How can you improve your body language when presenting with active listening?

El contacto visual es una de las herramientas de conexión más poderosas. Cuando miras a los ojos a otra persona se establecen unos hilos que os conectarán. ?Te has fijado lo marciano que es cuando tienes una video conferencia con alguien que no mira a la cámara? O peor aún, con alguien con la cámara apagada. Por eso es importante que tu audiencia sienta que los miras . Hay técnicas para repartir la mirada ?? cada cierto tiempo con todos. Cuando quieras remarcar algo, haz que tu audiencia te mire. Puedes apagar la pantalla, hacer una pausa y decir, “mirad, observad, recordad,…” mientras repartes tu mirada en silencio por la sala.. y entonces “sueltas tu gran frase” y si quieres la repites. La habrás grabado en su memoria.

Aquí van otros aportes para utilizar la escucha activa en presentaciones de todo tipo, conferencias, etc.: - Establece rapport: sintonía con el público. - Detecta el código predominante en la sala (?están alegres, aburridos, interesados?) - Gesticula con las manos en forma abarcativa hacia el público. Hazlo moderadamente, enfatizando partes de tu presentación. - En lo posible, desplázate por la sala y toma contacto más directo (por ejemplo, en el momento de preguntas) - Haz calibraciones del público cada 5 a 10 minutos: una simple pregunta “?Cómo vamos hasta aquí?” te dará mucha información. - Acompasa al público con tu comunicacion verbal y no verbal. - Adapta tu vocabulario al del público, sin perder rigor en tu mensaje.

I have found when presenting that the audience will lose interest very fast if you don’t move. Look at the audience, ask for comments and yes zero people out if they look like they want to say something but aren’t sure. Nowadays presenting is like entertaining. If you want them to listen you have to keep their attention.

When it comes to communication with an individual or with a group of people you're addressing, eye contact becomes a very significant aspect. However, when it comes to eye contact one is expected to walk a very tight rope. You have to time your eye contact to perfection. A longer gaze might be categorised as staring down people whereas a shorter one won't have any impact.

The ‘Z technique’ will help you get used to addressing an entire room and not just one or two familiar faces.? When you start speaking, focus your gaze on the person sitting in the top left of your audience. Gradually shift your gaze across the top few rows until you reach the person in the top right of the room. Then, cut your gaze diagonally through the middle of your audience until you reach the person sitting in the bottom left of the room. Now, shift your gaze across the bottom rows until you reach the person sitting in the bottom right of the room.?Follow the same movement back up the Z shape and repeat, stopping at certain people along the way to hold brief eye contact. Repetition of this will have you engaging 200+ in no time!

As for your body, keep your face showing an open expression of genuine interest, assuming that you are interested, otherwise it shows immediately as fake. But if you are not interested, why are you in that conversation anyway? Let your face reflect the feelings and sensations that the other person is evoking in you. Be it delight, scare or interest. They will feel listened to and they will be able to engage with you even more deeply.

In a team presentation on a new project, your face reflects your enthusiasm, igniting interest. When discussing challenges, a thoughtful expression conveys the seriousness. As questions arise, your curious and open demeanor encourages dialogue. Addressing concerns, you show empathy, deepening trust. This range of expressions aligns with your message, engaging and connecting with your team, illustrating the impact of facial expressions in effective communication.

For me, Eye Contact does it. When you focus on the person speaking, by looking at the eyes of the person, it naturally sends the body signal of “ I am listening attentively. With that, there will be no room for distraction, except if your mind is clothed with worries. In addition, eye contact helps build confidence in those who are listening, if you continue to give eye contact when listening, it will become part of you and with time, it will boost your self-confidence when having a conversation with others.

Before you even give your presentation, take a few moments to yourself. Raise your arms above your head and take 3 deep breaths. This will settle your body so that you can present and engage with others in a calm manner. I do this every time before a large meeting or presentation and it’s one of the best tips I’ve ever learned.

We need to show that we're listening and encourage the speaker to continue. We should avoid to look at our watch, fidget or play with hair or fingernails. We've to respond appropriately.Body language is an easy way to show we're engaged and attentive.

Most body language is sub-conscious. As a result, most people probably don't know what their natural repertoire of gestures even is. If you try to force a gesture that isn't natural for you, there is a good chance its going to look awkward and distract you from your subject. Try this instead: 1) Use video to see your natural style, 2) notice the pace at which your gestures seem to work best without thinking about it, then 3) focus on the pace, relax, and let the gestures take care of themselves.

