A feat of confidence?
Many years ago I was a trainee executive with a large company. As part of my
induction I was sent on a presentation skills course. After three days of intensive
coaching we all had to make a ten minute presentation, which was to be video-
taped, to instructors and colleagues on a subject of our choice.
Well aware of the impression that a wavering voice and incongruent body lan-
guage made, I practised a clear, steady tone, confident expression and smooth,
flowing hand movements in front of a mirror. When the moment arrived, although
feeling far from relaxed, I was sure I would lookand soundconfident. And so it
seemed initially. When the video was played back, my face and upper body looked
completely relaxed.
However, the camera operator had noticed something of which I was entirely
unaware. He panned in on my feet. Unbeknown to me, but perfectly obvious to
everyone else in the room, they were tapping away uncontrollably, with a vigour
which would have made Fred Astaire proud!
The moral? If you are not fully confident, no matter how hard you try to disguise it
your non-verbals will give you away one way or another.
39 CONFIDENT BODY LANGUAGE