9: Gestures, Props, and Stage Use
The author describes an exercise he performs in his workshops for speakers: he gives them a series of commands, such as "put your right hand on your left elbow" and demonstrates each motion in action. After a brief sequence he instructs them to place their right hand on their right cheek, but places his own hand on his chin - and suggests that more than half of his audience does the same.
He presents this exercise as evidence of the power of gestures - that what he is doing in this exercise is giving both visual and verbal cues: when the two are in synch, people can follow along, but when they are out of synch, most people follow the visual rather than the verbal cue. This demonstrates that people pay attention to your gestures when you speak, and some will follow what you do rather than what you say. Or at least, confusion arises when there is disagreement between what they see and what they hear.
This should be accounted for when considering the visual aspects of a speech: your posture and gestures, but also the visual aids you use, can enhance your message if used to support what you are saying, or muddle it if they disagree.
He briefly mentions the 1960 US Presidential debate between Nixon and Kennedy. Those who heard the debate on the radio felt that Nixon had "won" the debate, but those who saw it on television felt that Kennedy had. The difference could only be explained by the visual element: in which Kennedy presented a more attractive appearance and projected greater confidence to those who could see, rather than just hear, the two men speak.
Gestures
A gesture is a movement that expresses a through. It is most commonly associated with movements of the arms and hands, but can be any part of the body. Nodding or shaking the head is among the most common non-hand gesture.
Most people use gestures on a daily basis without giving them much thought, but a speaker should be conscious and in control of his gestures to ensure they are aligned with his speech.
Novice speakers worry, and rightly so, that their gestures may be inappropriate and seek to avoid making any gestures at all. This can be useful, because to make no gestures will in fact prevent a conflict from arising. But it also causes the speaker to appear stoic and emotionally detached, and fails to make use of gestures as a speaking tool.
(EN: In one-on-one communication, a person who seems to be attempting to control their expressions and gestures is often regarded as attempting to conceal information, which likely applies to speakers in general.)
Some gestures add nothing to the speech itself, but do not detract from it. These neutral gestures make a speaker seem more animated and enthusiastic about the topic, so should generally be regarded as good. But others call attention to themselves.
People are particularly attuned to give attention to incongruities - things that do not match - so any gesture that conflicts with what is being said will likely be noticed, and the audience will be distracted by thoughts of "why is he doing that?"
Gestures that agree with the speech will not often be consciously noted unless they are exaggerated to the point that the audience notices them. They can be a distraction if they give undue emphasis to a statement that seems of little importance.
In the best of cases, a significant gesture accompanies a significant point, in which case it enhances the speech rather than detracts from it, even if it is not consciously noticed.
Professional speakers will practice before a mirror, or videotape themselves, in order to become aware of their gestures - but the author adds a note of caution: it is easy to be too critical of yourself, and you may get hung up on things the audience doesn't notice. Best to leverage other people - ask them what gestures they remember, or how they feel, to get a more objective perspective.
If you do not know how to gesture, the author suggests watching videos of great speeches and pay close attention to what effective speakers do - but mute the audio track so that all you notice is the nonverbal messages.
(EN: There's more to it than this - learning gestures is a lot like learning a second language, and while passive observation can be useful, a more systematic study is advisable. Charles Darwin's book on the subject is likely an essential read, and there are more modern sources of information on gesturing, such as interrogation manuals, that can help identify what gestures mean.)
He also claims that "advanced" speakers will take it a step further and identify areas in the speech that may need emphasis or clarity, and plan to insert gestures at particular points. He suggests that "many" speakers will use a multi-column approach that places the text of their speech in one column and stage directions in the second.
(EN: Which is interesting, because just a few chapters ago he indicated that advanced speakers did not write out entire speeches, but only had speaking points to guide them. My suspicion is that circuit speakers, who travel about giving the same speech to different audiences, likely use a script, as what they do is performance art rather than typical public speaking.)
Props
Props are similar to gestures in that they nonverbally communicate information to the audience - but instead of using part of the body, the speaker uses an object to visually communicate with the audience.
The use of a prop is most obvious when the speaker brings an item along with him, something he would not normally have on stage, and the unusualness of the object calls attention to itself, hopefully in a positive way.
However, a speaker may also use items that they happen to have as props. A person who walks with a cane may use that cane as a prop, even unintentionally. Or more commonly, when speakers use note cards or paper to help them remember their speech, those things become props, often unintentionally.
A good prop can communicate a message in a way that is difficult for words to describe. He mentions a speaker who used a costume - a cloak, to conceal himself while speaking until, at one point, he dramatically removed it to communicate the notion of overcoming fear and breaking free of self-concealment.
(EN: I expect this struck the author as effective, but also calls out a point he doesn't make: that props are very hokey, which is likely why many speakers eschew the use of props except in very rare instances, or special cases such as a speech that relates closely to an object.)
While a prop can be very effective in commanding attention, sometimes it can be too effective and distract from the speech. The audience sees the prop before its time and is wondering what the speaker will do with it, or the audience will pay attention after it is no longer being used. For this reason, a prop should be used with care: concealed before and after the part of the speech to which it is relevant.
He also mentions the power of a "visibly concealed" prop - such as an object hidden beneath a drape. The audience cannot see the object, but can see the drape and will be curious about it. Some level of curiosity builds anticipation, but too much curiosity becomes a distraction as the audience is merely waiting on the reveal rather than paying attention to the speaker.
(EN: The author doesn't mention the most common prop that speakers use nowadays: PowerPoint slides. They are often very badly designed and used, and are the bane of public speaking in the present day. Other sources have much to say about that.)
The Use of the Stage
The podium on which the author speaks can itself be used as a prop, particularly when the speaker makes purposeful use of the stage.
The author mentions one speech he delivered that referred to a given character, a Swami. He began by pointing to the right corner of the stage when he spoke of the Swami, as if an invisible person were standing in that place, and after a few iterations, the audience associated the physical space to the character - such that when the author gazed into that space, the audience understood that he was speaking of the character.
(EN: A similar effect is used in one-man shows, in which the actor speaks to characters that can't be seen. After establishing an "imaginary person" exists, the actor speaks to the same space and the audience understands there to be a character there. Or when a single actor is playing multiple parts, his physical location tells the audience which character is speaking, and they generally get it.)
A few other random examples are tossed out:
- When referring to a previous period in time, the speaker may take a few steps back to visually represent "going back in time" and return to that space whenever the previous time is mentioned.
- A speaker may move laterally across the stage when referring to a sequence of events, as if taking a "walk through time" to specific eras. (EN: Just be aware that people generally associate left-to-right with old-to-new, and that when you are facing them, their left is on your right.)
- Moving forward toward the audience is a way of emphasizing that something is important, just as leaning forward in a one-on-one conversation indicates importance and intimacy. (EN: It's also important to note that moving toward the edge of the stage makes some of the people in the front row a bit squeamish, depending on the venue.)
(EN: The author doesn't mention using the space of the auditorium - to direct your own attention to specific members or sections of the audience. This is particularly effective, especially in instances where there is a known person in the audience, such as a senior manager, or when you have a heckler, who then becomes the focus when the speech predicts objection.)
Conclusion
The author provides a quick chapter summary, that reemphasizes his opening points: that nonverbal can be highly effective if used intentionally in support of key moments, highly counterproductive if done inappropriately or poorly.
(EN: It's also worth noting that this author has barely scratched the surface of nonverbal communication - much more can be learned from other sources.)