How to Use Hand Gestures Effectively

Whether you are presenting virtually through a screen or in-person, hand gestures remain an important part of successful communication. By reinforcing your words and ideas, hand gestures make it easier for your audience to follow along. They can also add an extra layer of expression, which helps strengthen your key points. To use hand gestures effectively, avoid distractive movements, use only positive gestures, and rehearse them thoroughly beforehand.

Avoid Distractive Movements

If we feel nervous, it is often unconsciously reflected in our gestures. You might find yourself tapping your finger, fidgeting, or touching your hair without even realizing it. To you, those gestures don’t impact your speech.To your audience, though, it could be distracting enough to pull their focus away from your message. Practice your presentation with that in mind to minimize and eliminate as many of those movements as possible.

Positive Hand Gestures to Utilize

If you are presenting…