I have been helping a group of young people learn public speaking skills. I have noticed something interesting about what they do with their feet as they are giving their speeches. They are:
My husband has another technique. He stands solidly on the floor and, in his sandals which he wears even in the winter, he flips his toes up and down.
All of these foot movements are fascinating to watch, but totally detract from the speech.
What do you do with your feet during a presentation? Stand with your feet slightly apart and solidly on the ground. Pretend they’re planted in that position. You will appear confident even if you’re shaking like a windblown leaf inside. Move with purpose, this is covered in my column entitled “Own The Stage”. With feet slightly apart and solidly on the ground, you will also be standing tall. Be relaxed and natural. This will
convey confidence and authority to your audience.
Crossing your legs when giving a presentation is a no-no. As Anneke Jong says:”Whatever you do, do not cross your legs while you’re standing. Not only does it instantly erode your authority, but it makes you unstable. Tipping over in the spotlight? Not cool.”
Casandra Maier from Demand Media adds,” Take at least two steps to avoid a one-step dance and then get back into position. Stay for a while to avoid pacing.” Once you get comfortable with this movement, use the tips I gave in “Own the Stage” to add movement with purpose.
Be aware of what your feet are doing during a presentation, it’s better than falling flat on your face with your feet tucked one behind the other.
Mary Anthes is a business owner, speaker and a Distinguished Toastmaster. She can be reached at nmanthes@shaw.ca
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
