How to Master the Charismatic Body Language of Non Verbal Communication? Discover the Art of Application in Bringing Success in Life!

Abstract:
Body language is the unspoken part of communication that we use to reveal our true feelings and to give our message more impact.Communication is made up of so much more than words. Nonverbal cues such as tone of voice, gestures and posture all play their part.
The body language can be read through
1. Eyes
2. Legs
3. Hands
4. Head
5. Gestures
6. Postures
7. emotions that can be expressed via facial expressions include:
Happiness
Sadness
Anger
Surprise
Disgust
Fear
Confusion
Excitement
Desire
Contempt and many more psychological factors.

A simple example of body language is a relaxed facial expression that breaks out into a genuine smile – with mouth upturned and eyes wrinkled. Equally, it can be a tilt of the head that shows you're thinking, an upright stance to convey interest, or hand and arm movements to demonstrate directions. It can also be taking care to avoid a defensive, arms-crossed posture, or restlessly tapping your feet. When you can "read" signs like these, you can understand the complete message in what someone is telling you. 

You'll be more aware of people's reactions to what you say and do, too. And you'll be able to adjust your body language to appear more positive, engaging and approachable. Most of the time, our body language is unconscious. We move naturally in certain ways without even noticing. 

This means we're sending signals all the time, even if we're unaware of them. By being able to understand our own and other people's body language signals, we can improve our communication on a wide scale.

Keywords: 
Body Language, Communication, Non Verbal Communication, Gestures, Postures, Psychological, Behaviour, Eyes, Legs, Hands, Touch, Emotions 

Learning Outcomes 
After undergoing this article you will be able to understand the following
1. What's Body Language?
2. Why Body Language is so significant in communication?
3. How effective body language can be groomed in a person?
4. What are the varieties of Body Language ?
5. What's the characteristics do Body Language inherit?
6. How appropriate Body Language help succeeding job interviews?
7. How to evaluate body language?
8. How to Improve Your Nonverbal Communication?
9. What's the advantages of Body Language?
10. Some strategies to overcome Body Language problems.
11. Conclusions
12. Important FAQs
References 


1. What's Body Language?

Body language is a type of communication in which physical behaviors, as opposed to words, are used to express or convey information. Such behavior includes facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement, touch and the use of space.

2. Why Body Language is so significant in communication?

Some of the following facts determine the significance of body language:
1. Body language allows us to decode what a person is truly thinking or feeling without solely relying on their speech alone. 
2. It acts as an additional insight into unspoken emotions which can be crucial in the workplace. 
3. Body language is important because it can convey meaning without verbal cues. 
4. It refers to the movements and facial expressions when speaking with another person. 5. Being aware of it can help you better understand the message you are communicating to others and what others are communicating to you. 
6. While an understanding of body language can help you improve your communication skills, not all people use body language in the same way. 
7. Like with differences across cultures and languages, there are many nuances for body language.

3. How effective body language can be groomed in a person?

Grooming your body language makes a big difference to how you present yourself to your audience, and how you feel about public speaking in general. Here are the most important aspects of your body language that will frame how successful your speech is, explaining why they're important and how you can use them to your improvement.

If you have positive body language and imagine you feel powerful, you're more likely to actually feel it! And, it's the inherent tendency of everyone to be authoritative.

  1. Stand straight with your shoulders back and feet shoulder width apart.
  2. Imagine your shoulders opening up from one another so that they rest centrally.
  3. Place your hands either side of your body so that you can easily make hand gestures when you need to.
  4. Face the audience as much as possible. Pose your whole body towards different parts of the audience so that everyone feels important.

Eye contact

Maintaining proper eye contact with your audience builds rapport between you and them and they feel more respected by you. This makes the audience more likely to value and listen to you as they feel important. The concomitant response is that they trust you more because people tend to avoid eye contact when they're lying.

Eye contact helps you to receive feedback from the audience about your speech. You can observe if your audience are listening and read their facial expressions to see if they are interested, bored, angry, happy and so on. You can then modify or change your speech consequently.

Hand gestures

When used appropriately, hand and arm gestures can add to your message and make you seem more confident and relaxed, more genuine and believable. They're an essential element of non-verbal communication in reflecting our feelings, mood, physical status etc.

