100 Things Every Presenter Needs to Know About People

76. People Assign Meaning to Your Hand Gestures

Everyone “talks” with his hands to some extent. Some people’s hand-talking or gesturing matches their message well. Other people have a tendency to make overly large gestures that can be distracting. Others don’t use their hands much at all. No matter which camp you fall into, it’s important to pay attention to your hand gestures and practice some new ones you might not be used to using.

Universal Hand Gestures

Some hand gestures are universal across all languages, geographies, and cultures.

Using no hand gestures at all conveys a lack of interest, and if your audience can’t see your hands at all, it will be hard for them to trust you.

If you gesture with your hands open and your palms up, you are ...