10.4: Common Nonverbal Quirks
- Page ID
- 175734
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Most of us have quirks and our quirks are magnified when we are put in the limelight. The key is to be aware of your quirks and keep them under control by seeking feedback from someone you trust who will be critical and honest. Do any of these common quirks describe you?
- Life raft. A speaker who seeks the safety and security of the podium as though his or life depended upon holding the podium. For them, walking about the room is incomprehensible.
- Awkward hands. This speaker is venturing out in front of the audience but is still not quite sure what to do with his or her hands. The speaker may want to run back to the safety of the life raft, but instead may place his or her hands awkwardly over certain parts of the body.
- Hand washer. A speaker who wrings his or her hands nervously while speaking.
- Caged tiger. The speaker paces from one side of the stage to the other without stopping.
- Rocker. Rockers are caged tigers on the road to recovery. They have conquered the worst phases of stage fright but retain a fear of standing still and simply talking. There are two style variations:
- the fore-and-aft rocker and
- the side-to-side rocker.
- Pocket maniacs. These speakers should consider sewing their pants pockets shut. When pocket maniacs speak they jam their hands into their pockets in an effort to avoid the other quirks of the hands. Sadly, this only creates another quirk that is just as distracting.
- Pen clickers. These speakers are related to the pocket maniacs but they have substituted the clicking of a pen for other annoying quirks of the hands.
- Gadgeteers. These speakers may play with the slide clicker, act as though they have never seen a slide clicker or needlessly employ countless high-tech devices into the presentation in an effort to mask nervousness.
- Too Cool. These speakers are overcompensating for a fear of speaking by trying to look extremely comfortable.
By themselves, these quirks won’t make you fail as a speaker, but they can create problems if they are severe-the audience begins to focus on the quirk instead of your message. Again, most of us have done some of these things at one time or another. Try to be aware of your own mannerisms, keep them in check and make sure they are not detracting from your message.