Let’s approach from the opposite angle first. When a speaker doesn’t make eye contact with the audience, the audience generally doesn’t like that, why? In part because it feels like we are not the focus, we are not important. The speaker is into themselves and we may not even have to be there. So what does eye contact do? It shows you matter. That you are here, matters. And this communication is between us both. If you are in the audience or sitting in the meeting and the speaker makes eye contact with you, it is virtually impossible for you not to lower your filter because eyes convey both picture and emotions. When you present, make eye contact. When you speak to a large group, make eye contact with people on the right, the left, the back, the front and the middle, and it will be felt by the whole audience.
Lynne Budnovitch