[0.000 --> 5.320]  Hello, I'm Lou.
[5.320 --> 10.920]  Thanks for visiting Toastmasters International to learn more about gestures and body language.
[10.920 --> 16.560]  Since 1924, we've helped more than 4 million people gain the confidence to communicate
[16.560 --> 21.480]  in challenging circumstances and one of the most demanding situations you'll ever face
[21.480 --> 23.720]  as speaking to an audience.
[23.720 --> 28.840]  Here are some time-tested tips to help you prepare so that you feel empowered to impress
[28.840 --> 29.840]  others.
[29.840 --> 35.560]  As a speaker, you know that the messages your words convey can be helped or hurt by
[35.560 --> 37.640]  the messages your body sends.
[37.640 --> 42.960]  To be truly successful in communication, you must be in command of your hand gestures,
[42.960 --> 47.080]  posture, facial expressions, and overall body language.
[47.080 --> 55.840]  Today, I'm going to share some great tips that will help you master your movements.
[55.840 --> 60.440]  Have you ever been in front of an audience and had trouble letting go of a lectern or have
[60.440 --> 62.560]  you ever had any other problems?
[62.560 --> 68.480]  Nervous mannerisms can mean trouble for speakers like shifting your weight, adjusting your glasses,
[68.480 --> 70.000]  ringing your hands.
[70.000 --> 75.200]  These are examples of things you might be doing that lessen the impact of your presentations.
[75.200 --> 77.760]  And oh, tucking at your clothes?
[77.760 --> 78.760]  That's a problem too.
[78.760 --> 85.120]  You'd be surprised how nervous ticks an inconsistent body language can distract an audience.
[85.120 --> 89.160]  Researchers that are not coordinated with a speaker's message will sap the speaker's
[89.160 --> 93.800]  energy and shift the audience's focus away from the intended message.
[93.800 --> 98.560]  Worse yet, it can cause an audience to laugh or even leave if they find the mannerisms
[98.560 --> 100.320]  difficult to watch.
[100.320 --> 102.840]  So what should a speaker do?
[102.840 --> 105.600]  The answer is planning and practice.
[105.600 --> 109.960]  The more you rehearse your speech, the better idea you'll have for what gestures can help
[109.960 --> 112.320]  emphasize a point.
[112.320 --> 116.820]  For example, if you want to explain to a group that your new cell phone is the size of a baby
[116.820 --> 122.720]  bird, you could make a cradling gesture by cupping both hands together and hold them out
[122.720 --> 124.520]  to be viewed.
[124.520 --> 129.960]  This descriptive gesture conveys the message of size while supporting the metaphor of a
[129.960 --> 132.600]  tiny baby bird that requires gentleness.
[132.600 --> 136.560]  Knowing that you're going to perform this gesture at a targeted moment in your speech
[136.560 --> 138.840]  will guide you as you prepare.
[138.840 --> 143.360]  When you perform plan gestures in a speech, you'll be able to channel nervous energy into
[143.360 --> 149.560]  constructive movements that help your idea.
[149.560 --> 153.240]  Now what kinds of gestures should you imagine when planning a speech?
[153.240 --> 156.200]  Think of them in four major groups.
[156.200 --> 162.120]  First, descriptive gestures, like the baby bird cradle, help make your words more clear.
[162.120 --> 167.560]  They can help describe things like the size, shape, and location of objects you're discussing.
[167.560 --> 171.280]  Second, emphatic gestures underscore what you're saying.
[171.280 --> 175.840]  They show a strong emotion about something, such as a clinced fist that might show anger
[175.840 --> 177.440]  or determination.
[177.440 --> 183.120]  Third, suggestive gestures help you convey ideas and emotions like shrugging your shoulders
[183.120 --> 186.360]  might suggest some irony in what you're saying.
[186.360 --> 193.400]  And fourth, prompting gestures are a good way to ask your audience to participate or respond.
[193.400 --> 198.240]  If you want them to raise their hands, for example, you may raise your hand to show them.
[198.240 --> 200.520]  Well, that's a lot of gestures, isn't it?
[200.520 --> 201.960]  And that's good.
[201.960 --> 207.440]  For all the choices, you can select those gestures that naturally fit what you want to say.
[207.440 --> 212.360]  Start by thinking about the ways you normally move and try to rehearse those movements that
[212.360 --> 213.880]  come naturally for you.
[213.880 --> 217.240]  And if you feel you have to force something that doesn't come out of your instinctive
[217.240 --> 221.560]  whole body movements, think of some other gesture movement that feels more natural until
[221.560 --> 222.560]  your style.
[222.560 --> 227.240]  Once you let go of the lectern and begin to move around, you can take note of which movements
[227.240 --> 229.440]  help get your message across.
[229.440 --> 233.000]  Beware of nervous mannerisms, though, and if you catch yourself repeating the same
[233.000 --> 237.040]  motion too many times, that's your nerves talking, not you.
[237.040 --> 241.400]  Movement such as this are probably not expressive enough to be in your speech.
[241.400 --> 245.160]  Instead, think of gestures that support the ideas in your talk.
[245.160 --> 249.120]  Try to focus your thoughts on words you'll be sharing from one point to the next.
[249.120 --> 253.920]  What movements are your natural response to what you're thinking, feeling, and saying?
[253.920 --> 254.920]  Stop.
[254.920 --> 256.560]  I have a word of caution.
[256.560 --> 260.640]  Be careful that your gestures are culturally sensitive to your audience.
[260.640 --> 264.120]  Some gestures are offensive in one culture and not in another.
[264.120 --> 268.360]  It's important to know your audience and then plan your gestures in terms that they can
[268.360 --> 273.800]  understand and accept.
[273.800 --> 278.200]  Coordinating gestures, eye contact, and walking can be a challenge.
[278.200 --> 282.600]  Just remember that you'll have trouble making eye contact while walking across the stage.
[282.600 --> 284.680]  So limit the number of times you walk.
[284.680 --> 289.520]  When you arrive at a destination, be sure to stay there and make eye contact.
[289.520 --> 291.680]  You can perfect this technique with practice.
[291.680 --> 296.320]  With your plan and rehearse gestures, you'll be able to let go of the lectern at no time
[296.320 --> 299.160]  and give your speech the impact it deserves.
[299.160 --> 303.960]  For more information on gestures and body language, please visit a Toastmasters Club.
[303.960 --> 306.960]  Find a location near you at Toastmasters.org.