A politician delivers his message as he scans the faces in an
eager crowd.
A college student gives a presentation and reinforces her
points with nods to her classmates and professor.
A young professional strides down the sidewalk and offers a
smile to colleagues heading home.
What do these people all have in common?
They're skilled at making eye contact, and as a result, they
exude confidence.
According to Lillian Glass, a body-language expert and author
of " The Body Language Advantage," strong eye contact is the
single greatest indicator of confidence.
"Confident people are always looking up, never down at the
table, the ground, or their feet," Glass says. "Whether in
conversation or just walking in the office hallway, they're
looking at other people. They're engaging them through their
eye contact."
Eye contact establishes a connection, shows sincerity, and
helps to create a sense of trust between people.
A study conducted at the University of Leuven in Belgium
concluded that individuals with higher self-esteem are more
likely to hold eye contact than their less confident peers,
whose low self-esteem was associated with darting gazes.
Researchers at King's College also found that we associate
higher levels of eye contact with stronger leadership abilities,
greater aggression and strength, and higher intelligence.
For many people, though, looking others in the eye — and
holding that gaze — can be difficult.
If this is something you struggle with, try looking at the other
person's eyes for two seconds, looking at their nose for two
seconds, looking at their mouth for two seconds, and then
looking at their face as a whole for two seconds. Continue
this rotation throughout your conversation.
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