Hand gestures are one of the distinct non-verbal ways through which we communicate confident body language or nervous body language - and your audience will react more positively to the former.

Facial expressions

People depend on facial expressions to read between the lines the intentions and emotions; so an audience will respond better to you if you are communicative. You have to emphasise your expressions so that everyone in the audience can understand meaning from them.

You could record and visualize your speech and identify artificial or unfriendly facial expressions you make when telling a speech and replace them with more authentic, believable expressions. Try to practice speaking with your face to convey happiness, sadness, anger, and surprise. Your face should reflect the emotions within your speeches.

  1. Raise your eyebrows to show shock or confusion.
  2. Frown to convey anger or concern.
  3. Smile, when you're happy.
  4. For sad moments, frown a little and slightly tilt the sides of your lips downwards.

Mannerisms

Mannerisms are the nervous habits most people have in their body language, that detract from your message and can make the audience feel uncomfortable. They are the key aspects in confident body language. you might not be aware of the mannerisms like putting your hands in your pockets, scratching your head, biting nails and excessively using filler words such as 'um,' 'so' and 'like' which distract the audience. To break these habits, know about them and try to avoid them.

Breathing

Even though your breath is not visible, it is a significant factor in describing confident body language. Maintaining a slow, steady breath can reduce your stress levels and make you less likely to slip back to nervous habits, bad posture and excessive movement. Relaxed and deep breath also ensures that you're speaking at the right tempo and your voice can project across the room, which in itself will make you believe and sound more positive.

  1. Do deep breathing exercises like inhalation and exhalation, before going to attend public speaking.
  2. Maintaining an erect posture help you to expand your lungs fully.

Voice

Your vocal expression is substantial and so your body language has an influence on your voice and can enhance or detract from the message of your speech.

Albert Mehrabian wrote extensively on the relative importance of verbal and non-verbal messages and his findings quote that our words convey 7% of meaning, our tone 38% and our body language makes up 55% of our message in public speaking. When you merge these 3 elements, your audience will be more occupied and connected with you.

  1. Watch videos of good and bad speeches to see how they are in tune with their body language.
  2. Practice varying your pitch. You can do this with the Virtual Speech app that you gain access to when purchasing the Essential Public Speaking course.

Most of our body language and movement is unintentional so it can be difficult to retrain ourselves away from habits. However, to master the art of public speaking you must also control your body's language too. Of course, you don't want to distract yourself from your speech by consciously thinking how you are standing, where you are looking, and if you're breathing correctly.

4. What are the varieties of Body Language ?

The many different types of nonverbal communication or body language include:
  • Facial expressions. 
  • Body movement and posture. 
  • Gestures.
  • Eye contact. 
  • Touch. 
  • Space.
  • Voice. 
  • Pay attention to inconsistencies.

Just a few examples of emotions that can be expressed via facial expressions include:

  • Happiness
  • Sadness
  • Anger
  • Surprise
  • Disgust
  • Fear
  • Confusion
  • Excitement
  • Desire
  • Contempt

The expression on a person's face can even help determine if we trust or believe what the individual is saying.

5. What's the characteristics do Body Language inherit?

human beings are unique, there are a set of common characteristics that we all share with the members of our family, with our peers etc. We possess a unique set of traits. While some traits are governed by genes which are inherited from parents to the offsprings, there are traits that are acquired through observing, learning, most of which are determined by a combination of environmental factors and genes. Listed below are a few examples:
  • Tongue rolling
  • Earlobe attachment
  • Dimples
  • Curly hair
  • Freckles
  • Handedness
  • Hairline shape
  • Green/Red Colourblindness
  • Hand clasping
6. How appropriate Body Language help succeeding job interviews?

Remembering a few things about effective body language can help you communicate a positive message to your interviewer. 

You can make a solid first impression with a firm, but not iron, handshake that accompanies eye contact and a smile. 

Keeping arms open and uncrossed will communicate a warm and friendly message, and sitting tall with your back against the back of the seat will communicate a message of confidence. 

Through keeping an interested expression and aiming to keep eye contact for 2/3 of the interview, you can convey that you are engaged and ready to take on the job. 

Many interviewers report that bad interviews most often contain little to no eye contact! 

However, locked eyes or too much eye contact can cause you to appear overly aggressive or creepy, so be sure to look away occasionally.

