Gestures that will make you persuasive

Gestures that will make you persuasive

Whether you are making a speech, giving a presentation or trying to persuade someone, understanding how to use gestures can make you more persuasive.    As you can see from this chart the experts tell us that body language (which includes gestures) is the most important element in being powerfully persuasive...

Here are the most important gestures and what they mean..

Hands at a 90 degree angle and fingers together conveys confidence in what you are saying.

Hands open with palms down means you are certain about what  you are saying.

Hands open with palms up means you are asking for something from your audience.

Hands open with palms at a 45 degree angle means you are being open and honest.

Hands to your chest or on your heart is meant to convey honesty.  It's easier to imagine how much more convincing President Clinton would have been had he used this gesture instead of the one below when talking about Monica Lewinsky....

and what if you want to convey extreme confidence?

Steepling of your hands conveys intelligence, confidence and thoughtfulness.

Those are just some of the gestures that great speakers use to become more persuasive.    And of course the most successful politicians, leaders and sales people (Master Persuaders) are the most practiced at using them.  

Finally I will leave you with this gesture...