Our eyes are a reflection of our personality and they demonstrate our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. So much of what we are thinking and feeling can be evoked through eye contact. It might be a glaring look from someone and you can immediately sense their anger. It might be a stare when we look at something unusual or unfamiliar and you can tell the person is filled with curiosity. It could be the look you give to someone when you are love, and their eyes alone say it all. The fact is we use our eyes as a means of communication with other people. Our eyes reflect integrity, sincerity, and comfort when communicating with another person, which is why eye contact is such an important component in good communication.Â
Good Eye Contact Helps You Concentrate
The last thing you want to convey in a conversation with someone else is the feeling that you are completely distracted and not listening to a word they say. Focusing your eyes on the person who is speaking helps you concentrate. When your eyes begin to wander, you are taking in all of the extraneous images around you and these images are sent to your brain causing your thought process to slow down. Maintaining good eye contact will help you to be a better listener.
Eye Contact = Credibility
When you are speaking to someone and you are looking down or at a piece of paper then you immediately give off the vibe that you are nervous or deceptive. People might start getting suspicious about what you are saying or they might assume that you aren’t prepared or knowledgeable on the topic. Those who make good eye contact during communication appear more confident, believable, and credible. If you want to appear more authoritative, you need to practice effective eye contact. One of the most powerful means of communicating conviction is sustained focused eye contact.
Eye Contact is Engaging
When you are making eye contact during a conversation or your eyes are scanning the crowd during a presentation, your audience feels invited to engage with you. They are more inclined to signal their own feelings with a nod, frown, or raise of their eyebrows. People are more likely to remember what you say and feel convicted by it when they are engaged in the conversation.
Eye Contact Demonstrates Respect
When you look someone into the eyes while they are speaking, it is a sign of respect. You are saying to them “I care about what you are saying and I am listening.â€Â You can evoke so many emotions with your eyes alone such as disdain, surprise, joy, interest, anger, or empathy. Eye contact shows that you are interested in what the other person is saying and you genuinely care. This type of sincerity is appreciated and will help you to be a more effective communicator.
Eye Contact is Your Most Powerful Tool
Eye contact is perhaps the most important form of body language. How we present ourselves in communication with others largely depends on our eyes. Your eyes allow you to build a connection with the other person. Good eye contact helps people to trust you, believe in you, and engage with you during the conversation. Practicing good eye contact is an important skill for effective communication.