It happens at every conference. The applause begins as soon as you’re introduced. You haven’t even said a word, and yet audiences, by and large, are generous with their applause.
And then it comes. Pause. Pause. Pause. Those are the three seconds of silence between their fading claps and the beginning of your talk. What’s happening during that short transition? People are sizing you up.
It happens every time you get up on stage or stand up to speak at a meeting. Without exception, the audience looks at your clothing, your eye contact, and your bearing. They are making personal judgments.
Do you appear trustworthy? Competent? Confident? What kind of vibe are you projecting? Are you someone to approach or avoid? All this is based upon the nonverbal cues you give to your audience. You have communicated without uttering a word.
Many speakers spend hours honing their scripts, seeking to choose exactly the right words, only to pay little or no attention to the visual judgments that audiences are making about them when it’s time to stand and deliver.
That’s a mistake. In the 1960s, Albert Mehrabian of UCLA did extensive research to understand the order of magnitude of verbal versus nonverbal communication. In his book Silent Messages, he asserted that:
These judgments are being made at lightning speed. In fact, my own research suggests that people make decisions about you in the first seven seconds. And it’s these early judgments that often prove to be one of the key predictors as to whether your speech will be perceived positively or negatively.
How do you avoid negative first impressions? Step one is to take stock of what you look like in the mirror. Don’t be overly critical of your appearance, but be objective. Did you cut yourself shaving? Are you wearing a suit that doesn’t fit quite right anymore? Having a bad hair day? It’s best to adjust those, as minor as they may seem, before you step on stage.
Your effectiveness can be quickly inhibited if the audience is distracted and thinking that something is out of place:
His tie is too short. His button is unbuttoned. Her blouse is covered with lint.
Once an audience starts thinking about your appearance, they’re likely not paying attention to your words but to whatever caused the distraction.
Communicators who work on body language create important visual cues for their intended audience. Once you are comfortable on how you project nonverbally, try to make your audience feel what you are feeling. Below are some techniques to employ in order to maximize your body language and be a more persuasive and effective communicator:
Every encounter — from conferences and meetings to training sessions and business lunches — is a unique opportunity to meet people, network, and expand your professional contacts.
Your gestures and body movements should convince those around you that you are lively and energetic. Bring your mind, body, and spirit to every encounter and audience engagement.
Making a positive first impression is critical. You have just seven seconds — but if you handle yourself in the right ways, seven seconds are all you need. If words are stripped away and the only communication left is body language, the truth will find its way to the audience.
Before you stand and deliver, remind yourself that the body speaks before the mouth opens.
