How can you use nonverbal cues to convey confidence and credibility in meetings?

1 Posture and movement

One of the first things that people notice about you is your posture and movement. How you sit, stand, walk, and gesture can reveal a lot about your confidence and credibility. To project a positive and professional image, you should adopt a posture that is upright, open, and relaxed. Avoid slouching, crossing your arms, fidgeting, or invading other's personal space. Use gestures that are natural, smooth, and relevant to your speech. Avoid overusing or underusing your hands, or making gestures that are distracting, aggressive, or defensive.

2 Facial expressions and eye contact

Your facial expressions and eye contact can also communicate your confidence and credibility in meetings. Your face should match your tone and emotions, and show that you are interested, engaged, and respectful. Avoid expressions that are inappropriate, incongruent, or exaggerated. For example, don't smile when you are delivering bad news, or frown when you are giving a compliment. Eye contact is another key factor in building rapport and trust with your audience. You should maintain eye contact with the person who is speaking or the person you are addressing, but not stare or look away too often. Avoid looking at your notes, your phone, or the clock too frequently, as this can signal boredom, nervousness, or disrespect.

3 Voice and speech

Your voice and speech are also important nonverbal cues that can convey your confidence and credibility in meetings. Your voice should be clear, loud, and varied. Avoid mumbling, speaking too softly, or using a monotone voice. You should also modulate your pitch, pace, and volume to emphasize key points, create interest, and express emotions. Avoid speaking too fast, too slow, or too loud. Your speech should be concise, coherent, and courteous. Avoid using filler words, jargon, slang, or offensive language. You should also use pauses, transitions, and summaries to structure your speech and make it easier to follow.

4 Feedback and adaptation

Finally, you should be aware of the nonverbal cues that others are sending you in meetings, and adapt your behavior accordingly. You should pay attention to the facial expressions, eye contact, posture, gestures, and voice of your listeners, and look for signs of interest, confusion, agreement, disagreement, boredom, or frustration. You should also solicit feedback from your audience by asking questions, checking for understanding, and inviting comments. Based on the feedback you receive, you should adjust your nonverbal cues to improve your communication and connection. For example, if you notice that your audience is losing interest, you can use more gestures, vary your voice, or ask a question to regain their attention.

Nonverbal cues are essential for conveying confidence and credibility in meetings. By following these tips, you can enhance your oral communication skills and build stronger relationships with your colleagues and clients.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?