Self-confidence opens doors in every area of life. Of course, sometimes we lack confidence, and that’s when we need to fake it until we make it. I recommend reading our article “Solving the self-confidence puzzle.”
Looking confident can help you do better in job interviews, and it can certainly help when you’re addressing a crowd or in a business meeting. But obviously we don’t always have that confidence, so let’s look at how to seem more confident even when you’re lacking it.
(Read: The 9 most common mistakes when speaking in public)
1. Speak more slowly.
Some people speak faster when they’re nervous. Others just speak fast by nature. Whatever your reasons, conscious or subconscious, speaking too fast signals a lack of authority or a lack of confidence.
Also, when you speak quickly you’re more prone to communication mistakes, and you have less time to think about your words. Focus on speaking more slowly. Your audience will have more time to digest what you’re telling them, you’ll be less likely to make serious mistakes, and people won’t misinterpret your words.
2. Use pauses.
Using pauses is another strategy that can help you speak more slowly and appear self-assured. Get creative and use pauses to give your talk more impact.
For example, if you have to open a public presentation with a speech of 8 long sentences and you make a significant point after sentence 3, take a considerable pause. It adds weight to what that last sentence said and gives the audience a moment to take it in better.
It also gives you a chance to gather your thoughts and get ready for the next section of the speech, adding authority and confidence to what you’re presenting.
3. Lower your pitch.
Take a look at some of the most famous speeches in history, at politicians who are popular today, and even at TV presenters.
Most of them have lower-pitched voices, and that’s no coincidence. People tend to see those who speak in a lower pitch as having more authority and confidence. Practice speaking in a lower pitch as much as you can.
4. Improve your posture.
Body language is as important in a conversation as the words that come out of your mouth. Whether you’re sitting or standing in front of your audience, work on improving your posture. Standing or sitting, keep your back straight, your shoulders back and your head held high.
This will make you look bigger and more confident, and it will help you feel more confident too. You’ll also get the added benefit of aligning your body so you can breathe, and therefore speak, more efficiently. Posture can take a lot of work, so make sure you practice in advance.
(Read: Changing your body language not just to fake it, but to become it)
5. Gesture.
Using your hands and arms to punctuate or enhance what you say is another very valuable body language strategy.
Speakers who use body language actively in their presentations tend to be seen as more confident and authoritative than those who don’t.
Obviously, different hand gestures can signal different things, and if you just wave your hands wildly in front of your audience, you may look out of control. Instead, focus on saving your hand gestures for your most powerful words, and try to keep your movements restrained and under tight control.
(Read: How to improve your presentation skills and lose your fear of public speaking)
6. Talk more.
The conversations that matter in our lives, whether in the form of a public presentation or a negotiation, are fairly rare.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t prepare for those meaningful conversations in our everyday lives. Look for new opportunities to communicate with others whenever you get the chance, in any context.
Put these speaking strategies into practice and focus on improving your skills over time. The only way to get better is to work at it, so striking up conversations with strangers wherever you go is a good way to start.
The good thing about these conversation tricks is that they’re very practical and can be used anywhere, in almost any context where you’re talking to other people. Practice with strangers, friends or colleagues. Over time, it will become second nature, and your natural tone of voice will convey a greater level of confidence and authority.
Read: 6 public speaking tips from a world champion of public speaking
Featured image: Eugène Delacroix, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
