Unconscious Facial Expressions

Have you ever watched a newscaster on TV closely? They always have a slight smile, even when they are announcing bad or sad news. This is something that does not come naturally, and it has to be practiced until it is somewhat automatic.

Try this exercise:

1. Prepare a few sentences from one of your presentations.

2. Memorize the words so you don’t have to look at anything to say the few sentences.

3. Say the sentences in front of a mirror as though you are giving your talk.

Unless you were telling a funny story, chances are that your expression in the mirror was quite somber.

It’s easy to forget that our faces show many expressions and that we might not be aware of them. When you are giving a presentation, you might be thinking hard and therefore tend to frown; or perhaps you get nervous, forget what comes next, and start to look panicked. Your audience will react to your facial expressions.