The Perfect Pitch Includes All of You
Being prepared is number one when it comes to pitching or performing any kind of presentation. The list needs to be checked. Who is the client or audience? What is the essential information to provide? What materials are needed? In what order do they need to be presented? What needs to be highlighted? And so on. Content is perhaps the part we spend most time and energy on when preparing.
What about when all content is aligned, yet you are not? The presentation does not exist without you presenting yourself first. How often does the preparation include you? Sometimes what is lacking or forgotten is personal movement preparation. In other words: how we use ourselves in movement and as a result also speech. How we move affects voice quality.
The way we carry ourselves and our ideas forward often makes a significant difference in how our work is received. What if the way you move sends another message than your words? Is tension or nervousness becoming the focus? If so, it might not matter how good your product, service or idea is, it could fail on personal delivery.
BODY LANGUAGE
There is plenty of advice on body language shoulds and should-nots while presenting. One example is this list of 8 fatal body language mistakes to avoid during presentations.
These kinds of lists can be helpful yet they perpetuate some ideas and beliefs that leads to static thinking and uncoordinated movement. Body language is in fact whole, psychophysical language.
If we, as the article above suggests, think we need to find a posture position that is neutral rather than hunched over people are most likely going to move from one stuck place to another. Attempting to “hold” any position requires unnecessary muscle tension.
Our posture is the shape we hold most of the time as we attempt to be in a position. This is the main reason we get uncomfortable standing or sitting for extended times. It is not a sustainable way to think about ourselves.
MOVING PARTS
When discovering his technique F.M Alexander was an actor and reciter and had developed a hoarseness to the point of losing his voice. Doctors could not help him so he concluded it must be something he did to himself that caused the problem. He experimented in front of a mirror. He attempted to move his parts around to try to solve his problem through posturing himself in different ways.
It was not until he found that coordinating the head and spine relationship first aligned everything else. It created a non-posturing relationship between all the parts which no longer required a muscular ‘holding’ of anything. Instead it invited dynamic movement through his system. https://www.amazon.com/Use-Self-F-M-Alexander/dp/0752843915
GESTURING
Suggestions to limit oneself from certain movements or gestures is not the ultimate answer. Similarly to posturing it may create unnecessary tension. Our movement, gestures and behaviour is a lot more nuanced in real life.
As Joe Navarro, author and 25-year veteran of the FBI explains. “When we study nonverbal behavior we have to consider context, the environment, and all the behaviors we see, not just one. That means reading all of the body, from head to toe.”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/spycatcher/201410/9-truths-exposing-myth-about-body-language
In his article about the myths of body language he exposes the myth about arm-crossing, which is largely seen as a negative gesture. Supposedly it blocks people out. It is actually more commonly used as a comforting self-hug. We tend to do this while waiting or listening to someone speaking. If the rest of the person is open and relaxed, it might not send a negative message at all. It will be interpreted as part of a whole.
Other things also come into play, like timing, length, speed or repetition of a gesture that will cause one as opposed to another interpretation. It is more about how one does the gesture as opposed to what gesture one does.
BEGINNING WHOLE
It all comes back to whole. Focusing on limb gesture alone or moving parts around first is often counterproductive. If there are interferences or tensions in our underlying coordination already, changing the gesture could look contrived and tense. The quality of our gestures come as a result of how we support ourselves through our structure.
Coordinating our whole system begins with looking at the movement is supported through the spine. When supported well open and inviting language comes as an expression of our natural coordination from our core and out our limbs.
Clearing anything that is in our way paves the path for a clear expression. It can be old patterns of beliefs about ourselves that needs an update. Or perhaps it is a more temporary reaction to the stress of performing that needs a plan. Either way we look at the whole first to change the overall quality and then if needed we can look at how the parts respond.
When our limbs are free to express more organic or authentic movement the gestures automatically become more appropriate in bringing clarity and emphasis to what we want to communicate.
THE TAILORED ROUTE
If how a person uses themselves is a challenge for them in getting ready to do a presentation a generalised list of what to think about most likely will not do. Basing changes on each person's individual needs and goals, however, sets the person up for personal success.
Returning to the authentic movement of self in the most efficient way begins with where each person is right now. Doing a whole self preparation born out of their current coordination with tailored feedback is key. It can be done by oneself, yet asking a friend with a keen eye or an expert to be part of your preparation is invaluable.
