Professional Body Language at Work

Editor's Notes

• #4: Does body language really matter? Ask the audience…
• #6: 7% of any message is conveyed through words, 38% through certain vocal elements, and 55% through nonverbal elements (facial expressions, gestures, posture, etc). 
• #7: Another notable area in the nonverbal world of body language is that of spatial relationships, which is also known as Proxemics.  the signals that we send or receive to others through body language are reactions to others’ invasions of our personal territories, which links Proxemics an important part of Body Language. Regulating the distances between us and other people provides us with several benefits, including- Safety: When people are distant, they can't surprise attack us. Communication: When people are closer, it is easier to communicate with them. Affection: When they are closer still, we can be intimate. Threat: The reverse can be used - you may deliberately threaten a person by invading their body space. The rules about social distance vary with different groups of people. You can detect this by watching people's reactions. If you feel safe and they seem not to feel safe, back off. If they invade your space, decide whether to invade back or act otherwise. Turning sideways is an easy alternative for this, as a person to the side is less threatening than a person at the same distance in front of you. Intimate distance for embracing, touching or whispering Close phase – less than 6 inches (15 cm) Far phase – 6 to 18 inches (15 to 46 cm) Personal distance for interactions among good friends or family members Close phase – 1.5 to 2.5 feet (46 to 76 cm) Far phase – 2.5 to 4 feet (76 to 122 cm) Social distance for interactions among acquaintances Close phase – 4 to 7 feet (1.2 to 2.1 m) Far phase – 7 to 12 feet (2.1 to 3.7 m) Public Distance used for public speaking Close phase – 12 to 25 feet (3.7 to 7.6 m) Far phase – 25 feet (7.6 m) or more.
• #8: Intimate Zone (between 0 and 45 centimetres or 0 to 18 inches) - Of all the zone distances, this is by far the most important as it is this zone that a person guards as if it were his own property. Only those who are emotionally close to that person are permitted to enter it. This includes lovers, parents, spouse, children, close friends and relatives. There is a sub-zone that extends up to 15 centimetres (6 inches) from the body that can be entered only during physical contact. This is the close intimate zone.
• #9: Personal Zone (between 46 centimetres and 1.22 metres or 18 to 48 inches)- This is the distance that we stand from others at cocktail parties, office parties, social functions and friendly gatherings.
• #10: Social Zone (between 1.22 and 3.6 metres or 4 to 12 feet) - We stand at this distance from strangers, the plumber or carpenter doing repairs around our home, the postman, the local shopkeeper, the new employee at work and people whom we do not know very well.
• #11: Public Zone (over 3.6 metres or 12 feet) - Whenever we address a large group of people, this is the comfortable distance at which we choose to stand.
• #14: What does this image tell you? As audience
• #15: Actions speak louder than words
• #16: -The hallmark of passive handshakes. -Carries negative connotations and generally considered to demonstrate weak, apathetic, or submissive individual. -Traditionally an acceptable handshake for women.
• #17: -Initiator of this handshake will offer a straight, extended arm in greeting. -Primary purpose is to maintain distance and formality. -Sometimes people from rural areas who are used to keeping their distance will use this handshake.
• #18: -Resting jaw and cheek against hand as though to support weight of head. -The more assistance from the hand, the greater degree of boredom.
• #19: -If the hand is closed and resting on cheek with index finger extended towards temple (and not used as head support), this indicates interest. -Men tend to hold their head in a vertical position, whereas women tend to tilt their head when using this gesture.
• #20: -A common posture whereby an individual will casually fold arms across the chest. -Posture may be in response to the cold. -More often, this posture signifies a defensive or insecure attitude. -If both hands are tucked under armpits, this generally signifies a response to the cold.
• #21: -A relaxed social leg crossing posture that is assumed by both men and women.
• #22: -This is considered the most polite, demure form of leg crossing. -Used by people posing for formal pictures and sends a message of proper form and decorum.
• #23: -Repetitive tapping or wagging of the foot is an indication of impatience, boredom, or nervousness. -The redundant foot movements are said to reflect a latent desire to run away.
• #24: -Absent-minded running of fingers through hair or swishes hair behind shoulders with a toss of the head is an unconscious gesture that occurs when an individual finds someone attractive.
• #26: It’s important you look as professional as possible from the outset.  Keep your chin parallel to the ground. Hit the ground with your heel first and then roll on to the toe. Keep your stomach and buttock in line with the rest of the body.
• #27: Come on too weak and you’ll seem submissive, but come on too strong and you could be seen to be trying too hard. Keep it firm, but try not to crush their fingers. Finally, to avoid awkward situations, always remember to let go.
• #28: Avoid being too stiff, but try to sit up straight, keeping the small of your back against the chair. Keep your legs straight and as still as possible. It’s ok to lean forward slightly every so often, as it shows that you’re listening, but don’t overdo it.
• #29: Keep your shoulders back and aligned Use your stomach to keep your body straight Slightly bend your knew to ease the pressure on the hips Standing in a commando stance, with legs spread and hands on hips, tells others you are feeling disapproving, superior or are arrogant.
• #30: If you are in a meeting or giving a presentation, make it a point to make eye contact with each one of the people involved (unless it’s a packed house and physically impossible to do).
