentatively raise your
hand in the hopes that they will, too. However, the tips of your own
fingers may not even go above your head. How will the audience react?
They, too, will be reluctant to raise their hands because they are taking
their cues from you. Go big with your gestures. You should let it
out like you mean it. This doesn’t mean going so far outside of your
own comfort level that you are not being genuine, but understand that
the audience needs to see the energy and enthusiasm of an effective
gesture.
The audience wants to get the most out of the physical and nonverbal
aspects of your speech. If you are giving a sly smile, don’t
make it quick. Give a pause with the slow emergence of a smile so
the audience gets the full effect. A friend of mine who is an experienced
swimmer always talks about the full extension of the fingertips
through the water. The same concept should apply here with your gestures,
vocals, and any other pieces of the speech that can stir the audience.
In a speech, if you mention being a sprinter in a race, take a few
quick, bursting steps. You should fully embrace the emotion you want
to evoke in the audience. The audience should definitely know how
you are feeling and what you are doing—don’t make them guess or
assume. Their ability to view and immediately grasp your every move
will enhance their engagement, involvement, and understanding.
Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):
- Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
- Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
- Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
- The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
- From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
- The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood
See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com. Book , eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com