Furthermore, hand gestures can be an essential part of your message to the interviewer. Simple, infrequent hand gestures help emphasize what you are saying—however, avoid pointing or using too many hand gestures, as this can make you appear fidgety and disingenuous. 

Playing with your hair or touching your face can also make you appear unprofessional, so if you are unsure what to do with your hands, folding them together and holding them in your lap is an easy, neutral gesture that you can hold until the initial nervousness decreases and you begin to deliver those great answers that you prepared earlier. 

Just be sure to give another firm handshake, a smile, and eye contact once the interview is over!

7. How to evaluate body language?

If someone’s smiling, that’s a good sign, right?

Not necessarily. Different smiles mean different things. The same goes for the position of someone’s lips.

Smiles

  • With a true, genuine smile, the corners of the mouth turn up and the eyes narrow and wrinkle at the corners.
  • Insincere smiles generally don’t involve the eyes. They can happen in response to discomfort.
  • A smirk or partial smile that follows a microexpression of displeasure or contempt can suggest uncertainty, disdain, or dislike.
  • A smile accompanied by lasting eye contact, a long glance, or a head tilt can suggest attraction.

Lips

  • Compressed or narrowed lips can suggest unease.
  • Quivering lips can suggest fear or sadness.
  • Pursed lips may indicate anger or disagreement.
  • Open, slightly parted lips tend to mean someone feels relaxed or generally at ease.

The eyes can say a lot

Eyes can convey a lot of information about someone’s mood and level of interest. 

Blinking

People tend to blink rapidly when under some sort of stress.Someone’s blinking may speed up when they’re:

  • working through a difficult problem
  • feeling uncomfortable
  • afraid or worried about something

Pupil dilation

Your pupils will typically dilate when you feel positively toward something or someone. These feelings might involve romantic attraction, but this isn’t always the case.

Dilation happens in response to the arousal of your nervous system, so you may also notice dilated pupils when someone’s angry or afraid.

When you don’t like something, your pupils will usually contract, or get smaller.

Gaze direction

Your eyes tend to follow what you’re interested in, so tracking the movement of someone’s gaze can give you information about their mood.

If you’re talking to someone whose eyes keep wandering toward the buffet table, they might have more interest in eating than talking at the moment. Someone looking toward the exit may want to leave.

People also tend to move their eyes down or to one side when:

  • working through a problem
  • recalling information or memories
  • thinking about something difficult

Eye blocking

Blocking includes things like:

  • covering your eyes with a hand
  • closing your eyes briefly, such as in a long blink
  • rubbing your eyes
  • squinting

Blocking is generally unconscious, but it tends to suggest how you really feel. People often block their eyes when irritated, distressed, or faced with something they don’t particularly want to do.

It can also suggest disagreement or reluctance. You know the house needs a good cleaning, but when your partner suggests taking a day for chores, your hand might go to your eyes before you realize it.

Watching the arms and legs

Although people usually use their arms and legs to make purposeful gestures, movements that happen more instinctively can also reveal a lot about emotions.

Arms

People often cross their arms when feeling:

  • vulnerable
  • anxious
  • uninterested in considering another perspective

Interestingly, crossed arms can also suggest confidence. If someone crosses their arms while smiling, leaning back, or showing other signs of being at ease, they probably feel somewhat in control of the situation, rather than vulnerable.

The arms can also give someone a sense of protection. Keep an eye out for behaviors like:

  • holding something against the chest
  • bringing an arm to rest on a chair or table
  • putting an arm out to create distance
  • using one arm to hold the other behind the back

These gestures subconsciously suggest that a person doesn’t feel entirely comfortable with the situation and needs to steady or protect themselves in some way.

Legs and feet

The feet and legs can show nervousness and restlessness through:

  • tapping feet
  • leg jiggling
  • shifting from foot to foot

Crossed legs can also suggest an unwillingness to hear what someone has to say, especially when arms are also crossed.

Feet can also reveal information. Note the direction a person’s feet face during a conversation.

If their feet point away, they may feel more like leaving the conversation than continuing it. If their feet point toward you, the person is likely enjoying the conversation and hoping to continue it.

Hands

Many people use gestures for emphasis when speaking. The more enthusiastic the gesture, the more excitement someone’s likely feeling. It’s also fairly common for people to gesture toward someone they feel particularly close to, often without realizing it.

