What are some effective ways to use eye contact when speaking in public?

One technique I’ve used is to observe the attendees as they enter the room and take their seats, then pick out a few faces that feel friendly to me - they’re often smiling - and when I begin my talk, scan the audience and pause for a second on those faces. Despite the fact that I’ve only seen them for a short time prior to my talk, there’s an instant feeling of familiarity, which makes eye contact with them much easier, and I no longer feel as thought I’m talking to a room of strangers. That process, in turn, is what makes it easier to continue connecting with other audience members.

I personally don't advocate for the triangle technique. I find connecting with 3-5 audience members while speaking is more effective - you can turn your gaze to them from time to time and smile. They will likely respond if you've made that initial eye contact, and what this ends up doing is fuelling you with more confidence to deliver effectively. It's like having a few personal cheerleaders in the crowd!

In my experience, effective use of eye contact when speaking in public requires maintaining eye contact with different sections of the audience in a revolving mechanism, where you start from one section, retain eye contact with an individual/group and then moving to another section or part of the audience. Establishing connection with certain individuals within those sections over course of the session also helps in gauging their engagement and to adjust delivery accordingly.

I find three friendly faces in the crowd and I flit between them. It’s helps me to feel like I’m talking to an engaged audience and it stops me staring anyone down! If it’s into a camera, you want to maintain eye contact at all times. Just to your notes and then straight back into the centre of the camera as that’s the eyeline. If you’re being interviewed by a journalist or reporter avoid the camera and maintain steady eye contact with the person asking the questions. Even if they look at their notes or check the time maintain steadily looking at where they were looking at you.

A great way to practice as a journalist is when you are doing 1-1 interviews. I make sure to keep my pen on my notebook and take notes, but instead of looking down at what I'm writing, I keep my gaze fixed firmly on the person I am speaking to. Developing this skill is great because it can later be transferred to when you're speaking to a large audience - you will very rarely be intimidated by making eye contact with someone because of this practice.