Preparing for a talk? You're probably brushing up on your material, making sure you've got a great opening and closing planned, and practicing your pacing. And that's all great. But one thing few of us step back and think about is whether our audience will actually like us.
You can't avoid it: No matter how good your talk itself may be, you need the people listening to it to find you likable. And as the most experienced and well-liked speakers know, there are a few key strategies you can use to boost your likability from the moment you take the stage.
1. SMILE RADIANTLY
Smile, smile, smile—of course. You know that. But it’s not that simple. Paul Ekman, one of the pioneering researchers in studying smiles, believes we actually use as many as 17 different kinds of smile. And the one that's most effective at communicating genuine joy is known as the "Duchenne smile," named after the 19th-century French scientist Duchenne de Boulogne.
The more you tune in to others, the more likable you become.
Via The Learning Factor
Likability isn't some innate quality that you have or you don't. It comes down to what you do when you get up to speak.