I’ve analyzed the speaking styles of several hundreds of top tech execs, sports coaches, and broadcasters, and they all do this one thing really well.

They’re intentional with their body language.

Feel free to watch this video breakdown HERE of an interview with David Rubenstein and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in 2017 — it contains 12 strategic communication tips that I highly recommend aspiring corporate leaders and execs put to practice.

But this one body language technique is something I’ve relied on for years, whether presenting on stage or telling a story at a social event.

Maintain a Neutral Body Position and Be Strategic with Your Body Movements

Have you wanted to shout out at a presenter pacing absentmindedly on stage to stand still? Or, perhaps, have you wanted to tie another presenter’s hands behind their back to stop their incessant, unnecessary gestures?

People who speak without intentionally thinking about their body language are missing out on a great opportunity to captivate their audience.

Specifically, the best speakers maintain a neutral body position. For example, it could be with their hands beside their sides as they stand upright on stage. It could be leaning back while sitting cross-legged during an interview.

It doesn’t really matter, as long as you maintain that comfortable body position. I think this Ted Talk speaker does a particularly great job at maintaining a neutral body position.

Why is this important? Because any time you move, the deviation from your neutral body position becomes more pronounced. The same can be said for facial expressions. If you keep a light smile throughout your speech and then suddenly frown, your audience will immediately notice it.

This gives you a ton of options when it comes to mastering body language. Here are a few ways you can take advantage of this.

1. Start at the far right of the stage (the audience’s left) and move slowly to the far left of the stage as you progress through your story.
2. Use your gestures to emphasize a point you’re making. For example, if you want to express the size and scale of something, expand your arms as wide as you can.
3. Reenact dialogue. Your hand gestures can accentuate what each character in your story is saying.
4. When presenting online, keep your palms visible above your desk. When you want to call attention to a particular point, open your palms while bringing your hands closer to the camera.

Whatever you do, make sure that your movements don’t contradict your message.

One important callout: don’t worry about practicing this until you’ve mastered your content. Focusing on too many things at once will confuse you.

But once you’ve mastered your content, I’d recommend carving out time to refine your delivery, particularly your body language.

The bottom line is that when you can maintain a neutral and comfortable body position, you give yourself the opportunity to be much more strategic and intentional with your movements. And that will not only keep your audience’s attention but also keep your message top-of-mind for them after you’ve finished.

Hope this helps,

Preston

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