"In my research on the science of artful thinking, coming to fully understand how we think with our bodies was a revelation. For years, precisely because I didn't want to be seen as the caricature captured in this lighthearted joke, I deliberately sought to keep my hands still when speaking in public. I wanted to project a calm dignity that I thought would make me a more impactful communicator."
"These days, most people's instinct is to look for technology-based solutions for improving communication. Moving our hands while we speak helps us to retrieve elusive words from memory. Being shy or self-conscious about how our body moves when we speak impedes our ability to communicate. Robert M. Krauss, an esteemed psychology professor, shared a joke he heard as a child from his maternal grandfather that would inform the direction of his career, although he didn't know it at the time."
Most people instinctively seek technology-based solutions to improve communication. Hand gestures support cognitive processes by helping speakers retrieve elusive words from memory. Suppressing natural gestures out of shyness or a desire for calm dignity reduces communicative effectiveness. Conversational gestures are not solely visual aids for listeners; they function as tools that help speakers organize and express thoughts. Believing that stillness enhances impact can unintentionally hamper fluent expression. Embracing bodily movement while speaking can facilitate word finding and clarity. Awareness of the role of gesture can shift communication strategies away from purely technological fixes toward embodied practices.
Read at Psychology Today
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