by Ren La Porte
A confident speech begins long before the first words are spoken. Audiences form impressions of a speaker within seconds, often based on posture, movement, facial expressions, and overall body language. This “first impression” can influence how receptive people are to the message that follows.
YOUR BODY SPEAKS BEFORE YOU SAY A WORD
Vanessa Van Edwards (Van Edwards, 2017) has spent years analysing the impact of body language on speeches. In a TEDxLondon Talk, she explains that humans constantly send and decode non-verbal signals, exceptionally fast. For example:
- If one person we see suddenly has a shocked look on their face, others close by automatically look for the problem.
- Alternatively, if one person is laughing or smiling, this also raises intrigue.
Summary: Your body begins speaking before your voice does. People read your micro expressions and often mirror them. Be mindful of walking out in front of an audience with the body language you are projecting.
“We are contagious”
OPEN HAND MOVEMENT
Did you Know!!
Most people look at hands first before they look at the face, body or eyes.
Vanessa Van Edwards’ research analysed thousands of TED Talks. She found that the most popular speakers used significantly more hand gestures than less successful speakers.
This comes is an extension of ancient DNA when we needed to know other people weren’t carrying a rock or spear. When this was established, safety allowed verbal communication to ensue.
- The most viral TED speakers averaged around 465 hand gestures compared with 272 among less-viewed speakers (in 18 minutes).
- Our brain gives 12.5 times more weight to hand gestures than words.
- Visible hands create a sense of openness and trust.
Vanessa says, ‘When we can’t see hands, we can’t see intention.’ It’s important the audience feels safe to connect with the speaker. Using hand gestures is important to gain audience interaction.
DOPAMINE AND BODY LANGUAGE
Great speakers create moments of excitement and anticipation that stimulate positive emotional responses. Van Edwards explains that dopamine is linked with pleasure, reward and motivation. Speakers can encourage the release of dopamine by focusing on positivity:
- Audiences respond more strongly when speakers create curiosity and positive emotional energy.
- Speeches are known to become more memorable when there are triggers of excitement.
Summary: Speakers who generate excitement create a stronger emotional connection with their audience. Body language, enthusiasm and positive framing can help audiences feel energised and more involved. This makes the speaker more memorable.
AUTHENTICITY IN BODY LANGUAGE
Imagine a half smile. Now imagine someone with a full smile that reaches all the way up into the eyes and creates ‘crows feet’. Vanessa Van Edwards directed research into how we react to authenticity.
- A genuine smile communicates warmth, confidence and trustworthiness.
- Authentic expressions encourage positive emotions in others.
- Forced expressions can appear disconnected.
Summary: Audiences connect with genuine people. A natural smile and authentic emotional expression help create trust and make communication more powerful.
BODY LANGUAGE ALIGNMENT
The strongest communicators ensure their hand gestures actually reflect the energy in their words. A hand that represents a small amount is not congruent with words that mention a big activity!
- Consistency between message and movement creates credibility.
- Use facial expressions that support your emotions.
- Avoid closed or defensive body positions.
- Let your enthusiasm show physically.
Summary: Ultimately, confident speeches are created when body language becomes an extension of the speaker’s thoughts and emotions. When posture, gestures, expressions, and movement work together, audiences are more likely to trust the speaker, remember the message, and remain engaged.
Practice your body language skills at TOASTMASTERS! Visit TROPIC CITY Toastmasters to have a go at your body language skills. Practice makes perfect! Effective Body Language is part of all Toastmasters online Pathways. You can explore it further in Level Three electives for Pathways: Motivational Strategies, Engaging Humour, Persuasive Influence and Visionary Communication.
REFERENCES
Van Edwards, V. (2017) You are contagious [Video]. YouTube.
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