May 2006

The Speaker's Smile

Smile.

Audiences warm up to speakers who smile. Here’s why. Smiles break down barriers, reduce the perceived distance between you and your listeners, cause listeners to have more confidence in what you are saying and make you feel better and more confident in yourself. A smile creates a feeling in listeners that you are a warm human being. A smile communicates that while you believe what you are saying, you don’t take yourself too seriously.

We all like speakers better—even intense, driven, Type A speakers—who smile. And over time, even listeners who are the “no nonsense, down to business, don’t waste my time with trivialities type of individuals” react better to people who smile.

Don’t underestimate the importance of smiling—not a silly grin, a nervous laugh, or a perpetual “happy face,” but a ready smile that communicates, “I’m real, I’m human, and I know what I’m talking about. I am a person to be listened to and trusted. I care about you. I like you and I want you to like me.”

Somebody once said, “A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks and make people want to listen to you.” I need that.