Public speaking

Mar

16

Showing Listeners You Are Nervous

Body Language / Courtroom / Gesturing  Posted by / 0 comments

by Brian K. Johnson

On Friday, March 2, the much-anticipated mystery witness took the stand in the case against Rutgers student Dharun Ravi, accused of using his dorm room webcam to spy on his gay roommate, Tyler Clementi. Soon afterward Clementi committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. Ravi is accused of bias intimidation, invasion of privacy, and witness tampering.

Even after appearing, the mystery witness remained anonymous because the judge insisted on protecting his identity, as he is considered a victim. Known only by the initials M.B, he was intimate with Clementi in his dorm room during the alleged spying. To shield his identity, the courtroom video of his testimony is silent. The camera focuses only on his hands in his lap. Yet his hands are remarkably revealing, not about who he is, but how he is feeling.

The commentator observes, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone be so nervous.” What can this unusual video of his hands reveal about his extreme state of nervousness?

More generally, what do nervous people do – or not do – with their hands, whether testifying or advocating in the courtroom? They don’t gesture freely.

Count the number of gesture impulses revealed by the video clips of M.B.’s hands. A gesture impulse is a partial, tentative movement that is unintentionally inhibited or restrained. These motions are not just random fidgets; they are directly connected to word emphasis.

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Feb

09

Practice is for Professionals, Especially Lawyers

Audiences / Body Language / CLE Course / Mock Trials / Practice / Preparation / Professional / Public Speaking  Posted by / 0 comments

You may have heard a while back that Eddie Murphy and Brett Ratner had to withdraw as co-hosts for this month’s Academy Awards ceremony. The abrasive Mr. Ratner made an anti-gay comment regarding the amount of rehearsing that might be required: “Rehearsal? What’s that? Rehearsal’s for fags.” Uproar, apologies, and resignations followed.

It occurred to me that there is a kernel of “truth” in what Ratner said. Or more accurately, a misplaced belief, a “truth” that many lawyers may hold as self-evident: that rehearsal and practice is for lily-livered, milksop, fraidy-cats.

I say this because last week, I heard yet again, this self-evaluation from an attorney at a CLE seminar: “I’m much better when I don’t prepare.”

Says who?

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Nov

08

How Do You Look?

Body / Body Language  Posted by / 0 comments

Making eye contact is much harder than it might seem. We often think we are looking at our listeners when we are not. We are unaware that our eyes flit off to the side as we think, look down at our notes, or unconsciously avoid looking into the eyes of the people we are speaking to. We usually avoid making eye contact with strangers on the street, and inadvertently transfer that behavior when we speak in professional settings.

How can we be more aware of where we are looking? Engage in “deliberate looking.” Brian Johnson is on the road more than half of every year, and he takes in the sites of the cities he travels to. A huge museum fan, he thinks about looking—and seeing—in helpful ways.

The first step? Put away your smart phone and look around you. Give your attention to what, and who, you see.

Jul

04

Public Speaking Checklists

Body / Breathing / Gesturing / Public Speaking / Voice  Posted by / 0 comments

Public speaking in any forum is a skill. One becomes an artist only after mastering the craft. Here are ten ideas to keep you proficient and on track as you follow the road to expertise. Download versions for corporate attorneys, and trial lawyers.

While waiting your turn to speak:

1. Breathe deeply, slowly and consciously to calm yourself down.

Once you stand, but before you say a word:

2. Plant your feet and stand still.

3. Raise your hands to the Ready Position—loosely touching at waist height.

4. Hear the silence in the room—this is the silence you will hear between phrases.

5. Look your audience in the eye during this moment of silence.

6. Take one final deep breath before you speak. Breathe in—> speak out.

When you begin to speak:

7. Speak in phrases, not whole sentences (think: Pledge of Allegiance rhythm).

8. Gesture immediately—place a word, concept, person, or idea “on the shelf.”

9. Emphasize a key word in every phrase of your sentence.

10. To end sentences “walk down the steps” (“with liberty and justice for all”).

checklists copyright 2011 by Johnson & Hunter, Inc. all rights reserved