Today I want to start a little three part series on body language.

As you know it is impossible to not communicate. Whatever you do, even if you do nothing, you are communicating a mood, interest or lack thereof, sympathy or dislike for a person. Thus I’d like to pick out a few typical body language cues and briefly describe how they are perceived. Remember to work on your body language, it is more important for your career than you think.

Eyes

If your eyes are hovering across the room you signal that you are not interested or nervous. It destroys your chances of coming across as a self-confident person. Frowning and raising eyebrows should be avoided. When you are talking to someone, look them in the eyes, but avoid staring. Smile.

Upper Part of The Body

Keep a straight posture. It is okay to lean in slightly (too much sends a signal that you want somethin), but it’s even better to lean back relaxed. That depends on the situation. Leaning back conveys higher status and could be percieved as disrespectful by a higher up.

Arms

Keep your arms at a slight angle. Straight arms create a distance in conversation. Avoid folding your arms as it is a signal of defense. Just put your arms easily on the table or on your tighs, or drape them over the armrest.

That is already all for part one. Remember that there are cultural differences. (In Japan for example folding your arms signals attentiveness.) But we are looking at western culture only anyway, so you should do fine following these guidelines.

Did you like this article? Subscribe to our career advice RSS-Feed.

Comments are closed.