You have prepared what you want to say; you have made your PowerPoint presentation; you are ready to present the new strategy to your colleagues and employees. But does your body language match your preparation, or does it stand in the way?
If your body language and voice are out of sync with what you are saying, you risk your message falling flat – or, in the worst case, your audience leaving with a completely different message than you intended.
Your audience analyses your subtext
In practice, our body language and voice serve as the subtext of what we are saying. Our audience reads our body language and tone of voice and uses them to decode and understand what we actually mean. Our audience pays particular attention to our subtexts when we speak about emotions and opinions.
An often‑quoted study of the relationship between our words, body language and use of voice shows that if there is a disconnect between what we are saying and the way we are saying it, those listening will attach far greater importance to our body language and voice when interpreting our words. It is therefore important that, as a leader, you know what your audience reads into your subtexts. If you are trying to motivate employees to go the extra mile on a project, it is crucial that your body language and voice do not tell them: “I’m frankly tired of this project and could think of better ways to spend my time.” Even if that is how you feel, it will not boost motivation or drive.
If there is a disconnection between your words and your appearance, your body language becomes a distraction that may drown out your message entirely. If you want your words to carry weight, it is important that your body language and voice align with what you are saying. But where do you start? How do you know whether your appearance supports your message? The following is a guide to avoiding four typical sources of distracting body language and vocal habits.
Restless body
You cannot stand still. When presenting, you may become agitated and shift your weight from leg to leg so that you seem to sway. Or you pace restlessly back and forth or from side to side.
Purposeful movements often signal commitment and energy. But movement without clear purpose leaves almost the opposite impression; many small, restless movements can make you seem insecure, which your audience may interpret as lack of preparation or nervousness.
If you tend to move a lot without purpose, for example when changing slides, you may benefit from finding your composure first. Try simply standing still when you begin your presentation. The effect is surprisingly significant.
Weak posture
Your posture affects how your audience perceives your position of authority. When you begin to speak, it is important that you look like someone who has the right to take the floor. A hunched posture – shoulders pushed forward, back bent, chest lowered, head drooping – will likely be interpreted as not taking responsibility for what you are saying. As if you do not really mean your words and are trying to hide or make yourself small.
A good straight posture, with your feet solidly on the ground, back long and straight, chest up, shoulders slightly back and head lifted, has an entirely different effect. It makes you appear secure, calm and in control of the situation. In other words, it is essential if you want to exert authority as a leader and signal that you stand behind your message.
Posture also affects the mood in the room. Body language is contagious. If you have a lazy, sluggish posture, you risk creating the same mood in your audience. Taken to the extreme: if you cannot be bothered to straighten your back, lift your head and look at your audience, why should they be bothered to listen? The physical energy you use to maintain good posture and move purposefully also affects the atmosphere; we often read physical energy as a sign of commitment. Good posture helps create the perception that what you are saying is important and worth attention.
Speed talking and mumbling
Have you ever been told that you speak quickly? If so, consider whether it might be true. If you tend to speak faster when you become eager, your audience may not perceive enthusiasm but instead frustration because they cannot catch your key points. A certain tempo signals commitment and dynamism, but too much speed risks stressing your audience.
Speaking too fast may also lead to cutting off words. If you clip your words and speak without clear articulation, your audience will struggle to understand you. Worse still, mumbling can make you appear uncommitted or careless. In some cases, it may even give the impression that you are trying to avoid a topic and rushing past it so no one notices.
It is therefore important not to increase your tempo too much and to articulate clearly. Spending energy on pronouncing your words – including technical terms and business expressions – will often automatically slow your tempo to something easier for your audience to follow.
Eye contact with papers and PowerPoint
If you want your audience to hear and understand you, you must make eye contact. It may feel uncomfortable to look directly at your audience, especially when delivering difficult messages. In such situations, it often feels safer to hide behind notes or slides.
But eye contact is one of your strongest tools. By maintaining eye contact, you signal that you see your audience and care about them. You show goodwill, even in tough circumstances. Eye contact also gives you important information: Do they understand you? Are they following? Are they losing concentration?
You do not need to hold eye contact constantly, but you should look at your audience regularly. Eye contact signals attentiveness, and combined with a confident posture, it will give the impression that you are in control of the situation. If you seem composed and responsive, you signal that you are capable of fulfilling your responsibilities. Meeting the eyes of individual listeners increases the chances that you are heard, understood and judged as credible.
Increase your clout
A key leadership task is to handle emotions such as frustration or uncertainty and to create commitment, motivation and purpose. To succeed, you must ensure that there is a link between what you say and your subtext every time you speak. If there is a disconnect, your subtext becomes the only thing your audience hears. Your body language then becomes a distracting factor in your communication. If you recognise one or more of the distracting behaviours described above, a targeted effort to reduce them can give you far greater impact.
Checklist: how to reduce distractions
Unsure whether your body language is distracting?
Ask a trusted colleague to give you feedback on your body language and speaking tempo. Their observations can help you understand how others perceive you.
You can also record yourself on video or audio (if you want to analyse your tempo and any mumbling). This allows you to see yourself from an outside perspective and gain insight into how you appear.
