Body language talks, or BLT for short.

Something in the way we stand speaks volumes.  Good posture is not only good health, it looks good.  Why?

Good posture communicates self-confidence and belief in what you have to say.  It indicates that you are willing to assert yourself and overcome the resistance of those who might oppose you.

No serious idea is ever accepted until we see the originator present it and defend it from attack.  The stance of an effective speaker is the stance of a warrior–balanced, flexible, and responsive to all surprises.

At bottom, good posture is not stiff or militaristic in look and feel.  Rather, good posture is a human body full of confidence and forward looking belief–on guard, yes, but expecting a positive outcome!

To achieve this as a presenter and in your everyday life, keep your weight on both feet.  Move your weight primarily to the balls of your feet.  Keep your knees slightly bent.  Imagine that your spine is long and that your shoulders hang from your spine like branches from the trunk of a tree.

Then try this thought experiment.  Imagine you are standing in a dark room and someone opens a door to look for you.  You can’t speak or make a sound, nor can you move because you are rooted to the floor.  But you have a small light in the center of your chest, in the space occupied by your heart.

In order to help them see you, signal to them with the light that radiates from the center of your chest.

Then, silently wave your arms above your head, and imagine that the light in your chest is spilling from your arms and creating a dome of light around you.

This is not touchy-feely, but a method for developing a physical presence that radiates confidence and purpose.  Persuasive posture is made of clarity of thought, clarity of purpose, and the expectation of positive outcomes.

Tags: Body Language, persuasion, Persuasive posture, persuasive speaking, presentation training, public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training, speech coaching, speech training