No Distracting Motions: The 2nd of the 7 Techniques Utilized by Effective Public Speakers & Storytellers

1. Good Eye-Contact

2. No Distracting Motions

3. Good Enthusiasm & Expression

4. Good Preparation

5. Good Use of Voice & Good Volume

6. Appropriate Talking Speed

7. Good Use of Body & Hand Gestures

This article will address the importance of not making distracting motions when you perform.

When you perform stories for an audience, it is extremely important to avoid making distracting motions that take away from the effectiveness of your performance. You want to make certain that all motions you make with your hands, feet, shoulders, head, and any other body parts should be coordinated with your story line.

In high school, one of my two majors was drama. I felt totally confident being the lead in two plays. This felt simple to do as it wasn't me, Debbie Dunn, who was up there performing. It was the good fairy or the unwicked witch or whatever other role I was assigned to portray. On the other hand, when I had to give a speech, I was filled with feelings of anxiety. My arms and hands felt like they weighed fifty pounds each. I had no idea what to do with them. I found myself wishing that I could simply remove my arms until my speech was concluded and then I could glue them back on afterward.

Have you ever witnessed a performer playing with their hair, wringing their hands, biting their nails, picking at their clothes, or doing other distracting motions with their hands? Perhaps you have found yourself being guilty of doing one of those things.

I have an aunt who is an extremely eloquent and interesting speaker. She uses her hands to illustrate her every point. I often found myself wondering if she would be able to talk at all if her hands happened to be tied.

As a performer of stories, I find it easy to use hand motions and other body language to illustrate my stories. For one thing, as I internalize each story when I first begin learning it, I stand in front of a mirror, finding the ideal body motion, hand gesture, and posture to make that particular character come to life. I work hard at only allowing my story characters to use body language that tie in with the story line. When I get to the part of the story where I am the narrator, I make certain that I keep my arms calmly at my sides. Disciplining my hands motions and my body language feels easy to do as it doesn't feel like it is me doing this. It is the narrator or the story character who is up there performing - not me, Debbie Dunn.

On the other hand, when I have to go on a job interview or answer a question where I haven't had a chance to think through my answer in advance, it becomes rather evident that I have a case of nerves. How? First, I sometimes give a long elaborate answer rather than just sticking to the point. I have even been guilty of going off onto tangents, hoping that somewhere among all those words, I actually answer the question that the interviewer wanted to hear. The other dead giveaway is my hands. I still cringe as I recall my long ago interview to be a middle school teacher. I was being interviewed by the principal, the assistant principal, and several teachers from the school. I often talk with my hands. But halfway through the interview, I became aware that my hands were just flying in front of my face. It was almost like they were a separate entity from my body. I just could not seem to manage to control them. Thankfully, I got the job in spite of them. I was a teacher at that school for several years.

If you ever find yourself similarly challenged with your hands, I have four suggestions:

1. If you are standing, you could clasp your hands in front of your body. If you are sitting, you could rest them in your lap. Make certain you clasp your hands loosely rather than tightly; otherwise, you will give the appearance of being extremely nervous. Your audience will get distracted by this. You will notice them noticing this. Then your mild case of nerves has the potential to become very strong indeed.

2. You can hold your hands at your sides, but don't get caught wiggling your fingers or picking at your clothes. Once again, many audience members are certain to be distracted should you do this.

3. You could put your hands in your pockets. Once again, make certain you do not wiggle your fingers. Otherwise, I guarantee that many people will find themselves staring at your pockets, wondering what is going on.

4. Clasping your hands behind your back is probably the easiest method of all. Even if you are wiggling your fingers or picking at your clothes, the majority of the audience will never be aware that this is happening.

Of course, you could be one of those lucky individuals who never have a problem with making distracting motions with your hands and arms. However, you might be one of those performers who has what I like to call the rock-'n'-rolling blues. You sway back and forth, front to back, side to side, or you rock on your feet. You might even have a machine gun style of pacing. It is fine to move to different parts of the stage occasionally to address different sections of the audience. What is quite distracting are those performers who pace back and forth so quickly and so often that the audience begins to feel like they are getting whiplash as they try to keep up with you.

So if having the rock-'n'-rolling blues or being a manic pacer is one of your challenges, here are two suggestions that don't work and one that does.

1. DON'T spread your legs too far apart. You can't help but sway back and forth, or you might actually topple over.

2. DON'T lock your knees. You can't help but sway. You might actually get dizzy holding your legs too close together.

3. DO comfortably spread your legs and plant your feet firmly on the floor. When you decide to relocate to a different part of the stage, once again comfortably spread your legs and plant your feet firmly on the floor.

Other distracting motions and actions include:

• Making no eye contact

• Wearing jewelry that makes loud jingle-jangle noises

• Playing with your hair

• Story too long and tiresome

• Speaking in a monotone

• Giggling or being unnecessarily silly

• Frequently using phrases like "you know" or "and uh ..."

Distracting Motions are another dead give away that someone is feeling nervous as they speak. Therefore, it is to the storyteller's advantage to avoid making distracting motions. The audience's focus should be on the story content rather than the person telling the story.

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