What Your Body Language Says About You?

Body language is a form of non verbal communication that has developed through evolution to allow humans to better understand one another without speaking a word. Unfortunately, many people today have a disconnect from their own body language, so they often signal things using gestures and other movements that they didn’t intend to communicate. Understanding your own body language can give you a competitive edge in the business world, where just the right amount of confidence and charisma can often sway both buyers and employers.

Unfortunately, types of body language have different meanings in other cultures. There are no universal standards. Therefore, the scope of this article is only for the United States and shouldn’t be taken to be a universal guide of how body language works everywhere else.

In the United States, making direct eye contact intermittently is considered to be important at establishing trust and conveying attention. Refusing to make eye contact is considered to be a sign that a person is either hiding something, being untruthful, or is too shy to speak. Regardless of how it is interpreted, it is a very bad thing to not look people directly into the eyes when doing business with them.

Posture can also influence how people view us. For example, having slumped shoulders can indicate sadness. At the same time, walking with a chest out and the head held high can indicate over confidence or arrogance. In business, it is best to keep a good posture, meaning standing as straight as possible, but without exhibiting signs of over confidence, which can easily be misinterpreted.

Business men and women should also be aware of their gestures. We often develop certain repetitive movements during times of stress that can make it easier for someone to tell what we’re thinking or experiencing. In the business world, this isn’t always a good thing. For example, you may scratch your face or hold your chin when you’re having trouble understanding something. Other common gestures include nail biting, teeth grinding, and aggressively chewing gum. In the business world, we only want to exhibit favorable body language. Therefore, it is necessary for us to be aware of our own language in order to modify it.

Being able to better control your body language will give you a considerable advantage in the workforce, where non verbal communications is often used to make first impressions. The ability to exhibit confidence and charisma regardless of what is actually being thought or felt will allow for you to take control of social situations as well as influence the decisions of managers and clients alike.