1 Staring or avoiding

One of the most common eye contact mistakes is either staring too much or avoiding eye contact altogether. Staring can make your audience feel uncomfortable, intimidated, or bored, while avoiding eye contact can make you seem nervous, unprepared, or dishonest. To avoid these extremes, you should aim for a natural and balanced eye contact, where you look at different parts of the audience for about 3 to 5 seconds each, and occasionally glance away to avoid being too intense. This way, you can show interest, respect, and engagement, without being creepy or rude.

3 Reading or memorizing

A third common eye contact mistake is either reading from your notes or slides, or memorizing your speech word for word. Reading can make you seem unprofessional, boring, or unconfident, while memorizing can make you seem robotic, unnatural, or inflexible. To avoid these drawbacks, you should aim for a spontaneous and flexible eye contact, where you use your notes or slides as a guide, not a crutch, and speak from your heart, not your head. This way, you can show passion, authenticity, and adaptability, without being dull or rigid.

4 Blinking or squinting

A fourth common eye contact mistake is either blinking too much or squinting too much. Blinking can make you seem nervous, anxious, or confused, while squinting can make you seem angry, suspicious, or arrogant. To avoid these impressions, you should aim for a relaxed and comfortable eye contact, where you blink normally and adjust your eyes to the lighting and distance of the room. This way, you can show calmness, confidence, and openness, without being jittery or hostile.

5 Frowning or smiling

A fifth common eye contact mistake is either frowning too much or smiling too much. Frowning can make you seem unhappy, serious, or negative, while smiling can make you seem fake, silly, or insincere. To avoid these perceptions, you should aim for a congruent and appropriate eye contact, where you match your facial expression to your tone, mood, and message. This way, you can show emotion, enthusiasm, and sincerity, without being gloomy or cheesy.

6 Ignoring or interrupting

A sixth common eye contact mistake is either ignoring or interrupting the feedback and questions from your audience. Ignoring can make you seem arrogant, indifferent, or uninterested, while interrupting can make you seem rude, impatient, or defensive. To avoid these reactions, you should aim for a respectful and responsive eye contact, where you acknowledge, listen, and answer the feedback and questions from your audience with courtesy and attention. This way, you can show respect, interest, and understanding, without being dismissive or aggressive.