<p>Phillips' rule of thumb when it comes to hand gestures: Make them functional (they should always have a purpose) <i>and </i>make sure they match your message. "The core of all communication is to make your message as clear as possible," Phillips notes. If you're talking about sales figures going up, that's a good time to use a gentle, rising motion. If you're setting two rhetorical options out for your audience to consider, place your hands on either side as if you're weighing items in your palms. Humans are visual creatures, and movement will arouse an audience's attention. But do not abuse this tendency. "If a person is using non-functional gestures, they can become annoying very quickly," explains Phillips. "Functional gestures, however, are rarely used too much." </p>

This post is part of TED's "How to Be a Better Human" series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from people in the TED community; browse through all the posts here.

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