Most people form an impression about you in only seven seconds; and in some cases it only takes a fraction of a second.
That can be a little intimidating. Particularly if the people who are forming that impression are the ones who might hire you, promote you, recommend you, or fund your big project.
One of the biggest components of that first impression is your body language.
Imagine a woman walks into the room with shoulders slouched and eyes down. She quickly slips into the nearest chair and sits twirling a lock of her hair. A few moments later, another woman walks in with shoulders back, posture straight; she makes eye contact, and offers her hand in greeting.
You may not consciously notice the nuances of their body language that set them apart, but the impression you form of them takes all those details into consideration… and much more.
Have you ever had any of these three thoughts?
- “There’s something about that guy I just don’t trust.”
- “He seems arrogant to me.”
- “He seems nervous.”
Here are a few explanations of how those impressions are formed:
- According to body language expert Eliot Hoppe, frequently touching your face signifies deceit or insincerity. Avoiding eye contact also leads to this untrustworthy impression.
- Standing with hands on your hips or pointing at someone can give the impression of arrogance.
- Standing with arms across your chest, touching your face or neck, or even laughing at inappropriate times can give the impression of being nervous.
Just as you form impressions based on all of these non-verbal cues, the same is true of the impression others form of your body language.
(Don’t get paranoid, though, because that will probably show up in your body language, too!)
Body language is just as important when you are making a presentation as it is when you are walking into a job interview.
Here are 4 body language pointers for presenters to remember:
- Don’t cross your arms or fidget. Crossing your arms can make you look nervous, closed, defensive, or even angry. Fidgeting can also be distracting to your audience.
- Use gestures to emphasize points, but don’t flail. I saw a former colleague in a parking lot the other day, from a distance. At first I wasn’t sure if it was him, but as soon as he began waving his arms around at the person he was talking to, I knew. Be remembered for something else. Don’t turn yourself into a caricature.
- The most effective speaking stance is a slight forward lean, not swaying or bouncing. Like fidgeting, it’s distracting to your audience, and will give the appearance of nervousness—so, even if you are nervous, try to stay still.
- Nodding to emphasize a point helps you make a connection with your audience. This is also true of making eye contact. The more engaged they are, the more your audience members will be able to hear and retain what you’re saying.
Check out the linked text if your team needs to improve their presentation delivery skills or their ability to project confidence.