Here are some more specific things to watch for:

  • Outstretched hands with palms up may be an unconscious reflection of openness.
  • Clenched fists can suggest anger or frustration, especially in someone trying to suppress these emotions. You might notice their facial expression remains neutral, even relaxed.
  • Instinctively touching the cheek might signal that someone is considering something carefully or has a lot of interest in what you’re saying.

Your breathing tends to pick up when you’re under stress. This stress can be positive or negative, so someone breathing quickly may be:

  • excited
  • anxious
  • nervous or worried

A long, deep breath can suggest:

  • relief
  • anger
  • fatigue

Slower breaths typically suggest a state of calm or thoughtfulness. Ordinary breathing patterns may not stand out so much, but someone’s breathing can seem very controlled or precise. This intentional control often happens when trying to suppress a strong emotion, such as anger.

Considering body positions

How someone stands or sits and where they do it can give you some clues about how they’re feeling.

Posture

Your posture, or the way you hold yourself, isn’t always easy to control, which can make it hard to read. It can still offer some insight, particularly when it differs from how a person usually carries themselves.

Here are some things to look for:

  • Leaning back on a wall or other support can suggest boredom or disinterest.
  • Leaning into a conversation or toward someone typically suggests interest or excitement.
  • Standing up straight, sometimes with hands on hips, can suggest excitement, eagerness, and confidence.
  • Standing straight with hands at the sides is a common resting position that suggests a willingness to engage and listen.
  • Resting the head in one hand can show interest. When both hands support the head, it might suggest boredom or fatigue.
  • Tilting the head or body to one side suggests interest and concentration. It can also suggest attraction, depending on other body language markers.

Distance

The degree of physical distance a person maintains when talking to you can sometimes give you clues about their mood or feelings for you.

Keep in mind that many people simply prefer to keep more distance between themselves and others, especially people they don’t know well.

On the other hand, some people may feel accustomed to less personal space. They may stand or sit very close because that’s just how they interact.

That being said, some specific behaviors can be telling:

  • Someone who regularly stands or sits very close to you likely enjoys your company.
  • Someone who stands apart and takes a step back if you take a step forward likely wants to maintain some distance (physical and emotional) from you.
  • Sitting close enough to touch or leaning into a conversation, particularly with a smile or brief touch, often suggests physical attraction.
  • Putting up a hand or arm when taking a step back often suggests a desire for a physical barrier or more distance.
8. How to Improve Your Nonverbal Communication?

The following are 7 lessons to improve your non-verbal communication
  1. Make proper eye contact.
  2. Be aware of body language.
  3. Facial expressions don't lie.
  4. Play with your tone of voice.
  5. Pay attention to discrepancies in behavior.
  6. When in doubt, ask.
  7. Practice makes perfect.
9. What's the advantages of Body Language?

Body language is using gestures , mimics, hands while having a talk it gives us extra emotion to the listener and makes person’s speech more emotional.

Body languages can be helpful , while expressing views. Some people, who are enable, to speak use of body language. Moreover, mostly, it is used informal speech. Which , makes the dialog impressive.
Body language is very important course , especially ,in education , in communication system. Each of person, when they want, to express their emotions , their feelings, they should use of body language.
“Body language” expresses different types of communication between people. We can know how we should greet others, how we should
…show more content…
In some countries greeting with arms are accepted. It is an ordinary condition for them. But some nations ignored it.I is connected with their culture.
Hands. People could show non verbal communication with the help of hands. Sometimes people use it when they say “good-bye” and “hello”. But in American culture It is utilized when person called his friend as “come here”


10. Some strategies to overcome Body Language problems.

If you have a hard time understanding body language, keep these tips in mind:

  • Talk to them. It never hurts to ask someone how they feel. If you notice a restless foot or clenched fists, try pulling them aside and asking if everything’s all right.
  • Consider their previous body language. Body language can vary from person to person. If someone’s unique body language suddenly seems different, it’s a clue that something might be going on beneath the surface.
  • Aim for some level of eye contact. You don’t have to stare or maintain continuous eye contact, but it does help to meet someone’s gaze and hold it for the better part of a conversation. Plus, you’re more likely to pick up on body language when you’re looking at the person.
  • Remember to listen. Good communication always involves listening. Don’t get too caught up in trying to decipher someone’s gestures or position that you forget to listen to their woWhat Is The Importance Of Body Language In Communication.
  • You might wonder about the importance of body language in communication as you are developing your skills. While an understanding of body language can help you improve your communication skills, not all people use body language in the same way. Like with differences across cultures and languages, there are many nuances for body language.


