How can you help a speaker use gestures effectively in public speaking?

I grew up watching my Hungarian father gesturing generously with his hands, especially when talking about food. It was always "a good rye bread" - fingers spread wide, pantomiming its weight in his hand, pumping it up and down to indicate how substantial it was. If you're in a live venue, and most of the audience are seeing you on a stage or platform, then you have ideal circumstances for indicating with your hands. If you're on/camera, say a Zoom call, then your gestures need to be reined in for the camera. Sir Michael Caine said "The difference between acting on stage and acting in a film is like the difference between surgery with a scalpel and surgery with a laser." And so it is with gestures while speaking in public.

Gestures can tell more story than words can, and can enhance the delivery of message. They add flavor and power to the content one wants to convey. They can be and should be utilized to the extent possible, keeping in mind they cannot be distractive either. Speakers brand can be created by the gestures, revealing their open mindset, approachability, confidence and intensity.

Gestures add visual information to the points we are trying to make. They give a sense of time and space while adding emotion to our words.

Think of gestures as an extension of your personality. Many people want to "narrate" speakers on the proper manner to utilize gestures, which at times creates an "unnatural" physical presentation. My best practice when I started as a speaker was to practice in front of a full length mirror. If you don't have access to a mirror, then solicit support from a family member or friend to record your presentation. This will allow you to take a "seat" within your audience's perspective and see how you show up in their eyes. IF YOU determine that your gestures are more distracting instead of enhancing, then practice a modified version! Another note, always remember that each audience requires a different level of gesture!!

In my experience, gestures can help bring the audience into the emotion you are evoking. Leaning into the audience has them innately mirror your body movements. Putting your hand over your heart can exhibit your genuineness. Facial expressions paired with "cringe" gestures when sharing an embarrassing moment or mistake allows them to "feel" with you. All of these different examples of gestures bring you audience along with you as you share your story.

Different cultures interpret gestures differently, so know your audience. A hand with palm facing towards the speaker holding up two fingers in the US just indicates the number 2. In the UK...well...it's rude. Also, think about the tempo or pace of your gestures to make sure that it aligns with the pace of your content and literal speaking pace.

Depending on the setting the gestures need to be more muted. For instance on Zoom you can be more still. On stage the presenter can be more confident and amplify their gestures. The trick is to find a body language that belongs to the individual. Your audience will understand if you force your gestures.

As I first began my public speaking journey, I had a trusted team mate who shared her observations with me. She expressed to me that she thought my content was very good but she had become distracted by my hands. I, nervously, acted out most of my words with both hands flailing in front of me when I spoke. I was grateful for the honest feedback because it was something within my control to change. I started carrying a pen with me and would hold it in one hand while speaking and if I felt like the urge to raise the other hand and it wasn't intentional, I would place my other hand on the pen to keep me mindful...and not flailing.

Remember the language of the gesture is more effective than the spoken word, but enhanced communication has profound effects in terms of how people can learn from each other, and how they can achieve all kinds of success.

Feedback is the breakfast of champion. Even the best people can improve and that is why the feedback. Making sure that the feedback follows the Sandwich method. 1. Excellent points 2. One or max two improvements 3. Closing and summarizing Showing what to do where and not ambiguous feedback. Specific feedback is like precise surgery while ambiguous feedback is a supplement.

There is the old advice to perform in front of a mirror. That can work for some but can become awkward for many. Almost all of us have recording devices in our pockets. Take out your phone and set it up on the table or tape it to the wall. It doesn't need to be high quality but it gives you the opportunity to see your actions and performance. I remember one time, on stage during a talk, I felt like I was giving huge arm gestures and pushing my comfort zone tremendously. The talk was recorded and when I watched, I realized how small they really appeared to the audience. Had I recorded myself beforehand, I would have known that!

The first thing that came to mind when reading this is- content. In my opinion, aligning yourself with the emotions you are trying to convey, is a key element of effective gesturing. The goal is using gestures to underline the message you are trying to convey. By looking at where you want to gesture to enhance your message you can come across more authentically.

Demonstrating gestures is helpful, but the integration has to happen organically by giving their body a new experience. I recommend doing this a couple ways: 1) As you deliver your presentation, notice when you make a gesture. Say the phrase you just said with the corresponding gesture again. Do it a second time, but make it big and expansive, almost theatrical. Huge. Then say the phrase and do the gesture a third time, but split the difference between 1 & 2. This helps get more expansive. 2) Teach me how to do something as if I were an alien. They start to realize when they're delivering information on autopilot when I look at them with confusion on my face. This teaches them to use gestures more effectively to make their points.

Gestures are to public speaking what exclamations are to written communication. To convey your message, you don't want to overuse either one. Reading something with numerous exclamation points makes me feel nervous - too much excitement caused by too many !!!!! What the writer writes gets overwhelmed by the punctuation! It's similar when gestures are used too often. Concentrating on what is said becomes difficult because of the nearly constant full-arm swings and open-palms-up hand movements. My advice: keep your gestures to a minimum (and your exclamation points!). Example: if you speaking for 20 or 30 minutes, gesture two or three times, not more. That way your audience will focus on your words, not your hands and arms.

Oftentimes, people who are just starting out in public speaking don't fully understand what they look like from the audience perspective. When you take the time to do a video recording yourself, it gives you their view and shows you things that you are doing that you may not even be aware of. Once you become aware of it, you can then take the appropriate action to practice dialing it up, pulling it back, or softening the gesture to improve the audience experience and better convey the intended message.

