Public speaking is an art that can help virtually anyone gain confidence and speak in a way that keeps people’s attention. However, you don’t have to use the techniques of public speaking only for major events.
You can apply its techniques in day to day life as well. There are many situations where public speaking skills can come into play. You may want to motivate a loved one, a coworker, or a friend.
If you’re looking for ways to make friends, then speaking well can open doors for you. In this post, we’re going to dive into how to use public speaking tips in real life. You’ll become a better communicator, show empathy, and connect with others.
Make eye contact
Making eye contact with the people we’re speaking to is an intuitive activity for many people. However, if you find it hard to connect with people and are wondering why, then pay attention to how you maintain eye contact with others in a conversation.
Often nervousness or discomfort displays itself by infrequent eye contact or shifting contact too often.
The best way to deal with this is to be aware. Try to take a deep breath and get comfortable with making eye contact with others. Remember that you don’t have to hold eye contact for too long. It’s natural to look away, look a little towards the distance as you think, or to use your eyes expressively.
Natural expressions such as rolling your eyes humorously or letting your feelings reflect in your eyes help deepen any conversation. So, learn to practice maintaining eye contact (but not too much) and soon enough, it’ll become a natural process.
Use mirroring
Mirroring is where your actions, gestures, and tone of voice mirror or subtly copy that of the other person you’re talking to. It’s a is a process that people naturally do when they are in deep conversation. Think of the last time you had a long and interesting conversation with someone.
You may have adopted the other person’s posture, the rhythm of speaking, and more unknowingly.
It’s possible to use mirroring deliberately to influence other people’s level of comfort. In public speaking, speakers deliberately keep ‘open’ body language. They avoid crossing their arms and face their audience directly. Small actions like these and consciously following the body language of the person you’re speaking with can create a positive connection in conversations.
Lean into pauses
Speakers at large events don’t hesitate to pause and check their notes. They take pauses to breathe and to think.
For many people, pauses in conversations are uncomfortable and they try to fill these quiet moments with small talk which actually makes the situation even more awkward.
The next time there’s a lull in the conversation, let it pass. Moments of silence are normal in conversations and it gives everyone the time to think and to let other topics arise.
Conclusion
We’ve looked at a few ways you can apply public speaking techniques to normal conversation. Another tip to remember is that practice makes it easier to converse in an effective way. So, be more aware the next time you’re having a conversation. Use the tips given here and get used to them.
Soon enough, you’ll master these techniques and enjoy making productive conversations at work or in your personal life.