Non-Verbals to Avoid When Presenting Online
In previous posts (1 and 2), we explored several non-verbals that aid in your delivery of a successful online performance. Solid eye contact, appropriate hand gestures, smooth transitions, and congruent facial expressions each help you tell your story. Sometimes (whether we realize it or not), some of the nonverbals in the aforementioned categories appear, and can detract from the effectiveness of your presentation. In our experiences attending online presentations over the past few years, we have noticed a few nonverbal behaviors that we would encourage you to minimize or avoid.
Lack of Preparation/Appearing Befuddled – The presenter has a “deer in headlights” moment, as if the presentation they are about to give is a big surprise. The speaker nonverbally communicates that they are disorganized, past their prime, confused, or mystified by the entire experience (or it could be that they just show up as a cat!). Not only does this reflect poorly on the presenter, but this behavior also reflects poorly on the organization hosting the event. As we mentioned before, saying “I am still learning how to use this technology” is no longer acceptable, nor is it an excuse. If you are learning a new platform—and we still are, since every organization uses something different (and some, like Maria’s workplace, use different platforms for different purposes)—watch some Youtube videos, practice in advance, and take the responsibility for getting yourself up to speed!
Slouching – The speaker is hunched and unaware of their posture for much of the presentation. Slouching is often associated with “looking to the side” and can communicate a lack of interest, energy, and professionalism. When combined with a monotone voice and a slow pace, it yields an uninspiring spectacle.
Bouncing/Rocking/Swaying – The speaker is moving unintentionally. We have seen many variations of this. In some instances, the speaker rocks back and forth, which appears as moving away from the camera and then into the camera. Maria participated in an online session where the presenter rocked back and forth during the entire session (and had the computer on their lap), and it was somewhat unnerving to watch the presenter be constantly in motion—moving toward the camera and getting larger, and then moving backward—while speaking. In other instances, the speaker bounces or swivels without awareness of their distracting behaviors.
Scratching/Touching Face – The speaker itches or touches their face or head too much (like constantly playing with their hair). A few instances of this will unlikely be noticed, but some presenters struggle to control this nonverbal behavior and it can communicate nerves, anxiety, or poor hygiene.
Each of these items points toward the need for heightened personal awareness and digital presence. The good news is that curating your digital presence is 100% within your control and awareness is a significant advantage in a world where many still struggle to act with intentionality. You may not realize that you exhibit a particular behavior, and that’s why practice, and having the courage to record yourself and watch/listen to that recording, can help you improve! There are also some conscious choices you can make to eliminate the possibility of one of these nonverbals occurring:
choose a chair that does not move up and down, back and forth, or sideways (or “lock” the movement settings on your chair, or stand). And choose a chair that does not creak every time you move.
if you have long hair, consider tying it back so it does not get in your face and force you to tuck it behind your ears
try to keep your hands mostly on your lap (or you could hold onto a pen if needed) and away from your face
practice, practice, practice! Do not let the time that you log in for your presentation be the first time you’ve used or seen that platform.
We hope that these suggestions will help you become more confident and comfortable in front of the camera. What else have you seen in a presenter’s nonverbals that takes away from their effectiveness, in your mind?
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We explore this topic and others in our new book Captovation: Online Presentations by Design.