What do you do if you are suddenly given a handheld microphone right before you are about to speak in front of a large audience? You were expecting a wireless microphone or one with its own stand.
If you are like most people, you just deal with it. Specifically, you hold the microphone solidly in one hand and then gesture with the other. That’s not awful, but the problem with holding a microphone is that it immobilizes not only your one hand but the arm it is attached to and even one whole side of your body. You become less visually expressive and therefore less interesting.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. Comedian George Carlin is a master at using both of his hands, his arms and his body during a performance—even though he is holding a microphone in one hand. He does this in several ways:
He doesn’t use all of his fingers to hold onto the microphone. Instead, he only uses two and then uses the remaining three to move up and down in an expressive manner.
He constantly changes the direction and tilt of the microphone, thus allowing him to move his hands and arms.
His elbow is constantly moving up and down, even though it is attached to the hand that must hold the microphone in a relatively fixed position in relation to his mouth.
Finally, he switches what hand holds the microphone from time to time in order to create more visual variety and to allow fuller range of motion.
Ideally, you do as I do and never go to any speaking opportunity without bringing your own wireless microphone. But if you do get stuck using a handheld, try to use the above mentioned techniques to prevent your body language from becoming stiff and uninteresting.
You’ve just finished your interview for CNBC. You looked great on TV and you delivered your message well. You still, however, have to give a few more interviews to some disheveled and rumpled print reporters, so now it’s time to sit back and relax, right?
Wrong!
Even though the TV camera is no longer present, these print reporters are judging every aspect of your body language and voice (whether they are conscious of doing so or not).
Therefore, you still need to have good posture, lean forward toward your interviewer, look engaged, and make appropriate eye contact. The print interviewer is constantly assessing your believability, credibility and even likeability. So don’t put your feet up on the table!
Now is not necessarily the time to loosen your tie or even admit that you were nervous about your TV interviews the hour before. The basics of good body language still apply when talking to print journalists (no matter how unkempt some of them may be).
While you don’t need to worry about wearing makeup or avoid glaring white shirts, you do need to focus on coming across totally engaged, absorbed and fascinated with your interviewer in order to seem captivating and credible.
So don’t let down your guard or your hair, just because you are talking to a reporter and there are no cameras present. Look, move and sound your best, for best media results.
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Gauge the distance. The closer that someone is to you, the warmer his or her opinions are of you. The farther away that someone is, the less they care.
Watch their head position.
Overly tilted heads are a potential sign of sympathy. Alternatively the person is trying to convince you of their honesty.
Lowered heads indicate a reason to hide something. Take note if someone lowers their head. If it is when he or she are complimented, he or she may be shy, ashamed, timid, keeping distance from the other person, in disbelief, or thinking to herself. If it is after an explanation, then he or she may be unsure if what they said was correct.
People who look away while supposedly listening to you are thinking about something else. This is why when you are talking to a group of people, if an item in conversation strikes the one looking away, they will ask for you to repeat the story.
Auditory learners may look from side-to-side and repeat phrases in an effort to retain information.
See if they're mirroring you. Mirroring is another common gesture. If someone mirrors, or mimics your appearance, this is a very genuine sign that they are interested in you.
Check their arms.
People with crossed arms are closing themselves to social influence. The worst thing that you can do to people with crossed arms is to challenge them in one way or another, no matter how they react. This annoys them. Though some people just cross their arms as a habit, they're (slightly) reserved, or they're just trying to hide something on their shirt.
If someone rests their arms behind their neck, they are open to what is being discussed and interested in listening more. They may be waiting to state their opinion on the matter.
Look at the location of their hands. If their hands are in their pockets, then they are more relaxed and are more likely to be attracted to you. For example when a man has his hands in his pockets, with his thumbs outside, pointing down, then he is trying to draw your attention down there. This can also be transferred to other parts of the body and objects.
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