Using Gesture to Help Calm a Nervous Witness

What a witness says on the stand is of paramount importance, but physical behavior also plays a significant role in communicating with the jury. Special attention should be paid to the gestures a witness uses — or does not use — while testifying. Encouraging a witness’s natural gestural behavior helps calm nerves. Communication consultant Brian K. Johnson discusses six steps attorneys can take to help witnesses feel as natural as possible while looking confident and trustworthy.