Gestures Your Body Speaks

Front

What is nonverbal communication?

Back

More than half of all human communication takes place this way. It involves information visually conveyed by your appearance, manner, and physical behavior.

Front

What is a verbal message?

Back

The message transmitted by the speaker's voice.

Front

What is the principle of empathy?

Back

The ability to share in another person's emotions or feelings. When you speak, the audience tends to mirror your attitudes.

Front

What is the body's spoken image?

Back

An appraisal of how you appear as a speaker. Obtaining an accurate perception of this is the first step in eliminating superfluous mannerisms.

Front

What are distracting mannerisms?

Back

Physical behavior or actions not related to your spoken message that call attention away from your speech, such as rocking, swaying, tapping fingers, or adjusting hair.

Front

What are superfluous mannerisms?

Back

Physical actions that do not add to your speeches and must be eliminated to improve the body's spoken image.

Front

What is speaking posture?

Back

How you position your body when you speak. It communicates visual messages to the audience, reflecting whether you are confident and alert.

Front

What is a proper speaking stance?

Back

Standing straight but not rigid, with feet about six to 12 inches apart, one slightly ahead of the other, and weight balanced evenly on the balls of the feet.

Front

What is a gesture?

Back

A specific bodily movement that reinforces a verbal message or conveys a particular thought or emotion. Most are made with the hands and arms.

Front

What are the criteria for an effective gesture?

Back

It must be purposeful, visible to the audience, and mean the same thing to the audience that they mean to the speaker.