Consider gestures as the silent partners of your speech, translating words into a visual language that engages your audience. Like a choreography, let your gestures enhance the narrative, offering a dynamic dimension to your communication. Picture them as brushstrokes on the canvas of your presentation, adding depth, nuance, and a touch of authenticity. However, maintain a delicate balance; too much can overshadow your message, while too little might leave your expression flat. Embrace gestures as a tool for connection, weaving seamlessly into the fabric of your confident and compelling presentation.

Your body gestures give sub-conscious sign toward other people mind. Here's some example that I usually apply: 1. Palm upwards: Make sure the palm of your hands are seen at all times. It will give sense that you're open and welcoming. 2. Use both of your hands: When explaining, use both of your hands to visualize what you mean. It will grab attention. 3. Stand straight: It will give you confidence, and it will show to others that you're confident. Practice yourselves in front of mirror to check. Good luck!

La oratoria, el hablar en público, es un arte escénico. Fíjate en los más reputados conferenciantes de Helpers Speakers (en su web y en su canal de Youtube tienes videos de todos ellos). Seguramente nunca te habías imaginado a un ponente serio y profundo como Mario Alonso Puig de rodillas en un escenario mirando al cielo y dando gracias a un ser superior. Fíjate a partir de ahora y pierde la vergüenza. Y no creas que ellos nacieron sabiendo actuar en el escenario. En el 2023 ponentes con la experiencia de Bisila Bokoko o Pedro García Aguado se han formado en la Escuela de Conferenciantes de Helpers Speakers. Y lo han hecho acompa?ados de muchos directivos. ?Por qué no puedes tú ser el siguiente en destacar?

Esta frase no es mía "Tu cuerpo grita tan alto que no deja escuchar tus palabras"... ...pero estoy muy de acuerdo con ella. Por eso, en nuestra Escuela de hablar en público ense?amos a ser consciente de nuestros gestos y que gestos incorporar para que logres comunicar con los tres tipos de audiencias que existen. También aprenderás que gestos evitar y a interpretar a tus interlocutores. Y prohibido terminantemente hablar parapetado detrás de un atril, bloqueando la mayor parte de tu comunicación.

La postura y presencia en el escenario son esenciales. Por supuesto es fundamental igualmente elegir el atuendo idóneo. Nada que distraiga y siempre teniendo en cuenta el auditorio al que se enfrenta. Vestimenta sobria y neutra es lo ideal !

Admito que yo tendría que salir a plató con una postura mucho más recta, no moverme tanto, hombros más erguidos...pero, después de tantos a?os frente a una cámara, creo que esa naturalidad es la que más le llega a nuestros espectadores.

In public speaking, your stance is your silent introduction before you utter a single word. Make it bold, make it confident, and let it set the stage for your message. A good stance can enhance your confidence as a speaker and a bad stance can enhance your nervousness. Tips for the Perfect Stance: - Feet Hip-Width Apart. - Weight Evenly Distributed - Open Posture - Relaxed Shoulders - Natural Arm Position - Avoid crossing your arms, as it can signal defensiveness. - Engage Your Core - Adapt to the Venue. So remember your stance is the visual poetry that accompanies the symphony of your voice. Stand apart :)

Make sure to keep an open posture. Do not cross your arms or legs. Face the audience. All these allow you both to receive information more openly, as well as send a message of openness that allows the other person or the audience to feel listened to. It’s not just an artificial technique, it is a true signal of your interest to engage with the other part.

Consider a scenario where you're leading a team briefing. You stand upright, with your feet shoulder-width apart, projecting stability. Your shoulders are back but relaxed, exuding confidence without appearing rigid. As you speak, your posture remains consistent, avoiding fidgeting or swaying, which could distract from your message. Your hands are used expressively, but not excessively, complementing your words. This controlled yet relaxed posture not only aids in clear, confident vocal delivery but also visually communicates your authority and professionalism to the team, reinforcing the importance of the information being shared. This example underscores how effective posture is integral to impactful communication.

Use vocal variety in the delivery of a message, but also when actively listening. Make the other person feel listened to and understood by empathising with them through words and sounds. “A-ha” to show you understand and follow them, “wow” to stress that you got the magnitude of what the other person just told you, and so on.

I'm a Professor, but also a Professional Musician and Singer! One show I'll never forget is one we did with Boold Sweat and Tears, at the NC Seafood Festival. Loud and large BST featured David Clayton Thomas. The recorded a lone quiet tender son, God Bless the Child. They ended their show with that, and DCT walked down from the stage, picked up a baby from the mothers' arms, and sang that song, quietly! The entire crowd was moved, and I learned. Voice control for emphasis is important!