I don't think there is any more useful tool than recording yourself to watch yourself back. It can always be uncomfortable to watch yourself, but we often can identify quickly, for ourselves where we need to improve. If you are able to practice vulnerability through this process you can expedite improvement!

The video doesn't lie. I recently did this in a coaching session. I recorded a manager delivering a presentation on my iPad. Then we'd watch it back. I'd ask him what he was seeing. He could tell when his gestures connected and supported what he was communicating and when he was on autopilot.

Most seasoned speakers will tell you that they cringe at their how their first handful of speaking events went. That is because they were in the process of learning how to get better. Getting better happens by putting in the reps of doing more speaking events, seeking constructive feedback, and trying new and uncomfortable things. You have to be wiling to be bad or even just ok in pursuit of becoming great. We live in a time where we have access to every conceivable way to get better at speaking by watching YouTube videos, TEDTalks, reading books and listening to podcasts. Take advantage of the mistakes and mishaps others so willingly share to help you cultivate an indelible experience for your next event.

When I was in school I detested public speaking, until I made the mental switch to think of it as a performance. Practice like it's a monologue delivered by a character rather than by yourself. Practising in front of a mirror can be a goldmine. Gestures then become more part of the performance, and you can start incorporating some of your favourites into future performances. Keep them subtle, people want to hear you talk, not watch you wave your arms.

Consider the concepts you're aiming to convey and use gestures to illustrate these for example if you are describing a continuum use your hands to visually show the continuum from point A (with one hand) to point B (with the other hand). Gestures used well can especially help those who are hard of hearing, struggling to understand the concept, or don't speak the language well.

Since I first started my public speaking my only gesture was to keep my hands tight or in my pockets. But with time I observed other speakers such as Mr. Dhananjaya Hettiarachchi and tried to grasp the gestures they used with the idea they try to convey. A gesture should always follow a certain idea that needed to be delivered otherwise it will confuse the audience.

Everyone learns differently. It's best to provide resources such as visual aids, data and even humor! If you can include a variety of examples to support your topic/mission, you will be sure to have your message resonate with the audience. Preparing to speak is a feat in and of itself. Your body language tells a story so make sure it matches the point you want to get across. Preparing an entirely written speech may cause you to only read what is written and take away from gestures. Engage your audience, include them and even ask them to contribute in some way by asking questions or testing knowledge.

Another thing that can be helpful is walking towards, around and then back to the front of the room in at a slow pace like you are having a walking chat with a friend. This way the audience is not just looking one spot. Walking also helps to use up extra energy in a positive way.

Picture this. You’re walking into a dimly lit room full of people eager for your help. Your outfit’s on point, your new heels are surprisingly comfortable, and if you’re being really honest, you feel like a boss and you’re looking fine. You’ve prepared and you’ve rehearsed, and all that’s left is to walk on stage and deliver an incredible keynote. Ask yourself, how would I show up if I was really this confident? If I was my most confident self? Would I smile, put my shoulders back, be willing to be seen? Would I overthink what I was doing and fidget, or would I stand boldly - confidently using my body to help drive home the point, not steal it. Always think, how would my most confident self show up in a moment like this?

I use my hands to reach out to the audience and invite them in. I use the widenening of my eyes and raising of my eyebrows to promote contemplation of an idea. I try to smile at the end of most sentences to bring friendliness to the floor.

One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received was ‘not to be a slave to my gestures’. Gestures are like food seasoning. A little salt and pepper in the right place at the right time lifts the ‘dish’ and enhances its ‘flavour’. However, you can overwhelm your presentation with too much. Practising a presentation that you are passionate about, with and without any hand gestures (the latter is quite challenging for many people), can highlight how much or little you are using your gestures and whether they are controlling you, or if you are controlling them!

In my experience, I think speakers shall have better awareness about different types of gesture and consiously practice them. The types of gestures are Descriptive Gestures, Emphatic Gestures, Suggestive Gestures and Prompting Getures. Each gesture shall be applied appropriatly according to the contents. Once you proactivly start using it, over a period of time, gestures will fall in place automatically. So, first step is to be cognizant of the significance of different types of gestures.

My top three tips on this topic, include: 1) Be mindful of nervous habits like fidgeting, tapping, or excessive hand wringing, as they can be distracting to the audience. Try to replace these habits with purposeful and controlled gestures. 2) The most effective hand gestures are those that come naturally to you. Authenticity is crucial in public speaking, so use gestures that feel comfortable and genuine. 3) Displaying open palms is a gesture of honesty, transparency, and openness. It conveys that you have nothing to hide and are sharing information honestly. Practice these and you'll be off to a good start in your public speaking pursuits...

Gestures can help both the audience and the speaker to remember the most important points. Our hands are like props. Think about gestures you would use for words like “elevate” “compare” “two sides of a continuum” “forward and back” side to side.” These are just simple examples. Specific and purposefully timed gestures in a speech add entertainment and help with visual learning. When practicing, the speaker can practice specific gestures to help remember important points. It also adds to the audience’s entertainment experience and helps them remember too.

Gestures can personalize the moment and help speakers stand out in a way that makes them more relatable. Like others have suggested, recording yourself to see what your normal gestures are is a great way to know how it would appear to the audience. Great speakers I have seen tend to "speak with their body" where it translates their passion into a visual experience that can help the audience stay engaged. Be natural and don't force exaggerated gestures, it doesn't have to be constant motion either, think of it like background music in a movie- how does it enhance the experience?