Eye Contact Matters. Seriously.

When the eyes say one thing and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on the language of the first.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Eye contact is a form of nonverbal communication that often gets left in the dust during an anxious presentation. You might have heard that it’s important, but how much does it really matter? Can it make and break a pitch or a presentation? To both of those questions, we respond with a huge, resounding “yes!” So, why does it matter?

It Creates A Connection

In a study conducted by Purdue University, direct eye contact can make people feel connected, even when it comes from a stranger. “The researchers found that the subjects experienced a momentary effect of either “feeling included” or “feeling ignored and left out.” (Source) Making your audience “feel included” during your presentation can be the difference between them feeling interested in the message or totally disconnected from it. Think of eye contact as a meaningful way to bring together an entire group.

It Leaves the Right Impression

The traits associated with a lack of eye contact are profoundly negative. It can make you appear untrustworthy, unconfident, uninterested, and unwelcoming. Why? Research suggests that anxious social behavior derives from our natural fight or flight instinct. When you avoid making eye contact and “freeze up,” it tells your audience that you are terrified and could at any moment leave screaming out the door.

It Is a Dialogue

A presentation should be more like a dialogue than a villain’s lengthy monologue. If you care about your audience, then their responses to you will matter. Those are gauged through nonverbal cues, one of which is facial expression. When you look directly at your audience, you are processing their feedback as if they were audibly making a comment. The more of these “dialogs” you have during a presentation, the better you will be able to quantify how you are doing.

How To (Properly) “Stare”

Of course, when we say eye contact, we don’t mean an uncomfortably long glare with a single person. Try breaking up the room into three sections and resting your eyes for at least four seconds on a single person in each group. Move from the left to the right side of the room and repeat for the duration of your presentation.

Did you know the muscles which control your eyes are the most active muscles in your body? It’s true. Be sure to harness the strength of these muscles and make eye contact, and you are guaranteed a way to create a strong nonverbal connection.

Question: Are you mindful of making eye contact during a presentation?





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