Eye Contact

CORE CONTENT | 1.1 min read

Striking a Balance

Effective eye contact is not about staring down individuals but about naturally and inclusively distributing your gaze across the audience. It’s not necessary to look directly at every person listening. That’s totally infeasible for larger groups. However, you want to acknowledge all the areas of the audience. This practice establishes rapport. When you look at your audience, they are more likely to pay attention, feel connected to your message, and engage with your content.

Eye contact should be balanced. Too little will make you seem detached or unconfident. Too much can be intimidating (unsettling, even). The same goes for intensity. One could argue there’s a difference between looking at someone’s eyes and looking into them. “Eye contact” that isn’t personable can make an audience member feel like you are looking through them. If you look at them too hard, though, you will strike fear into their heart. Balance is key.

Tips for Those Struggling with Eye Contact

Even if you struggle with making direct eye contact, know it’s much better to appear to be making eye contact than to stare at the ceiling, floor, or visual aids. Because the time you spend looking at a given person is brief—especially with large groups—you can get away with looking between people or at their foreheads. They may assume you’re looking at someone else. Nonetheless, direct eye contact is much more impactful, so gradually working towards comfortable and natural eye contact is recommended. Try rehearsing with smaller groups. Practice makes perfect!

KEY TAKEAWAYS | 0.2 min read

• Effective eye contact involves a natural distribution of your gaze across the audience, fostering engagement and connection without the need for direct eye contact with every individual.
• Balance in eye contact is crucial; too little may appear detached, while too much can intimidate. Aim for a personable connection without overwhelming the audience.