    Learning more about others' body language and the importance of body language in communication can help you better understand others. These are some steps you can follow to read body language and examples of positive and potentially negative body language:

    1. Identify facial expressions

    Facial expressions can tell you a lot about what someone is thinking when speaking or listening. Some examples of facial expressions include smiles, frowns, raised or lowered eyebrows and nose movements. Here are some facial expressions and what they may mean:

    • Raised eyebrows: The person feels surprised or impressed.

    • Smile: They are happy or content.

    • Lowered eyebrows: This may show confusion or uncertainty.

    • Frown: A frown can show sadness or discontentedness.

    • Scrunched nose: When someone scrunched their nose, it may show dislike.

    2. Assess proximity and posture

    Proximity is another way you can learn more about what somebody is thinking or feeling during a conversation. When someone sits or stands close to you, it can show they trust and like you. When someone keeps their distance when speaking to you, it may mean you do not know them very well.

    4. Recognise other movements

    There are other movements that can give you information when assessing body language. For example, you can pay attention to when others nod or shake their heads. If you are standing, pay attention to where the other person's feet point. 

    During a traditional interview, you often sit opposite the interviewer, with a desk or table between you. You can pay attention to whether the hiring manager leans towards you or away from you. The interviewer can also choose between holding your resume in the air, like a barrier, or leaving it on the desk. These may provide additional information about what the hiring manager is thinking.

    • Control your voice's volume and tone. How loudly you speak and what tone you use can also affect your message. 

  •  Watch for hand gestures

Generally speaking, you can’t get a complete picture of what others think and feel based on their body language alone. When you put body language in the context of their words, you may get a lot more information than you would when considering either type of communication alone.

11. Conclusions

So much is being said at any given time in communication and knowing and learning the importance of body language can have a substantial effect on your life. 

12. Important FAQs

References 
  • Beheshti, N. (2018, September 20). The power of mindful nonverbal communication. Forbes. Retrieved April 26, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/nazbeheshti/2018/09/20/beyond-language-the-power-of-mindful-nonverbal-communication/?sh=6f40b3d71501
  • Ekman, P. (2003). Emotions revealed: Recognizing faces and feelings to improve communication and emotional life. Holt Paperbacks.
  • Finset, A., & Piccolo, L. D. (2011). Nonverbal communication in clinical contexts. In M. Rimondini (Ed.), Communication in cognitive-behavioral therapy (pp. 107–128).  Springer Science + Business Media.
  • Fredrickson, B. L. (2009). Positivity. Crown Publishing Group.
  • Goffman, E. (1956). The presentation of self in everyday life. University of Edinburgh.
  • Goleman, D. (1997). Emotional intelligence. Bantam Trade Paperback.
  • Goman, C. K. (2018, August 26). 5 Ways body language impacts leadership results. Forbes. Retrieved May 1, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolkinseygoman/2018/08/26/5-ways-body-language-impacts-leadership-results/?sh=5c1b235c536a
  • Gordon, J. (2003). Energy addict: 101 Physical, mental, & spiritual ways to energize your life. Berkley Publishing Group.
  • Henley, N. M. (1977). Body politics: Power, sex and nonverbal communication. Simon & Schuster.
  • Hybels, S., & Weaver, R. L. (2015). Communicating effectively. McGraw-Hill Education.
  • Iacoboni, M. (2008). Mirroring people: The new science of how we connect with others. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
  • Jones, R. (2013). Communication in the real world: An introduction to communication studies. University of Minnesota Libraries.
  • Keltner, D., Sauter, D., Tracy, J., & Cowen, A. (2019). Emotional expression: Advances in basic emotion theory. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior43(3), 133–160.
  • Keyser, H. (2014, March 21). Why do we cross our fingers for good luck? Mental Floss. Retrieved May 27, 2021, from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55702/why-do-we-cross-our-fingers-good-luck
  • Kuhnke, E. (2012). Body language for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.
  • Lapakko, D. (2007). Communication is 93% nonverbal: An urban legend proliferates. Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal34(2), 7–19.
  • MacLachlan, M. (2010, February 12). Cross-cultural communication styles: High and low context. Communicaid. Retrieved May 10, 2021, from https://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/high-and-low-context/
  • Mehrabian, A., & Ferris, S. R. (1967). Inference of attitudes from nonverbal communication in two channels. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 31(3), 248–252.
  • Navarro, J., & Karlins, M. P. (2008). What every body is saying. Harper-Collins.
  • Newberg, A. M., & Waldman, M. R. (2013). Words can change your brain. Avery.
  • Ritzer, G. (2021). Essentials of sociology (4th ed.). SAGE.
  • Shellenbarger, S. (2018, January 30). The mistakes you make in a meeting’s first milliseconds. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 22, 2021, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-mistakes-you-make-in-a-meetings-first-milliseconds-1517322312
  • Waldman, M. R., & Manning, C. P. (2017). NeuroWisdom: The new brain science of money, happiness, and success. Diversion Books.



