It's not what you say but how you say it

Given the amount of effort you’ve put into crafting your words for that important presentation coming up, you may not be happy to learn that it’s not so much what you say as how you look to your audience that matters. That is, how they perceive you. This is true in a one on one presentation or one too many.

We tend to think that communication is a verbal, intellectual exercise, while in fact communication -- particularly public presentations, is a physical activity as well.

Remember, it is you, in physical form, who are presenting those words to an audience, and your body carries its own subliminal but forceful messages through your gestures and your tone of voice. So it’s possible that your words may be saying one thing, but your body language quite another. Unfortunately, it is your body language which resonates most with audiences.

Lots of research supports this -- for example, a landmark UCLA study by Albert Mehrabian showed that gestures count for a whopping 55% of the impact you have on an audience, while your tone of voice makes up 38%. Your words? A measly 7%. So the non-verbal part of your presentation accounts for 93% of its impact!

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

When it comes to body language, actions really do speak louder than words, and your body language can make or break your presentation.

An audience decides within seconds if they trust the speaker on stage, or in person, and that determines the speaker’s / presenter's level of success before the audience. These seconds are used, perhaps unconsciously on the part of the audience, sizing up how the speaker presents him or herself. If the audience doesn’t trust the speaker, it won’t matter what he or she says; the audience will not be persuaded. But a confident (and “confident” does not mean “arrogant”) attitude on stage gives you an air of authority and credibility that supports your story.

Your eyes, your mouth, your hands, your head, movements of various body parts -- all of this reveals your mental state.

Are you turning your back to the audience, perhaps talking to the screen instead of to them? This can make you seem disinterested in their reactions, and too focused on what you’ve prepared.

In a one-on-one or one to two presentation, are you making sufficient eye contact and not being distracted by happenings outside or focusing too much on the document?

Are you moving all over the stage? You may start to resemble an animal looking for an escape, and your audience will soon tire of trying to follow your movements. (Ever notice the smallish circle of light on-stage in TED talks? This is to ensure the speaker stays within a defined area.)

Gestures can assist in creating emphasis; however, too many or exaggerated movements can make you look overbearing or aggressive when you were just aiming for “strong.” Gestures such as touching your face or hair or covering your mouth can make you seem less than honest, as does rapid blinking.

Your facial expressions also are extremely important: the way you look reveals how you feel about yourself and your message. So does your overall posture.

Taken together, a lack of eye contact, intimate hand gestures such as scratching or touching your face, a wavering voice, and bad posture are telltale signs of discomfort . . . and lying! This is not what you want to project to any audience. Remember: no matter how well-written your presentation is, your body language will override it.

Successful Speakers / Presenters

Think about some of the successful speakers you’ve seen. They seem relaxed, confident, in command but not overbearing. Positive, happy, but not ridiculously so. They seem “natural.” The problem is, too often we confuse "natural” with “improvisation.”

We can assure you, successful presentations are not improvised. They are the result of diligent preparation, coaching and training . . . and rehearsal. Anything done well looks easy.

But while coaching, self-awareness and rehearsal are crucial to perfecting your presentation, you want to avoid going to the other extreme, looking as though you’re acting out a role in a comedy with stilted, scripted movements. Your goal is to be authentic, natural and sincere, not a “communications pro” -- rehearsed in the art of public speaking but with nothing worth saying.

Keys to Success

It’s important to know how to move, where to look, where to stand, and what gestures to make in front of any audience.

Here is a short-list of key things to master, which can provide the basis for any additional in-depth training you may find it necessary to pursue:

1. Your posture -- very important in demonstrating confidence. No slouching! Stand with your shoulders back and chest out. Good posture works on you as well as your audience, putting you in a positive right frame of mind, while projecting energy, resilience, and confidence. See Amy Cuddy's TED talk on power pose.

2. Eye contact -- always look somewhere, preferably at a person in the audience. Wandering eyes can make you look sneaky to the audience and will tend to make you feel unfocused. (A note of caution, eye contact is a positive approach in many countries, but can be construed negatively in others including religious beliefs, particularly eye contact between the sexes.)

3. Smile -- it will make people feel more comfortable with you as a speaker, and can establish immediate rapport while putting the audience at ease. Just remember that your facial expression should follow your storyline -- smiles while discussing layoffs, for example, would be neither desirable nor appropriate.

A voice poised and clear (ditch those unconscious “uhmms”), an open and natural manner, and good posture will go a long way toward making your presentation a success. And don’t forget to smile.

4. Slow Down and Pause - - there is a saying "the more you pause............the more intelligent you sound." Pausing allows the audience time to breathe and take in information, it also allows you to gauge the response of the audience to your message and if you should seek confirmation of understanding.

When you focus on your message and not a canned presentation, when you follow a structured formula that allows you to easily remember your message, then and only then are you in a masterful position to completely focus on the most important and physical part of presenting and speaking in front of any audience.

You are only one presentation away from your next big breakthrough.

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