Myth Busters (Look over their heads) :Bright Ideas in Public Speaking with DR. SUNNY
Channel: Dr. Sunny
Date: 04/05/2017

THE WORST ADVICE I EVER HEAR ABOUT EYE CONTACT IN PUBLIC SPEAKING IS TO LOOK OVER THE HEADS OF THE AUDIENCE WHEN YOU’RE SPEAKING--JUST OVER THEIR HEADS--THE MISCONCEPTION IS THAT THE AUDIENCE WON’T NOTICE AND YOU’LL FEEL LESS ANXIETY AS A SPEAKER WHEN NOT MAKING EYE CONTACT.

I’M DR. SUNNY AND I’M HERE TO SAY THAT IS COMPLETELY WRONG.  IT’S SO WRONG THAT I RECOMMEND YOU DON’T LOOK OVER THE HEADS OF YOUR AUDIENCE BECAUSE CHANCES ARE THAT WHEN YOU DO THAT...YOUR MESSAGE WILL GO OVER THEIR HEADS AS WELL.  YOUR AUDIENCE IS GOING TO WONDER WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT...OR WORSE...THEY’LL FIGURE OUT THAT YOU’RE AVOIDING EYE CONTACT WITH EVERYONE IN THE ROOM AND THAT….WILL DAMAGE YOUR CREDIBILITY AS A SPEAKER.

RECORDING SPEECHES IS NO DIFFERENT.  SO MANY TIMES I SEE STUDENTS LOOKING OFF SCREEN OR READING THEIR ENTIRE SPEECH.  THIS IS NOT AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO REACH YOUR AUDIENCE.  AUDIENCES CRAVE EYE CONTACT...AND F-Y-I….WE’RE ALL ON TO YOU.  WHEN YOU DON’T LOOK AT YOUR AUDIENCE, YOU DON’T CONNECT. 

IN GIVING VIDEO SPEECHES, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU MAINTAIN EYE CONTACT WITH YOUR AUDIENCE THROUGH YOUR CAMERA LENS.  LOOK DIRECTLY AT IT.  I RECOMMEND DRAWING EYE BALLS ON A POST IT NOTE WITH SHARPIE AND PUTTING IT RIGHT BELOW YOUR LENS SO YOU REMEMBER WHERE TO LOOK.  

I ALSO RECOMMEND FRAMING YOUR VIDEO MORE WIDELY THAN YOU MIGHT FOR VIDEO CHATTING.  THIS WILL MAKE MINOR CHANGES IN YOUR EYE CONTACT LESS NOTICEABLE. 

A  FINAL TIP--MINIMIZE YOUR RECORDING VIDEO SO YOU CAN’T SEE YOURSELF--IF THE CHOICE IS LOOKING AT YOUR LENS OR YOURSELF...MOST PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT THEMSELVES AND THAT TOO LOOKS UNNATURAL IN THE VIDEO SPEECH BECAUSE YOU BROKE THE GAZE WITH THE AUDIENCE.

THE SECRET TO GIVING GREAT EYE CONTACT IS TO LOOK AT THE AUDIENCE---AND IN ONLINE PUBLIC SPEAKING THAT MEANS YOU LOOK AT THE LENS.  YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT EYE CONTACT IN REAL LIFE BY WATCHING THAT VIDEO IN MY BRIGHT IDEA SERIES.

Are you looking to take public speaking online while also earning college credit?

This is the place for you.  Try Dr. Sunny!

Dr. Sunny Skye Hughes teaches at Santa Fe College-ranked #1 community college in 2016 by the Aspen Institute.

You can take the class from anywhere as a transient student.
Learn more here: https://www.sunnyhughes.com