• #32: Standing with your hands in your pockets may send several signals to those around you, probably none of them what you intend. Unless you are trying to look less confident, as if you are holding yourself back, you are bored, or you are hiding something, then take your hands out of your pockets.
• #33: Holding your head level both vertically and horizontally indicates confidence and asks others to take you seriously. If you want to show that you are listening and open to the other person, tilt your head slightly to one side.
• #35: A coffee cup, notebook, hand bag, etc.  Holding objects in front of your body indicates shyness and resistance, such that you’re hiding behind the objects in an effort to separate yourself from others.  Instead of carrying objects in front of you, carry them at your side whenever possible.
• #36: A strong sign of boredom.  Never glance at the time when you’re speaking with someone.  Likewise, completely avoid the act of inspecting your fingernails.
• #37: – “I’m judging you!”  People frequently stroke their chin during the decision-making process.  If you look at someone while you’re stroking your chin, they may assume that you’re making a judgmental decision about them.
• #38: This just makes people feel uncomfortable.  Most people consider the 4 square feet of space immediately surrounding their body to be personal space.  Cross this invisible boundary with good friends and intimate mates only.
• #39: usually indicates disinterest.  Sometimes it’s even interpreted as a casual sign of arrogance.  Always look straight ahead and make eye contact when you see someone you know.
• #40: another sign of deception commonly seen on the face of a fraud.  A genuine smile wrinkles the corners of the eyes and changes the expression of the entire face.  Fake smiles only involve the mouth and lips.  It’s easy to distinguish between the two.  Don’t force yourself to smile… unless it’s for the camera.
• #41: This indicates a certain level of discomfort or a lack of interest.  When we’re happily engaged in a conversation we face the person we’re speaking to with our feet and torso facing directly forward.  When we’re unsure of the other person, or not completely committed to the conversation, we tend to angle our feet and torso to the side.  Face directly forward during a conversation to give off the impression that you’re truly interested in what the other person is saying.
• #42: If you are in the middle of a conversation with a superior or in a meeting that has been interrupted, it is best to look away from the person dealing with the interruption in an effort to give them privacy and to indicate you have disengaged yourself from something that is not your business. Do not interrupt a conversation during meetings.
• #43: A sign of defensive resistance.  Some people may also interpret it as a sign of egotism.  Always try to keep your arms open and at your sides.
• #44: When you’re in an environment bustling with people your posture becomes an immediate telltale sign of your confidence and composure.  Your stance literally makes a stand for you, delivering a clear message about how you should be treated.  It can make a huge difference in the way strangers respond to you.  Place your feet a comfortable distance apart, keep your shoulders pulled back, head up and greet people with direct eye contact and a firm handshake
• #45: a typical sign of doubt and uncertainty.  It can also be interpreted as an indication of lying.  Try to keep your hands away from your head when you’re communicating with others.
• #46: indicates low self-esteem.  People associate perked-up shoulders with strong self-confidence.  Always pull your shoulders back.  Not only will you look more confident, you’ll feel more confident as well.
• #47: This casual posture almost guarantees that you’ll lose a little respect before you even have the chance to speak a single word.  People feeling nervous or unsure of themselves will unconsciously take a guarded stance.  Quite frequently they adopt a posture that guards one of their most vulnerable areas, their genitals.  This stance pushes your shoulders forward and makes your entire body look smaller and weaker.  Again, try to keep your hands at your sides and your shoulders back. Else You come across as shy.
• #48: A smile can get you a lot of things: compliments, improvements in health, a free dental consultation… But there’s a point where it can get to be too much. Excessive or inappropriate smiling can be confusing and rob you of your credibility. This is especially noticeable if you over-smile while discussing a sensitive subject, expressing anger, or giving negative feedback.
• #49: To engage and motivate people, an emotional presentation can be very effective. But in situations where you want to maximize your authority, you’ll need to minimize your movements and keep your gestures about waist high. When you appear calm and contained, you look more powerful.
• #50: For men and women, nodding means different things. When a man nods, he says he firmly agrees. When a woman does it, she’s saying, “I’m listening, I’m empathizing; please keep talking.” But this can quickly become excessive. To project authority, especially when stating your opinion, keep your head still. You don’t want to look like a bobble head.
• #51: take time to cultivate your “professional shake.” Keep your body squared off to the other person, facing her fully. Make sure you have palm-to-palm contact and that the web of you hand—the skin between your thumb and first finger—touches the web of the other person’s. Look your partner in the eye, smile—this is one place where a smile is a business asset—and greet the person warmly. Most of all, remember to shake hands firmly.
• #52: It’s always important to maintain eye contact, but there’s definitely a limit. Don’t make it too intense. There’s a fine line between being attentive and being frightening. Finally, always remember to blink.
• #53: Your shoulders and overall posture while at work can communicate quite a bit about you without the need to ever utter a word.  If your shoulders look like you're about to curl into a ball, you're doing yourself a lot of harm by projecting to others that you don't command attention or respect.
• #54: Having your hands open and palms facing upward while you're in a conversation shows that you are being honest and open to the ideas in the conversation. But other gestures you make with your hands or arms can communicate more negative messages. Gestures that are larger than the outside of your body, for example, can sometimes illustrate that the idea you're discussing is large or abstract. But if all of your movements are that way,  "you will communicate that you are chaotic or out of control."