Where Are Your Hands?

Our body speaks more eloquently than our words and can tell our listeners much more than what we try to explain them verbally. There are lots of advices, how to act and what not to do, most of them can be called: "Don't close".

Of course, this is very useful advice – if you close yourself with your hands or, at least, the tribune, people perceive you as a distant, cold person. Even if you smile and tell interesting facts the same time. It was proved many times: a man who doesn't want to tell the truth or doesn't like his interlocutors, cross his legs and arms, tries to hide a face by hands and makes other subconsciously caused moves which tell about his closeness. No matter what he says – the audience will "read" what he really feels.

"Don't cross my way"

The problem is that not everyone knows – you can close yourself not only by crossing your legs and arms. And even if you are reading about crossing the parts of your body, there are many ways to cross. Better to say – NOT to cross. So, what is it?

  • Arms crossed on your solar plexus or stomach
  • Hands crossed with fingers or connected palm to palm
  • Arms crossed under your stomach (like football players do)
  • Legs crossed in any way and line, sitting or staying

When you cross your arms, hands or legs these ways, you build the wall between your body and your audience. It may seem that your hands (or, even more, legs) are doing nothing, but they really work and the results will not satisfy you.

Empty your pockets

If you don't know where to put your hands, the worst way to solve this problem is to put them into your pockets. In many world cultures this is a bad habit – to hide your hands in the pockets – this way you may show disrespect and bad manners to the people around you. But even if your culture doesn't mean anything like this, better not to hide your hands this way. Your audience sees this and feels like you want to hide yourself and your information.

Leave your pencil alone

Some public speakers use to hold something in their hands, this is one of the ways to make hands "to do something". When you hold, for example, a pen or a pencil, your fingers will play with it – you even won't notice this, but your audience will. This is very interrupting thing which earns the attention of your attendees more than your brilliant speech. Sometimes you have to take and hold your remote – try to free other hand and gesticulate, or your hands will uncontrollably cross and start to turn and touch this remote gadget. The same way if you cross only your fingers, they start to play with each other. Avoid this.

Your back is not interesting

When a small kid wants to trick his parents or to tell lies, what does he do? True story – he hides his hands behind his back. If you have this habit, try to get rid of it. You are not in the prison, you are not a severe school teacher, at least, you are not a kid who is going to tell lies. By the way, this posture looks repulsive and arrogant. Show your hands to the audience, don't be afraid.

Sleep at home

Don't lie down on a podium. Better to have a good sleep when you are at home, before your presentation. When you speak, it is normally to put your hand to the podium, but do not use the whole podium for your rest and don't put your body's weight on it. Try to spend as less time as you can behind the podium, but if you can't avoid it, use it correctly.

Nose is noticeable

Another way to hide your real emotions and feelings is to hide a face. How can you do this? It is clear, that an adult person will not put both palms on his face. But we subconsciously close our faces if we're shy, scared, feel uncomfortable, don't want to tell something. We use our hands and fingers – touching our noses, lips, eyes, necks, elbows, trying to hide our mouths. What to do if you want to scratch something? Make a small logical pause, pass the attention to your audience, ask something or show a slide. Dear ladies, please, don't touch your hair, don't correct your hairstyle and don't to wind curls on your fingers. Your audience may read this like you try to attract them too much, or like you don't know what to say.

Remember that your gestures makes your image. Use this knowledge to do your best!

© PodioBox 2022


Posted in PodioProfy, Tips by PodioBox on Mar 02, 2023.