Good eye contact helps build trust and genuine relationships, so it’s really an essential skill in business. Still, nerves or lack of practice may get in the way of our best intentions to maintain eye contact. Improve your skills with these methods:
- Start small.
Practice making eye contact during conversations where you’re the listener, not the speaker, and when you’re interacting with people who don’t make you nervous, such as your spouse or close friend.
- Keep your eyes moving.
Every 4-5 seconds, focus on a different spot on someone’s face—their eyes and mouth, for example—to avoid feeling like you’re staring and to maintain and interested appearance.
- Practice at home.
You don’t need another person to practice eye contact. Try maintaining eye contact with yourself in the mirror as you shave or brush your teeth in the morning. You can even practice while watching TV: Try to hold the eyes of the character who’s speaking.
We can help! Contact a Dardis professional.