Mastering Body Language: 3 Powerful Techniques to Enhance Your Communication

Movement is one of the most challenging aspects of public speaking—at least, moving effectively.

A skilled speaker constantly asks, "How should I use my hands? When should I move? How can I make my body an asset rather than a distraction?"

Movement can be a powerful tool to enhance communication, but when misused, it can easily divert the audience’s attention away from your message.

Here are three tips for using your body effectively during presentations:

1. Move with Purpose

Aimless pacing across the stage or meeting room doesn’t serve any purpose. When you decide to move, do it with intention.

You might move to engage a specific section of the audience, establish eye contact with someone, or reinforce a key point by changing your position on stage. In some cases, moving closer to someone in the audience—especially in smaller settings—can refocus attention (like subtly encouraging someone to put away their phone). Whatever the reason, always move deliberately.

2. Use Your Hands to Reinforce Your Message

Your hands are valuable communication tools, but using them consciously requires practice. It's not just about rehearsing your words—it’s also about coordinating your hand gestures to complement your verbal message.

For example, if you’re discussing three key points, use your hands to emphasize them visually. Say, “I want to cover three points today,” and raise three fingers. As you go through each point, lower one finger in sync with your speech. This reinforces your message and adds visual clarity for your audience.

With enough practice, your gestures will feel natural and deliberate, rather than forced.

3. Avoid Nervous Habits

Fidgeting with your hair, pocketing your hands, or making random, meaningless gestures are clear signs of nervousness. Worse, these movements are often subconscious, so you might not even realize you’re doing them.

The first step to overcoming this is awareness. Record yourself during practice sessions or ask a coach or colleague to point out any distracting movements. Once you’re aware of them, you can take steps to control them.

Effective movement is a crucial element of exceptional public speaking. When used properly, your body language can reinforce your message, engage your audience, and keep their attention on what truly matters—your words.