02/16/2024

Seeing Your Way to a Better Speech

Give a better speech by strategically making eye contact

My grandmother has been blind for half of her life. She doesn't "look blind," meaning there is no outward clue for a sighted person to realize that she cannot see instantly. My grandmother, with her movie star looks, usually does not use her white cane in public. Her eyes sparkle even though no light is coming in. Far too often when people discover she cannot see, they stop talking to her directly and turn their attention to the sighted person beside her. Even without vision, she knows when someone stops focusing on her.

This awkward circumstance applies to public speaking, too. If you don’t acknowledge someone who is right in front of you, why should they pay attention to you? This is where eye contact comes into play.

Whether you are trying to persuade your team to adopt a new policy or tell a story to outside stakeholders, direct eye contact will help you engage them. Here are five tips to improve eye contact and make you appear more confident in your speech-making.

Please select this link to read the complete article from SmartBrief.