THE TOOLKIT
Eye Contact

Eye communication or eye contact, also known as “oculesics” in communication studies, is critical in American (United States) culture. This non-verbal behavior varies greatly among cultures, but leads to a tremendous amount of impact, respect, and trust in American business situations.

Initiating eye contact at the beginning of your words will gain attention, while the absence of eye contact at key moments implies submissiveness and trivializes your message. Hold eye contact for a few seconds with different audience members. And with larger audiences, give eye contact to people on the ends and in the very front and back.

Additional tips on eye contact to keep in mind:

• Starting your eye contact on an audience member will increase your confidence.
• Don’t scan your audience; look into their eyes.
• Don’t look over your audience’s heads.
• Holding eye contact at the end of a thought communicates impact and power.
• Recipients of prolonged gazes tend to nod in agreement.
• Lowered eyebrows are more intimidating than raised eyebrows.
• Individuals who are gazed upon are cowed into submissiveness.