How do you practice and improve your eye contact and charisma skills?

1 Assess your baseline

The first step to improve your eye contact and charisma is to assess your current level of performance. You can do this by recording yourself delivering a speech or presentation, and then watching it back with a critical eye. Pay attention to how often and how long you look at your audience, how you use your facial expressions, gestures, and voice, and how you respond to feedback or questions. You can also ask for honest feedback from a friend, a coach, or a mentor who can point out your strengths and areas for improvement.

2 Set specific goals

Once you have a clear idea of where you stand, you can set specific and realistic goals for yourself. For example, you might want to increase the percentage of time you make eye contact with your audience, or vary your tone and pitch to convey more emotion and enthusiasm. You can also identify specific situations or challenges that you want to overcome, such as looking at a large or diverse crowd, dealing with distractions, or handling Q&A sessions. Write down your goals and track your progress as you practice.

3 Practice with intention

Practice is the key to improving any skill, but not all practice is equal. You need to practice with intention, which means focusing on the areas you want to improve, using deliberate strategies, and getting feedback. For example, you can practice your eye contact by using a mirror, a camera, or a live audience, and using techniques such as the triangle method, the 80/20 rule, or the one-person rule. You can practice your charisma by using storytelling, humor, metaphors, or anecdotes, and using techniques such as the power pose, the smile, or the pause. You can also practice in different settings, such as online, offline, or hybrid, and with different types of audiences, such as friendly, hostile, or indifferent.

4 Learn from others

Another way to improve your eye contact and charisma is to learn from others who excel at these skills. You can watch and analyze videos of successful conference speakers, such as TEDx talks, and observe how they use their eyes, face, body, and voice to captivate their audience. You can also attend live or virtual events and observe how the speakers interact with their listeners, and how they handle different situations or challenges. You can also seek out mentors or role models who can inspire you, advise you, or coach you.

5 Experiment and have fun

Finally, improving your eye contact and charisma should not be a stressful or boring process. You should experiment and have fun with it, and try new things that suit your personality and style. You can try different exercises, games, or activities that can help you relax, express yourself, and connect with others. For example, you can try improv, role-playing, or storytelling workshops, or join a toastmasters club or a public speaking group. You can also reward yourself for your achievements, celebrate your successes, and learn from your mistakes.

6 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?