For those who want to read Part 1: Speaking with Clarity.

I had originally planned to further elaborate on speech, rhetoric construction, and the different ways to consider when communicating, and writing, but a small comment discussion in part 1 lead me to want to talk about physical presence and body language instead.

When it comes to speaking, whether as a speech or in a conversation, there are a certain number of things you can do in order to tip the odds in your favour. Many of you know these, but it’s here as a reminder and in a different context.

Posture

Stand up straight. Duh? When you force yourself to stand up straight, you typically get a wave of energy and confidence, which will help with your delivery. When it comes to picking up girls, or delivering a presentation of some sort, I’m sure you can imagine why this is helpful. When you give a speech, a good posture is a very subliminal “I know what I’m talking about.” As it portrays confidence, and security.

When you sit, sit up straight. It shows you are healthy, that you are not lazy, and you are also paying attention. Leaning in has its purposes, but this should not be your default, nor should slouching, or sinking into your chair.

Shaking hands

You’d think this one is a no brainer right? Before you shake their hand, match their height, then extend your hand out so that your forearm is parallel to the ground, don’t reach out too far, and don’t keep your elbow in too close. When you do go to shake their hand, look them in the eye – you’re greeting them, not their hand. It’s also important to have a firm grip, as to other men it shows that you are a fuckin’ man, and to women, it shows them that you’re a fuckin’ man. Do not misinterpret this as a squeezing match.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MY HANDS?!

Kino. If you’re making a speech however, your hands should be visible at all times. This means that they are out of any potential pockets and that they are not hiding behind things. When you speak, using your hands as a form of emphasis, as a form of pacing, and expression is welcomed. Speaking with two hands is actually more convincing (I will find the source later). This is for all walks of life, selling things, describing things, suggesting things.

Tone

This is a form of non-verbal communication that doesn’t actually use your physical body to display. This is often a sticking point for people who start out, because they approach with an opener that worked a thousand times for others, and then they get shot down before they finish their sentence. This is likely because they are fighting the approach anxiety and can’t let out more than a creepy mumble, or they compensate by shooting bolts of refined energy in form of words. For those who think they are monotone, or they have issue in portraying the correct tone, there are a few ways you can improve this;

Record yourself – Say a word or repeat a line or use an opener on yourself. Do this in multiple times, in different ways so that you understand your own range. For some, we might think that our default tone is friendly, neutral, and completely harmless, but in relative terms, it might come off as intense, or aggressive. With practice, you will have more control.

Change your tone, then deliver – Want to be friendlier? Smile, think happy thoughts, then deliver what you were going to say. When you are happy, you sound happier. When you are serious, you sound serious. This is method acting 101, but without delving into the depths, you can take the simple method with you and use it to your advantage.

Part 3 comes out later.