A gesture is a specific body movement that reinforces a verbal message or conveys a particular emotion. Mostly they are made using the hands and arms.
Gestures should be an outcome of your own personality but following suggestions can be an effective way to start on your use of gestures in your presentations.
- Respond naturally to What you Think, Feel and Say – use your natural tendency to gesture in normal conversation and incorporate your natural gestures in your speech. If it doesn’t come naturally practice in front of a mirror, watch for the natural movements and build on them.
- Create the Message for the Gesture not the Gesture for the Message – a good gesture comes as a response to the spoken word and should be a natural outcome of the message.
These are just a couple of suggestions for effective gestures… want to know more see our website www.trischel.com.au for information on seminars on public speaking and effective communication.
Trish from Trischel