Interacting with and speaking in front of a group of five to twelve people is quite different from speaking in front of a group of five to twelve hundred people. Communicating with a small group is more intimate, requiring a slightly different set of interpersonal skills. As you begin to establish a relationship with a small group, you can often expect more participation and several interruptions. This requires you to be much more flexible regarding how you’re going to react and what you’re going to say.

The people you’re interacting with aren’t sitting across a crowded auditorium. They may be as close as two or three feet away, making them much more aware of social cues, body language and other nonverbal forms of communication. Try to be friendly and positive. If you get nervous, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are providing helpful and valuable information that your audience should find useful.

Make sure you are well prepared. Follow a logical outline, with relatable examples, and some type of visual aid. A little bit of well-placed humor also helps you to engage your audience. Practice what you’re going to say ahead of time. Not only will being organized help put you more at ease, but it will make your listeners feel more confident about your presentation.

When speaking to a small group, it is very important that you understand your content extremely well. No matter how well rehearsed your speech is, an interruption, in the form of a question or comment can easily happen at any time. Try to anticipate any questions that might be asked, but don’t allow yourself to get flustered by a question, no matter how unexpected. People will sometimes ask questions to show off their knowledge on a particular topic, or to let others know that they disagree with something you’ve said. Instead of becoming anxious, calmly repeat the question to make sure that everyone in the group has heard what was asked before you provide a response. This will give you the couple seconds necessary to begin formulating your answer. If you don’t have an answer, be entirely honest and explain that you will get back with them with the information they need. Then immediately focus on your next point. If the same person continues to interrupt with questions, politely tell them that they have asked a lot of excellent questions, and would they mind if you could chat with them after your talk is over.

Try to make sincere eye contact with several other people in the room. Don’t forget to smile. Use proper posture and clear gestures. Try not to fidget with your glasses, your pen, or any papers you might be holding. Such movements are especially distracting when speaking in front of a small group.

Watch your audience’s reactions and use them to help you communicate more effectively. Are their arms crossed out of personal habit or are they feeling defensive? Is their head tilted to the side because they don’t understand something? Are their eyes staring off into blank space as though they are distracted? Is their head nodding in agreement while listening, or are they yawning and bored out of their minds? Remember, a high percentage of human interpersonal communication is non-verbal. This can be a huge advantage when speaking in front of a small group. Let your audience give you cues as to when to move on to the next point. This enables you to better maintain their attention.

No matter how well you prepare, you’ll never be able to predict all possible outcomes when speaking in front of a small group of people. Instead of becoming agitated or nervous when something unexpected happens, try to remain calm and go with the flow. Rather than attempting to control all aspects of the conversation, attempt to identify with the group you are speaking to. What is their perspective? Spend enough time listening to find out what’s important to them. This will enable you to provide answers to their questions before they are even asked.

Lastly, remember that your speech doesn’t have to be long in order to get your main points across. Know when to stop talking. End your talk while your ideas are still fresh in their minds, before your audience becomes distracted, and bored (or comatose). People generally won’t mind if your speech ends a little early. If the small group you are speaking with is interested in the information you’ve provided, not only will they want to follow up with more questions; they just might invite you back.

About the Author

Rachelle Kirk Rachelle Kirk has spoken at hospitals and health fairs on such topics as natural home remedies, health tips, muscle injuries, and natural ways to get rid of lower back pain, tension headaches, and other health problems.