Professional actors are finely tuned to their emotions, enabling them to speak with the movement of a hand.  An effective spokesperson also makes use of body movements to convey appropriate emotion.

The following gestures and expressions are considered positive and convey personal interest and self-confidence:

• Look people in the eye;
• Lean slightly forward, if seated;
• Make hand movements that occur naturally as a supplement to what you are saying;
• Listen intently to anyone who asks a question;
• Listen to what other people have to say.

The following gestures and expressions tend to be negative and convey tension and nervousness:

• Inappropriate smiling, laughter;
• Tightly clasped hands;
• Hands gripping sides of chairs, tables, knees;
• Hands toying with pencils, water glasses, buttons, microphones;
• Drumming on the tabletop;
• Tightening and loosening of jaw;
• A ramrod straight, unnatural posture.

These movements convey impatience and discomfort:

• Swinging legs;
• Shifting in chair;
• Shifting eyes.

These movements convey guilt and disinterest:

• Casting eyes toward ceiling;
• Failure to look at the audience;
• Slouching posture;
• Closing eyes.