Copyright - Kajsa Ingemansson, 2018 (Published by Inside Scandinavian Business)
What about when all content is aligned, yet you are not? The presentation does not exist without you presenting yourself first. How often does the preparation include you? Sometimes what is lacking or forgotten is personal movement preparation. In other words: how we use ourselves in movement and as a result also speech. How we move affects voice quality.
The way we carry ourselves and our ideas forward often makes a significant difference in how our work is received. What if the way you move sends another message than your words? Is tension or nervousness becoming the focus? If so, it might not matter how good your product, service or idea is, it could fail on personal delivery.
BODY LANGUAGE
There is plenty of advice on body language shoulds and should-nots while presenting. One example is this list of 8 fatal body language mistakes to avoid during presentations.
These kinds of lists can be helpful yet they perpetuate some ideas and beliefs that leads to static thinking and uncoordinated movement. Body language is in fact whole, psychophysical language.
If we, as the article above suggests, think we need to find a posture position that is neutral rather than hunched over people are most likely going to move from one stuck place to another. Attempting to “hold” any position requires unnecessary muscle tension.
Our posture is the shape we hold most of the time as we attempt to be in a position. This is the main reason we get uncomfortable standing or sitting for extended times. It is not a sustainable way to think about ourselves.
MOVING PARTS
When discovering his technique F.M Alexander was an actor and reciter and had developed a hoarseness to the point of losing his voice. Doctors could not help him so he concluded it must be something he did to himself that caused the problem. He experimented in front of a mirror. He attempted to move his parts around to try to solve his problem through posturing himself in different ways.
It was not until he found that coordinating the head and spine relationship first aligned everything else. It created a non-posturing relationship between all the parts which no longer required a muscular ‘holding’ of anything. Instead it invited dynamic movement through his system. https://www.amazon.com/Use-Self-F-M-Alexander/dp/0752843915
GESTURING
Suggestions to limit oneself from certain movements or gestures is not the ultimate answer. Similarly to posturing it may create unnecessary tension. Our movement, gestures and behaviour is a lot more nuanced in real life.
As Joe Navarro, author and 25-year veteran of the FBI explains. “When we study nonverbal behavior we have to consider context, the environment, and all the behaviors we see, not just one. That means reading all of the body, from head to toe.”
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/spycatcher/201410/9-truths-exposing-myth-about-body-language
In his article about the myths of body language he exposes the myth about arm-crossing, which is largely seen as a negative gesture. Supposedly it blocks people out. It is actually more commonly used as a comforting self-hug. We tend to do this while waiting or listening to someone speaking. If the rest of the person is open and relaxed, it might not send a negative message at all. It will be interpreted as part of a whole.
Other things also come into play, like timing, length, speed or repetition of a gesture that will cause one as opposed to another interpretation. It is more about how one does the gesture as opposed to what gesture one does.
BEGINNING WHOLE
It all comes back to whole. Focusing on limb gesture alone or moving parts around first is often counterproductive. If there are interferences or tensions in our underlying coordination already, changing the gesture could look contrived and tense. The quality of our gestures come as a result of how we support ourselves through our structure.
Coordinating our whole system begins with looking at the movement is supported through the spine. When supported well open and inviting language comes as an expression of our natural coordination from our core and out our limbs.
Clearing anything that is in our way paves the path for a clear expression. It can be old patterns of beliefs about ourselves that needs an update. Or perhaps it is a more temporary reaction to the stress of performing that needs a plan. Either way we look at the whole first to change the overall quality and then if needed we can look at how the parts respond.
When our limbs are free to express more organic or authentic movement the gestures automatically become more appropriate in bringing clarity and emphasis to what we want to communicate.
THE TAILORED ROUTE
If how a person uses themselves is a challenge for them in getting ready to do a presentation a generalised list of what to think about most likely will not do. Basing changes on each person's individual needs and goals, however, sets the person up for personal success.
Returning to the authentic movement of self in the most efficient way begins with where each person is right now. Doing a whole self preparation born out of their current coordination with tailored feedback is key. It can be done by oneself, yet asking a friend with a keen eye or an expert to be part of your preparation is invaluable.
Copyright - Kajsa Ingemansson, 2018 (Published by Inside Scandinavian Business)