The Silent Language of Body Presence in Communication

That communication continues while we are speaking and often supersedes the verbal message we intend to convey. Open and relaxed posture conveys confidence and trustworthiness, and abrupt gestures suggest nervousness and impatience. These messages are received subliminally so our audience may not even be aware of them, yet they impact every word we speak. Therefore, becoming aware of the messages our body conveys when we are standing still is the first place to begin with to develop presence.

Stillness, when used consciously, is a very potent tool. While many speakers feel the need to pace to project energy and enthusiasm, such movement distracts from our message. Consciously holding still allows our audience to pay attention to what we are saying instead of our movement. If we need to move, we should use movement to punctuate a transition between ideas or to underscore an idea. A single, conscious step or gesture can have far more impact than pacing back and forth across the stage.

Facial expressions also convey a sense of authenticity. Slight changes in our facial expressions suggest the emotional nuances of our message and help our audience understand our intent. A warm smile suggests connection and warmth. A pause accompanied by a neutral facial expression suggests we are serious or contemplative. Overdone facial expressions suggest artificiality and can undermine our message. We need to allow our faces to express our message, yet retain enough control to ensure our expressions align with our message.

Eye contact conveys a sense of intimacy even when we are speaking to a large group. When our audience feels like we are speaking directly to them, they become more engaged because they feel personally addressed. We should allow our eyes to wander around the room periodically to address different segments of the audience. Overlooking any segment suggests we do not value them and their attention. In addition, failure to make eye contact suggests lack of confidence or discomfort with our message so our audience will not give us their full attention. Regular, moderate eye contact conveys confidence and respect.

Conscious use of body presence is not about striking dramatic poses, rather it is about letting our body support our message. When our posture, gestures, and facial expressions reinforce our intended message, we become believable. Our audience responds to what we say and how we embody that message. Integrating our verbal and non-verbal messages in our delivery make ordinary messages extraordinary. So the next time you are tempted to punctuate the end of a message with a dramatic flourish, try remaining still instead. You may find that sometimes silence is the most eloquent part of our message.