What Is Body Language?


In this article and video, we explore body language some more, and look at how you can interpret it to understand and communicate with people more effectively.

We also have an infographic showing how to put this information about body language into practice.

The Science of Body Language
You've probably heard the statistic that only seven percent of a message is conveyed through words, and that the other 93 percent comes from nonverbal communication. This is often quoted out of context and is therefore misleading.

It's taken from Mehrabian's Communication Model, which states that body language is more important than tone of voice and choice of words when communicating true feelings. But Mehrabian makes clear that his study dealt only with communications involving emotions and attitudes. So, it's not applicable in all cases.

However, it does help to explain why it's so tough to gauge sentiment when we can't see people – on email or messaging apps, for example. It's also part of the reason for the rise in use of emojis, even in business communication.

How to Read Body Language
Being aware of body language in others means that you can pick up on unspoken emotions and reactions. It’s a valuable form of feedback, but it can easily be missed if you’re not aware of what to look out for.

So let’s explore the most important nonverbal clues – some with negative interpretations, and others that are positive signs.

Negative Body Language Examples
If someone’s exhibiting one or more of the following, negative behaviors, they'll likely be disengaged, disinterested or unhappy (see figure 1):

Arms folded in front of the body.
Minimal or tense facial expression.
Body turned away from you.
Eyes downcast, maintaining little contact.
Figure 1.
You may encounter these behaviors when you’re dealing with colleagues who are upset, or dissatisfied customers.

Being aware of what these signals mean can help you to adjust what you say – and how you say it. You can show empathy for someone’s unhappiness, for example, explain yourself more clearly, or work to calm a heated situation.

Tip:
If someone exhibits these signs during a negotiation, focus on engaging their interest and putting them at their ease. Then, if the negative behavior stops, you’ll know that they’re ready to negotiate with you effectively – and more open to persuasion.

Other types of body language can indicate that someone’s bored by what you’re saying. This might be in a presentation, a team meeting, or even a one-on-one chat.

Here are some of the most common signs of boredom (illustrated in figures 2–5, below):

Sitting slumped, with head downcast.
Gazing at something else, or into space.
Fidgeting, picking at clothes, or fiddling with pens and phones.
Writing or doodling.
Tip:
You can re-engage people by asking them a direct question, or by inviting them to contribute an idea.

Additional signs of negative body language include:

Nail biting: suggesting insecurity or stress.
Locked ankles: also associated with anxious thoughts.
Rapid blinking: which may indicate uncertainty or concern.
Tapping/drumming fingers: often a mark of impatience or boredom.
Fidgeting: more evidence that someone’s disinterested or distracted.
Positive Body Language Examples
People also use their body language to convey positive feelings, such as trust, interest and happiness. Spotting these signs can reassure you that others are engaged with what you’re saying and at ease with the situation.

What’s more, by adopting these behaviors yourself, you can support your points, convey ideas more clearly, and avoid sending mixed messages.

