How to Make Eye Contact Without Staring at People in the Audience

Many people spend hours adding fancy visuals to their presentations but the easiest way to enhance your impact as a presenter is through eye contact. Positive eye contact allows you to connect with the audience and build a rapport with them. Once you have established this connection, you have the ability to inform and persuade your audience. Not only does eye contact exude confidence, but it makes the audience feel like they are actually part of the presentation and it makes the message feel more personal. That said, not everyone enjoys being looked at directly in the eye. It actually makes some people very uncomfortable. The good news is there are things you can do to establish good eye contact without appearing to stare awkwardly at people. Here are a few tips for making deliberate eye contact without staring. 

Don’t Overdo It

While it is recommended to establish deliberate, meaningful eye contact with your audience, you certainly don’t want to overdo it. If you look at someone  for too long, it can actually come across like staring and will send the wrong message.A good rule of thumb is to remember the 50/70 rule which states that you should maintain eye contact 50 percent of the time while speaking and 70 percent of the time while listening. This is enough to display interest and confidence without making the other person feel uncomfortable. 

Hold It Just Long Enough to Connect

Eye contact does not mean that you occasionally look up from your script and scan the entire crowd in a couple of seconds. In order for the eye contact to be meaningful, it should be deliberate and forced on one individual so that you can connect with that person. On average, you should hold your gaze for about 4-5 seconds. This is long enough to establish a connection but short enough that you won’t make the person uncomfortable. 

Move From One Person to the Next

You certainly don’t want to look at the same person each time you look up from your notes. Not only can this appear like staring, but it is also not perceived as genuine. Each time you start a new sentence, try moving to a new person. This will prevent you from looking at one individual for too long. 

Look at the Person’s Reaction

If you notice the person nodding or smiling when you make eye contact with them, you know you have made a connection. On the other hand, if you notice the person averting their eyes or slouching in their seat, you know it is making them uncomfortable. Remember that not everyone enjoys being looked at directly in the eyes and you should adjust your eye contact accordingly.