Body Language & Gestures Explained
What should you do with your hands when you talk?
"What do I do with my hands?"
People always ask me this. It's one of the first questions I hear from CEOs, founders, coaches and real estate agents the minute a camera turns on. I've spent nearly 20 years in TV and media, at Fox, Inside Edition, PEOPLE and Netflix, and now I coach leaders on how they come across on camera, in presentations, on stage and on Zoom. Hands come up in almost every session.
Should you talk with your hands on camera?
Yes. Purposeful gestures make you look more confident and engaging, as long as they match what you're saying.
Stillness isn't the goal. Clarity is.
Here's what I tell my clients: your hands help you express yourself. Lock them down and you'll sound robotic.
But keep your gestures inside a "safe zone," from your shoulders to your waist. Watch how in the video below.
[EMBED VIDEO: https://youtube.com/shorts/fl7rBA7xqe0]
This is where I bring in supermodel mode vs. teacher mode. In supermodel mode, you're thinking about how you look, so your hands freeze and hide. In teacher mode, you're focused on what you're explaining, and your hands start helping you explain it. That's when gestures get natural.
If you want hands-on help getting there (pun intended), this is exactly what we work on in my coaching.
What does open palms mean in body language?
Open palms signal trust and honesty. When people can see your palms, they read you as open, nonthreatening and transparent. Closed, clenched or hidden hands can read as guarded, or like you're concealing something. On camera, on stage or on Zoom, keep your hands visible and turn your palms slightly up when you make your point.
When I was a TV news producer, I decided who got booked as an expert. The guests who tucked their hands under the desk often looked nervous, even when their answers were smart. The ones whose hands moved with their words looked like they owned the topic.
Same expertise. Very different first impression.
What do hidden hands signal on camera?
Hands in pockets, under a desk or clenched into fists can read as guarded, nervous or like you're hiding something. Fidgeting hands read as nervous too.
None of that means you're lying. It means your viewer's brain fills in the blank, and it rarely fills it in kindly.
How do you use open palm gestures without looking fake?
Keep your hands visible, open your palms on your key idea, and let gestures follow your words.
Find your home base. Rest your hands loosely around waist height, inside your safe zone. They return here between gestures.
Get your hands in the shot. Frame yourself mid-torso up. On Zoom, scoot your chair back a few inches.
Find your palms-up moment. "Here's what I want you to remember" is a perfect time to turn your palms up.
Match the gesture to the word. Saying "three things"? Hold up three fingers.
Watch yourself on mute. Where are your hands? Do more of what's already working.
One note on palms down. I call it The Gavel. It reads as firm and authoritative, which is great for "This is non-negotiable." Just don't live there, or you'll come off as cold.
Do open palms mean someone is telling the truth?
No. Open palms shape how trustworthy you look, not whether you're honest.
Research shows nonverbal cues to deception are faint and unreliable, as I explained in my Elizabeth Holmes breakdown. That's exactly why your presentation matters. Audiences decide on feeling.
Your hands are part of your message
Show your palms. Get your hands in the frame. Teach, don't pose.
And if it feels awkward at first, be kind to yourself. Just because you own a microscope doesn't make you a scientist. Confidence on camera is a skill, and skills get built with practice.
Want help building your on-camera confidence? Grab my free On-Camera Confidence guide.
Watch the breakdown: I made a 1-minute video on open palms vs. hidden hands.