Body language when you speak

Stand, gesture and look so your body says what your words say. Lesson 40 of 58: Professional, CEFR C1.

Posture and stillness

Stand or sit tall, with your weight even, shoulders down and feet still. An audience remembers swaying, rocking, clicking a pen or touching your face instead of your words. Between gestures, let your hands rest: loosely together at waist height, or at your sides.
Keep your hands where people can see them. Hands in pockets or behind your back look stiff, or as if something is being held back.
Good morning, everyone. (Feet planted, a breath, then speak)
Let me start with the main point. (Still, with your hands at rest)
Hands at rest: Calm and ready. A good place for your hands to come back to between gestures.
Hands behind your back: Can look stiff, or as if something is being held back. Let the audience see your hands.
A hand at the face: Often a sign of nerves or doubt. On stage or on camera, keep your hands away from your face.

Good gestures illustrate what you say. Count “three reasons” on your fingers. Show size with your hands. Put “on the one hand” on one side and “on the other” on the other. Open your palms for an invitation or a request, and put a hand on your chest for something you mean personally.
Keep gestures in “the box” between your waist and your shoulders, and finish each one: a half-made gesture looks nervous. In a big room make them bigger and slower; on camera, smaller and closer to your chest.
There are three reasons: one…, two…, three… (Count them on your fingers)
On the one hand…, on the other hand… (One side, then the other)
What I’m asking for is your support. (Open palms for the request)
Open palms: Honest and inviting: “here is what I think”. The most useful gesture there is.
Fingertips together: Thoughtful and confident: “I am considering this carefully.” Overdone, it can look smug.
Hand on your chest: Sincerity: “I mean this”, or “that one’s on me” with an apology.
A raised palm: “Wait” or “one moment”. Kind and clear when you need to finish your point; sharp if you hold it up to someone’s face.

In a room, give one thought to one person: finish a sentence looking at somebody, then move to someone else, so everybody feels spoken to. On a video call, look at the camera lens for your key points, with the camera at eye level and your face lit from the front.
Let your face match your message. Smile when you say you are pleased; a blank face makes good news sound like bad news, and a grin makes bad news sound careless.
I’m really pleased with these results. (Smile as you say it)
I’m sorry to say we missed the deadline. (A serious face, steady eyes)
Listening: Head slightly tilted, hands still and relaxed, eyes on the speaker: “I am with you.” Add a nod.
Eyes down: Unsure or uninterested to an English-speaking listener, even when it is meant as respect. Look at the person, or the camera.
Tip: Watch your recording once with the sound off. If you could not tell what kind of news it was, your body is not helping your words yet.

Record a one-minute video presenting an idea to a small team. Open with your eyes on the lens, give three reasons counted on your fingers, use open palms for your request, and keep your hands in the box. Watch it once with the sound off, then once with it on.
I opened looking at the lens, not my notes
I counted my three reasons on my fingers
I used open palms for my request
I watched it with the sound off

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