Body language is a mystery to many - and thus we neglect one of our most important areas of communication. Too bad! Because: body language decides careers, connects women and men, is an excellent salesperson, empowers parents and children and even inspires large audiences. That's why we have 3 tips for you here, how you can improve your body language immediately:
Make sure you enter the room in a positive frame of mind. The important thing is your mindset when you go on stage or give your presentation. Find your enthusiasm for your topic. An enthusiasm that comes from the heart. Then a certainty will build up in you that is visible on the outside. And you will infect others with your enthusiasm.
According to US psychologist Albert Mehrabian, only 7% of our communication is through words. The rest of the message is conveyed through tone, voice, gestures and facial expressions. It's a simple way to connect directly with your audience and be personable: Smile.
Feel free to do an exercise here. Sit in front of a mirror, close your eyes and smile. Then open your eyes again. Often you have the feeling that you are much more radiant than you really are.
Eye contact is often the first step in establishing rapport. A speaker needs to establish eye contact with his audience so that they connect with him and focus on him. In front of a large audience, however, you don't have the chance to look each person in the eye. Here's a trick. Look about a thumb's width above the audience in the back row. This way, everyone in the audience feels addressed.
It is also important to pick out a few individuals in the front rows with whom you repeatedly make eye contact. In this way, you immediately signal to your audience that you feel confident and radiate charisma.
Wondering how that works with smaller groups? Here, eye contact with each individual counts. But beware: there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to eye contact, too. In a 1-to-1 conversation, you should not stare at your counterpart. Because conspicuously long eye contact can be perceived as intrusive. A fleeting glance, in turn, signals disinterest.
Only those who make a good impression have any chance at all of having their content heard. Body language and impact are the key to personal and professional success and are more important today than ever before. Make sure you have a firm footing when you speak. This way you signal self-confidence and don't distract your listeners from your words with unwanted gestures! Use confident gestures: The hands are ideally in the neutral area, about seven centimeters above the navel. Support positive things higher up, emphasize negative things lower down.
As you can see, even small changes in your posture and body language make a big difference.
If you are athletically inclined and regularly do something for your body, you even have another advantage: because sport automatically promotes your upright posture. This is not only good for your health.
At Gedankentanken we know that the right body language is only one part of a really good stage performance. Because as the largest stage and speaking brand in the German-speaking world, we know exactly what is additionally important when speaking.
Speaking is a complex craft that needs to be learned and practiced. It is not enough to just open your mouth - the overall concept must be right!
In our Masterclass "How to become a speaker Dr. Stefan Frädrich will initiate you into the Secrets of the Speaking Business and gives you valuable tips on how you too can become a successful speaker.