Imagine watching a movie with the sound turned off. You might not understand every line of dialogue, but you can still tell when something important is happening.
A character suddenly stops walking…
Someone moves closer…
Another person backs away…
A character enters the room slowly…
Someone stands alone while everyone else gathers around them…
You see, physical movement gives context to what is happening, and public speaking works in much the same way.
Movement gives shape to ideas. It can signal that a speaker is shifting from background to breakthrough, problem to solution, tension to relief, or one perspective to another.
One of the most common movement habits among speakers is pacing.
—back and forth, left and right, three steps in one direction, three steps back, and repeat.
However, random movement can create an unintended message. It can make you appear nervous, distracted, or uncertain—even when you actually feel confident.
Besides, there is a major difference between pacing and progressing.
Pacing says:
“I don’t know where to stand.”
Progressing says:
“We’re going somewhere.”
So, instead of wandering while talking, assign different physical locations to different parts of your presentation.
For example:
- One side of the stage represents the problem.
- The center represents the turning point.
- The other side represents the solution.
Suddenly, the audience isn’t just listening to a sequence of ideas; they’re watching you travel from one idea to another.
So, before taking a step onstage, ask a simple question:
“Why am I moving?”
If the answer is “because I feel awkward standing here,” don’t move.
If the answer is “because I want to emphasize this transition,” now your movement has purpose.
This doesn’t mean every step needs to be carefully choreographed. The goal isn’t to make your presentation look like a Broadway musical.
Rather, the goal is to make physical movement feel intentional rather than accidental.
Your movement can serve several purposes:
-
Transition
A change in position can tell the audience that you are moving into a new section.
Instead of saying, “Now let’s move on to the next point,” you can physically move while transitioning.
In that way, your body communicates the change before the words finish explaining it.
-
Emphasis
Sometimes, the most powerful movement is moving closer to the audience.
Imagine saying, “Here’s the part nobody talks about,” then taking a few deliberate steps forward.
That physical shift creates intimacy. The audience feels that something important is coming.
-
Contrast
Movement can help distinguish two competing ideas. For example:
“Most companies think the problem is price…”
Move to one side:
“… but customers aren’t actually asking for cheaper…”
Move to the other:
“… they’re asking for simpler.”
Now, the audience has a visual representation of the contrast.
-
Revelation
A speaker can use movement to create anticipation. Perhaps they spend the first several minutes near one side of the stage. Then, after building suspense, they slowly walk towards the center.
The movement itself becomes part of the reveal, and the audience may not know why the speaker is moving.
That uncertainty creates curiosity, and curiosity is fuel for attention.
A Simple Exercise: Map Your Speech
Before your next presentation, take your script and divide it into major story beats. Write down:
- Where am I starting?
- What changes?
- Where is the tension?
- What is the turning point?
- Where is the payoff?
Then, assign movement to those moments.
Maybe you begin stationary…
Maybe you move when introducing the problem…
Maybe you return to the center for the key insight…
Maybe you move closer when sharing something personal…
Maybe you become completely still for the final line…
Then, rehearse the presentation without worrying about memorizing every word.
Practice the journey. Notice where your body naturally wants to move, where movement feels unnecessary, and where stillness creates more power.
Soon, the stage stops feeling like an empty rectangle. It becomes part of your storytelling toolkit.
—
Ultimately, great public speaking isn’t about making the speaker look dynamic. It’s about making the audience feel the progression of the idea.
If movement exists only to impress the audience, it becomes performance for performance’s sake.
However, when movement supports the message, it disappears into the experience.
That’s the goal!
After all, the best speakers aren’t necessarily the ones who use the most gestures, walk the most miles, or command the biggest stage. They’re the ones whose physical presence makes their message easier to experience.
So, the next time you step onto a stage, don’t ask yourself:
“Where should I stand?”
Ask:
“Where does this story need me to be?”
Let the beginning, conflict, breakthrough, and conclusion have their own places.
Move when the story moves.
Stop when the story needs stillness.
Step forward when the audience needs intimacy.
Change direction when the idea changes.
… and when you reach the moment you’ve been building toward, don’t be afraid to simply stand there.
Don’t just give your audience a story to listen to; give them a story they can watch unfold.
Keep these tips in mind the next time you prepare for your public speaking engagement!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Thursdays: Speak on the Shoulders of Giants”
In a meeting with one person…
… a boardroom with five people…
… or a huge venue with hundreds of people…
—whatever the situation or setting, it’s very important to learn and eventually master the art of public speaking.
No matter what, you always need to effectively get your message across.
What good is a presentation with awesome content if you don’t deliver it properly?
Every Thursday, we publish different tips, insights, and secrets on how you can improve your presentation skills to captivate your audience and lead interesting discussions.
The need for great presentation skills applies EVERYWHERE.
(Small meetings with your team, big meetings with your boss, an important marketing pitch, speaking engagements for events with a big audience, etc.)
Learning these skills is not just for the corporate world. Being in other industries such as the Arts, Information Technology, Medicine, and Education while knowing how to communicate and present well will definitely give you an edge.
Have that advantage.
Hope you find this week’s public speaking tip interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Thursday’s “Speak on the Shoulders of Giants!”
Cheers,
Henry Desai
Managing Director
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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