In order to effectively communicate, body language is essential. A large portion of our communication training includes body language. In my twenty years of coaching teams all over the world, I have found that adding body language strategies to communication training greatly improves the participants’ capacity for interpersonal engagement. I’ll go over ten effective body language strategies in this post, which fall into the following different categories: Self-assurance, Listening, Working together, Handshakes, Grinning, Eyes Mirroring, Hands Reaching, Voice Openness.
1. Strike a power pose to increase your self-assurance
According to research from Harvard and Columbia Business Schools, you can raise your testosterone levels—the hormone associated with dominance and power—and lower your stress hormone cortisol by simply holding your body in expansive, “high-power” poses for as little as two minutes. These poses include standing with your legs and arms extended wide and leaning back with your hands behind your head and your feet up on a desk.
When you want to look confident but are hesitant, try this. These poses not only cause hormonal changes in both sexes, but they also make people feel more powerful and risk-tolerant. The study also discovered that people are frequently swayed by their perceptions of you rather than by what you say.
2. Give the impression that you’re listening to boost involvement.
Don’t multitask when others are speaking up if you want them to. Resist the urge to glance at your watch, at your text messages, or at the reactions of other participants. Rather, direct your attention to the people who are speaking by turning your head, torso, and eyes toward them. Other nonverbal cues to indicate that you’re involved and paying attention include tilting your head, leaning forward, and nodding. It is crucial to listen to others. Ensuring that they are aware that you are paying attention is equally crucial.
3. Take down obstacles to promote cooperation
Physical impediments are particularly harmful to group projects. Anything that obstructs your vision or puts a barrier between you and the other team members should be removed. Even when taking a coffee break, be mindful that holding your cup and saucer in a way that appears to be intentional about blocking your body or isolating yourself from other people could cause a barrier. Based on how high his team members held their coffee cups, a senior executive told me he could tell how comfortable they were. He had noticed that people held their coffee higher the more insecure they felt. Individuals who held their hands at waist height reported feeling more at ease than those who held them at chest height.
4. Shake hands with people to establish an instant connection
In nonverbal communication, touch is the most basic and potent signal. As little as 1/40 of a second can establish a human bond when you touch someone on the arm, hand, or shoulder. The handshaking custom in the workplace creates a lasting and favorable impression by establishing physical touch and warmth. Shaking hands increases your chances of being remembered two times, according to a study on the topic conducted by the Income Center for Trade Shows. Additionally, the trade show researchers discovered that people become more gregarious and open when they shake hands.
5. Smiling can uplift your spirits
Real smiles communicate to people around you that you are affable, helpful, and reliable, in addition to boosting your own sense of wellbeing. Real smiles brighten the face, wrinkle the eyes, and disappear gradually. And above all, smiling makes a positive impression on other people. It’s almost a given that people will usually return the smile. Also, the smile you receive in return genuinely elevates that person’s emotional state because facial expressions elicit matching emotions.
6. Mirror postures and facial expressions to convey agreement.
Clients or coworkers who unintentionally mimic your body language are expressing their likeness or agreement with you nonverbally. Mirroring others intentionally can play a significant role in establishing rapport and fostering a sense of mutuality. The first step in mirroring is to watch someone else’s body language and facial expressions, then slowly adopt their posture and expressions yourself. The other person will feel accepted and understood if you do this.
7. Use your hands to make your speech better.
A part of the brain crucial for producing speech, known as Broca’s area, has been demonstrated through brain imaging to be active during both speaking and hand gestures. Since speech and gesture are inextricably linked, making gestures while we speak can actually sharpen our cognitive abilities.
The verbal content of executives and others always gets better when I encourage them to use gestures when they speak. Try it out, and you’ll discover that making physical gestures to convey ideas makes it easier to think clearly and speak in shorter, more declarative sentences.
8. Examine the feet of people to discover the truth
People usually concentrate on their hand/arm gestures, body postures, and facial expressions when attempting to control their body language. The truth is most frequently discovered in the legs and feet because they are not practiced. People frequently exhibit their nervousness and anxiety during stressful situations by moving their feet more. Feet will shuffle, wind, and fidget around the furniture or each other. To release tension, feet will curl and stretch, or they may even kick out in a tiny attempt to flee. Research indicates that when observers are able to see the full body, they are more successful in determining the true emotional state of the subject. You may not be aware of it, but you’ve been responding to foot movements automatically all your life.
9. Reduce the volume of your voice to sound authoritative
I heard a speech therapist suggest that you keep your lips together and make the sounds “um hum, um hum, um hum” before giving a speech or making a crucial phone call to help your voice relax into its ideal pitch. If you’re a woman, be careful that your voice doesn’t rise at the end of sentences to sound like you’re asking a question or trying to get someone to approve of you. Use the authoritative arc, which begins with a single note, rises in pitch throughout the sentence, and falls back down at the conclusion, when expressing your opinions.
10. Uncross your arms and legs to help with memory
Researchers studying body language, Allan and Barbara Pease, share this intriguing discovery from one of their studies: Volunteers who attended a lecture and sat with their arms and legs spread were able to recall 38% more information than those who attended the same lecture and sat with their arms and legs folded. Uncross your arms and legs to increase your retention. Change strategies, take a break, or get your audience to move if you notice them displaying defensive body language. Wait to try persuading them until they have opened up.
We at The Melhor Consultation can promise you that if you adhere to these ten straightforward yet effective body language suggestions, your nonverbal impact at work will grow. Consider enrolling in one of our communication courses to enhance your communication abilities in general. Click here to book your session with The Melhor Consultation and live the melhor life!