1. Embrace pauses. 2. Fluctuate vocal pitch. 3. Adapt vocal pace. 4. Adjust vocal volume. 5. Include sound effects. 6. Employ reenactment of conversations. 7. Use emotional words. 8. Ask the audience. 9. Project to the back, speak to the front. 10. Start with a question, end with a CTA.

Variety is important. Have you heard about monotone? Some people talk so boring, in a monotonous manner. That's because their way of speaking is one tone. Let me put an example in this, imagine the dash as a break when someone speak. "Hi-my-name-is-samuel-and-i-am-so-happy." Compare it with this: "Hi!-My name is Samuel-and I am so---happy!" It will give you different tone and sense.

Incorporating vocal variety in your delivery helps your speech stand out and your audience will be able to relate with it. For instance, when you talk about ‘excitement’ or ‘pain’ etc, your voice should reflect those emotions in your delivery. By so doing, this makes your speech delivery superb and your audience will be able to see through the point you are trying to make.

It is advisable to listen to what your audience say about what you do. You don’t need to be defensive. To be certain about these comments, we can adapt making a video of ourselves while speaking so that we can assess our strengths and weaknesses. This shows that you’re actively listening.

In my experience, perhaps the best way of receiving accurate feedback is to record yourself on video. Watch the playback. Once you get over the cringe feeling of watching and hearing yourself talk, you’ll begin to notice things about both the way you move and visually present yourself, as well as the way you say things. This is an invaluable tool useful in honing your skills and talents in this field.

To gather dynamic feedback while facilitating, I use a “Forehead Scrunch Scale” to assess participant engagement. It may sound silly at first, but it is pretty versatile, working in both in-person and virtual settings. - On one end of the scale, a room full of scrunch-free foreheads may indicate boredom and surreptitious social media scrolling - spice up or speed up your delivery! - On the other end, a sea of fully scrunched brows implies that you may not have explained a point well. Revisit and break down concepts to ensure understanding before continuing. - The sweet spot is a smattering of the above with a high percentage of lightly creased foreheads. You are most likely achieving a balance of content and pace.

Record yourself speaking. Be critical about different speaking attributes and look out for obvious mistakes. Get your mentor or someone with critical eyes who could pin point what you've done right vs what could be improved. Work out small steps to improve your speaking engagement from time to time.

Take questions and listen to what the audience is asking. Even if you feel like you covered a question or topic throughly that is asked. Still answer fully and without referring back to what you already said. Saying “as previously stated” or any variation can come off as arrogant or condescending. Also if they are also you may not have been as clear as you think.

I've been invited to speak at a panel, and decided to get up on stage wearing a t-shirt that read "Too old for Leo DiCaprio". I figured it would be a way to get people to laugh right away so I incorporated it in my intro. Turns out, not everyone knows that DiCaprio breaks up with his girlfriends as soon as they turn 25, and I had to explain the joke to the audience... which only made it worse, since the audience was primarily male and that was likely a hard pill to swallow. And that's how I learned that, when choosing your opening joke, it's best to stick to topics more universal than Leonardo DiCaprio's dating patterns – like coffee addiction, autocorrect fails, or the mysterious way socks disappear in the laundry.

Avoid crossed arms or crossed legs, which can make you look 'closed' or defensive. Check your posture and make sure it is open. Leaning slightly forward or sideways whilst sitting can show that you're listening – as can a slight tilt of your head or resting your head on your hand. Be genuine and be yourself. Active listening can be practiced and learnt.

Most importantly practice, practice, practice. Try all these active listening techniques with friendly family/friends audience and your harshest critics who will kindly let you know when you are not actively engaging them. If you don’t have anybody you can practice with, then video tape yourself and watch it a few times over to recognize what went well and what’s missing. Sometimes you might be your harshest critic and it could help you turn up the volume on showing up as the best version of yourself for your audience.

You don't often think about active listening as a part of the speaking process. But the good ones do it. They pay attention. They react to the audience.

Improving body language when presenting is crucial for effective communication. Practice in front of a mirror to observe posture, gestures, and facial expressions. Recording practice sessions allows for self-assessment and refinement. It's important because body language conveys confidence, credibility, and engagement, impacting audience perception and message delivery. Refining body language enhances communication effectiveness and overall presentation impact.