Giving a speech during a Model United Nations conference can be tough, but practice makes perfect!
Body language is a key skill to help you look and feel more confident while making a speech – it helps you and your audience focus on the main points of your speech, rather than any distracting movements. Here are the three ways you can improve your body language:
- Eyes: are you making eye contact with your audience? This helps the room feel more connected to you and your speech. Having trouble making eye contact? Look at your audience’s foreheads (yes, really!), or look just above their heads at the back of the room.
- Hands: are your hand gestures adding to or detracting from your speech? If your hands are usually all over the place, keep them to your sides or clasp them in front of you. Don’t be afraid of using your hands to subtly add emphasis to your ideas.
- Feet: are you distracting your audience with your movements? Try to keep your feet in one spot while speaking, and don’t shift your weight around. Keep your feet hip-width apart and stand tall to project confidence!
