“What do I do with my hands?”
It’s usually one of the first questions at our workshops. And it’s a common question because we don’t usually spend any time thinking about our hands during conversation. But put someone in front of an audience and it’s like they’ve never had a set of hand before.
Why is it so hard?
There are a few reasons why it might be hard to use your hands while public speaking:
Nervousness: If you’re nervous while speaking in front of a group, it can be difficult to remember to use your hands or to use them in a natural way.
Lack of practice: If you haven’t had much practice using your hands while speaking, it can be challenging to do so spontaneously.
Cultural differences: Different cultures may have different norms for using hand gestures while speaking. If you come from a culture where it is not common to use hand gestures, it may feel awkward or unnatural to do so.
What are some examples of bad hand gestures?
There are a few types of hand gestures that are generally considered to be ineffective or detrimental in public speaking:
Distracting gestures: Hand gestures that are overly exaggerated or distracting can take the focus away from your message and make it more difficult for your audience to concentrate.
Confusing gestures: Hand gestures that are difficult to interpret or that contradict your words can be confusing to your audience and undermine your message.
Repetitive gestures: Using the same hand gesture repeatedly can become monotonous and lose its effectiveness.
Ok, so what are you supposed to do with your hands?
There’s really is no hard and fast guide on how to use your hands, but in general most experts agree:
1. Don’t hide your hands either in your pocket or behind your back
2. Don’t fidget or clasp your hands together
3. Only use big gestures occasionally
Hand gestures can be an important part of effective public speaking because they can help to convey your message in a more engaging and dynamic way. When used appropriately, hand gestures can:
Emphasize key points: By using hand gestures to emphasize important points, you can help your audience better understand and remember your message.
Illustrate ideas: Hand gestures can help to illustrate ideas and concepts in a way that words alone cannot. This can make your message more visual and easier for your audience to understand.
Add emphasis: Hand gestures can add emphasis to your words, helping to convey your message with more impact.
Engage your audience: Using hand gestures can help to engage your audience by adding a physical element to your presentation. This can make your message more dynamic and engaging.
This is what you need to do
A good piece of advice is to keep your hands in the “strike zone”. For those who don’t follow baseball, it refers to an imaginary square space in front of your torso. In terms of public speaking, it looks something like the picture below.
By keeping your elbows in a relaxed position by your side, you are going to look natural and controlled.
Going too wide or too high with your arms too often can be distracting, but again, experts say it’s not a hard and fast rule. Keep it in mind, but don’t worry about breaking it occasionally.