How to make yourself aware of general Body Language expressions?
Managers are always placed in a position where they are expected to handle their teams and motivate them with a lot of enthusiasm and responsibility. No doubt this task is troublesome and needs a lot of practice and control over one’s body language. There has been a saying that “ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS” but what do exactly these sayings imply in our real life, let us try to understand some common expressions and their body movement clusters so that we can examine the same as and when required.
- Dominance, Power - Feet on the desk, Piercing Eye Contact, Hands behind Head, Palm down Handshake and standing while others are seated.
- Submission, Nervousness -Bent head, drooping arms, fidgeting, minimum eye contact, hands to face, palm up a handshake, and throat clearing.
- Disagreement, Anger, Skepticism -Red face, Pointed fingers, squinting eyes, frowning, turning away, crossing arms and legs.
- Boredom, Lack of Interest -Leaning back, avoiding eye contact, playing with objects on the desk, staring blankly, drumming on the table, picking at clothes, and looking at the watch.
- Uncertainty, Indecision -Swinging back and forth, cleaning glasses, looking puzzled, putting fingers to mouth, biting lips, pacing back and forth, and tilting head.
- Suspicion, Dishonesty -Touching nose while speaking, covering mouth, avoiding eye contact, moving away, and crossing arms or legs.
- Evaluation -Walking at a slow pace, Nodding, squinting, putting index finger to lips, tilting the head slightly, and stroking chin.
- Confidence -Upright Posture, Leaning forward, opening arms and palms, maintaining great eye contact, keeping feet flat on the floor, smiling, and moving with counterpart’s rhythm.
I have tried to compile most of the obvious Body expressions we encounter on our daily working schedule, most of the time we are confused with the other person’s reaction, I am sure these indicators will certainly help you to monitor your reaction and present a decent solution.
Use your body language and command over it to make a perfect impression and present your intellect with the choice of right words and expressions.
Saumya D Tewari