How to Master the Art of Public Speaking — Wear a Mask
Yes, wearing one can be suffocating, but it can strike a conversation too.
Have you ever had a dream where you’re roaming naked on the street? If you have, you know the aftershocks of that dream when you wake up. Nowadays, if you step out of the house without wearing a mask, you feel as naked as in the dream.
The pandemic has added another piece of clothing. As if we didn’t have to wear enough already and here goes another suffocating one, ‘the mask’. Covering most of the face, all you can see now is the eyes. It can be quite amusing.
Take grocery shopping, for example. You head out to buy veggies, and the seller looks at your mask-worn face. Before, you may not have been able to express how good or bad the veggies were to his face, but now you’re free to emote anything while the person in front has no clue.
Next, you’re out for a walk, and see someone attractive. You don’t need to hide your smirk anymore; the mask is doing the job for you.
The famous proverb, ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ is now applied to its best. All one can see is the eyes. You don’t have anything else to go on, which may pose a challenge, or you may get better at maintaining eye contact. The more you accept this additional piece of clothing as the new normal, the more you learn NOT to judge people on their looks and instead, observe their true self through their eyes.
Masquerade balls may seem fascinating in fictional novels, but now you are attending one every day. In comparison, if you’re travelling to work or taking a walk on the beach, whether you’re in the cab or on a flight, the only gateway to make conversation is by maintaining eye contact.
According to an article published by Michigan State University Extension, on the mistakes one must avoid while maintaining eye contact, suggests:
Use the 50/70 rule: To maintain appropriate eye contact without staring, you should maintain eye contact for 50% of the time while speaking and 70% of the time while listening. This helps to display interest and confidence.
Maintain it for 4–5 seconds: Once you establish eye contact, maintain or hold it for 4–5 seconds. After this time passes, you can slowly glance to the side and then go back to establishing eye contact.
So if you want to gain confidence in public speaking, this is your best opportunity. You don’t have an option but to look into the eyes to get a conversation going. It may seem intimidating at first (remember you don’t want to appear as a crazy stalker) but learn how to express yourself by maintaining eye contact pleasingly.
Please take it as a lesson taught by nature. Humans tend to look at the whole of something rather than its parts. To put it simply, we only want to see something in its entirety. In the process, we miss a person’s intricate aspects that tell us more than their exterior.
It requires time to build trust in any relationship. Usually, we make our first impression and conclusions about a person at the drop of a hat. It’s only when you invest time that you realise a person’s true nature.
To view this situation from a different perspective, the mask forces you to observe the eyes first. You don’t have much to go on; thus, you begin talking, and before the cover unfolds, you’ve already made your first impression. Now that you see the person in his or her entirety, your first impression may or may not be accurate, but at least you’ve not made a mistake to judge too quickly.
I do not think that mask-wearing should continue, but if you change your perspective from the suffocation to analysing people, you’ll see how fun it can be. Even before the pandemic, people were confined in their rooms. They now have an opportunity to step out with confidence. With a mask and a hoodie, it’s only the eyes on display, and since this is the new normal, no one looks at you with suspicion.
Therefore, this makes it the perfect opportunity for people who struggle with public speaking or just making conversation to try. Now, no one will judge you by your appearance. You need to look into a person’s eyes, hold the gaze and say ‘hi’. That’s all. Just try it once. The response will indicate how interested someone is to talk. To my instinct, it will be forthcoming, as people have never been more alone.
So, step out, wear your mask and observe.
The next time you head out to buy groceries, think of it as a public speaking exercise if you struggle with making conversation. Use this phase as an opportunity.
By the time we no longer have to wear masks, you’ll be confident about striking a conversation with anyone.
