Do you ever notice how some people tilt their head when you’re speaking to them? Subtextually, they’re giving you the message that they’re listening. And they probably are doing just that.
But what if that same person is actually speaking to you individually or to an audience using the same tilt? Aren’t you a bit distracted by the “head tilt”? I sure am…and actually the tilt more than slants credibility. I recently saw Campbell Brown on CNN during coverage of a recent primary. Not only was her head tilted, but her entire body was in some kind of pretzel position. I was so utterly distracted and disappointed, I couldn’t hear a word she was saying. Not so great for someone from whom we expect big-time credibility.
Even the highly acclaimed and popular Diane Sawyer tilts more than she squares her face to the camera. I’ve actually thought about writing her about this…haven’t whipped up the guts yet. Women do the tilt more than men. But neither gender is exempt from its creep.
As a presentation trainer, I constantly teach my clients the importance of eliminating all distractions. What you do with your face and eyes rank high when it comes to effective presentation tools. So anything unnecessary you do in that department is a leading cause of distraction. It’s amazing how many tell me they never noticed the head tilting they do when they present.
Some even say focusing on eliminating the tilt helped their posture. Absolutely! Your entire presence greatly improves when you can look your audience in the eye (or the camera, as the case may be) and just speak. Simply say what you have to say. Your message is not overshadowed by the shadow your face puts out when you tilt. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic. But you get the picture.
So straighten up and straighten out that head. I guarantee you’ll deliver.