Here are three specific ways to use positive body language to your advantage:

1. Body Language for a Good First Impression
Your nonverbal signs play a big part in people’s first impression of you. Here are ways to appear trustworthy, engaged, confident, and calm:

Have an open posture. Be relaxed, but don't slouch. Sit or stand upright and place your hands by your sides (see figure 6). Avoid standing with your hands on your hips, as this can communicate aggression or a desire to dominate (figure 7).
Use a firm handshake. But don't get carried away! You don't want it to become awkward, aggressive, or painful for the other person.
Maintain good eye contact. Try to hold the other person's gaze for a few seconds at a time. This will show them that you're sincere and engaged. But avoid turning it into a staring contest! (figure 8).
Avoid touching your face. If you do this while answering questions, it can be seen as a sign of dishonesty (figure 9). While this isn't always the case, you should still avoid fiddling with your hair or scratching your nose, so that you convey trustworthiness.
Smile! Warm, sincere smiles are attractive, reassuring – and infectious!
Tip:
It's easy to miss some of the subtleties of body language. So, check out our Body Language Video for more advice on how to interpret and convey signals effectively.

2. Body Language for Effective Public Speaking
Positive body language can help you to engage people, mask any presentation nerves, and project confidence when you speak in public. Here are a few tips to help you do this:

Have a positive posture. Sit or stand upright, with your shoulders back and your arms unfolded by your sides or in front of you (see figure 10). Don't be tempted to put your hands in your pockets, or to slouch, as this will make you look disinterested.
Keep your head up. Your head should be upright and level (figure 11). Leaning too far forward or backward can make you look aggressive or arrogant.
Practice and perfect your posture. Stand in a relaxed manner, with your weight evenly distributed. Keep one foot slightly in front of the other to keep yourself steady (figure 12).
Use open hand gestures. Spread your hands apart, in front of you, with your palms facing slightly toward your audience. This indicates a willingness to communicate and share ideas (figure 13). Keep your upper arms close to your body. Take care to avoid overexpression, or people may focus more on your hands than your ideas.
Tip:
If you notice your audience's concentration dip, lean slightly forward while you speak. This suggests that you're taking them into your confidence and will help to regain their attention.

3. Body Language for Interviews and Negotiations
Body language can also help you to stay calm in situations where emotions run high, such as a negotiation, performance review or interview. Follow these suggestions to defuse tension and show openness:

Use mirroring. If you can, subtly mirror the body language of the person you're talking to. This will make them feel more at ease and can build rapport. But don't copy their every gesture or you'll make them uncomfortable.
Relax your body. Maintain the appearance of calm by keeping your hands still and by breathing slowly.
Look interested. If you're asked a complex question, it's OK to briefly touch your cheek or stroke your chin. It shows you're reflecting on your answer (see figure 14).
Figure 14.
Tip:
Body language expert Amy Cuddy recommends striking a "power pose" for two minutes, in private, before a stressful situation. It tricks your body's hormone levels so you feel more confident and less stressed. Her mantra is, "Fake it till you become it." Mind Tools Club members and corporate licensees can read our full review of her book "Presence" here.

Virtual Body Language
You can apply much of the body language guidance above to video calls, too. You'll just have a little less space – and body – to work with! Here are some ways to show your enthusiasm, and to help make others feel comfortable and receptive to your ideas:

Get your camera set up right. This means you're close enough to show interest, but not too close to invade people's virtual space. Check that your camera is at eye level, so that your gaze appears natural to others. And leave room to gesture without hitting the screen!
Maintain eye contact. Look into the camera as if you're looking into someone's eyes. If it's a group call, looking around the participants will let you watch without staring.
Use facial expressions. Your face is front and center on a video call, so maintain a slight smile throughout. Raise your eyebrows to show engagement, and avoid frowning.
How Do You Use Your Body Language?
The tips given in this article are a good general guide for interpreting body language, but they won't apply to everyone.

For example, people may have a different cultural background from you, and positive gestures in one country can be negative in others.

So, reflect on how you use your body language, and avoid making assumptions. If you're getting mixed signs from someone, ask them what they're thinking. After all, interpreting body language should be a complement to talking and listening attentively, not a replacement for it.

Key Points
Body language is a range of nonverbal signals that you can use to communicate your feelings and intentions. These include your posture, facial expressions, and hand gestures.

Your ability to understand and interpret other people's body language can help you to pick up on unspoken issues or feelings.

You can also use body language in a positive way to add strength to your own verbal messages – both in person and on screen. This is particularly important when you’re meeting people for the first time, speaking in public, or taking part in interviews or negotiations.


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