Face toward the audience and give them your heart...
You have seen speakers turn and face toward the screen or spend the speech bent over their laptop. They are showing that the most important thing is their stuff.
When you face towards your audience you are symbolically letting them know with your body language that they are the most important element in the room. You’re showing that you care about them.
You walk into a room to hear a speech. As you sit down you notice someone is up at the front of the room. The speaker doesn’t notice you because his back is to you as he checks out his equipment and power point slides. All you see of him before he begins his speech is his wiggling rear end. Not a pretty sight. What are they communicating to you with his body language? He is showing you that his interest is in his equipment not in you. When you speak know that the most important element is the connection you make with your audiance.
As a speaker remember that you need to face toward the audience and give them your heart. Your heart is a powerful symbol of connection. Make sure you are not showing your back as you read your slides, that your heart is not hidden by a podium or lectern that you don’t point your heart down at your notes or computer screen or give your heart to one side of the room as you face towards you visual aids. It seems like a small thing, but sharing your heart with your audience has a powerful impact. Think basic human survival instincts. When we are unafraid and willing to make ourselves vulnerable to each other we face our hearts towards the person we are interacting with.
Check in with yourself throughout your presentation and make sure your giving your audience your heart.
