How do you balance eye contact and gestures when speaking publicly?

You should look at people and try to make eye contact, but it depends greatly on the venue. As a speaker, you are in a position of authority. For this reason alone, people in a large venue don't generally expect you will look them directly in the eyes or call on them. In a small venue, they will. Fortunately, this problem can be solved by specifically speaking to and addressing some people you know in the audience. You can also supplement this with stories of discussions you have had with people in the room, again mentioning those folks. But in the choice between (1) lingering too long or (2) skipping over people / looking into the distance at a random point where no people are seated, the choice is clear: Don't linger or stare!

When you use an effective pause in a presentation, that is a good time to change where your eyes are looking in the audience. The body language signaling, "did you catch that?" If you're emphasizing a point through repetition then making eye contact in various points of the room helps make sure the material is for the whole audience.

Small suggestion: crinkle your eyes when you smile as you make eye contact. This denotes an authentic smile rather than a forced one.

In all conversations and presentations, higher energy is better. But the size of the gestures should vary greatly. Gesture use should depend greatly on the venue size and type of audience. The large sweeping gestures you'd use in a ballroom so people 100 feet away can see them are very different from the ones you would use in a closed-door board meeting with 10 people. Imagine the difference between acknowledging someone from across a big room. It might involve a wave. But in a small conference room, you wouldn't give a big sweeping wave to the person right across the table.

From a young age, I was encouraged to speak to adults and to maintain eye contact while doing so. This practice instilled the belief that the most effective conversations happen when you can look someone in the eye. Through the years, I realized that looking someone in the eye not only shows respect but also inspires trust. It also allows you to gauge the sincerity and genuineness of the person you're speaking with. This skill became increasingly valuable as I navigated social interactions and professional settings, especially in other countries where speaking other languages can be misinterpreted. For public speakers, maintaining eye contact with appropriate gesturing can also calm the nerves. This makes for a more natural experience.

I agree that eye contact is critical to an effective presentation (as well as in private conversations). Maintaining eye contact allows you to ‘read’ your audience. Are they agreeing (or disagreeing) with your comments; are they confused with something you said; did they ‘get’ the example you just provided? Eye contact helps you connect, but it requires that you keep your head out of your notes and on the faces of the audience.

I really think balancing eye contact and gestures require a lot of practice and feedback. Sometimes, you might be off, and you will only know by gauging audience and client reactions. Good news: If something goes awry, audience members will likely respond. So, be prepared for that!

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