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Title: Understanding Body Language Post by: Daniel Franklin on October 10, 2007, 03:41:21 PM Understanding Body Language:
Your body language - a huge range of unconscious physical movements - can either strengthen communication or damage it. Even if you are sitting completely still, you may be unknowingly communicating a powerful message about your real feelings. 1) Reading Body Language Because of its subtle and range, body language is difficult to read - and control. However, a broad understanding of body language is one route to understanding the real opinions of others. For instance, if people are inwardly feeling uncomfortable because that are lying, their awkward body language will betray the lie. A) Communicating By Body Language Posture is all-important in body language. On a first meeting, depending on the posture that you assume, you would create different impressions. The positive posture might have the best effect on the out come by encouraging open communication, while the negative one would make communication difficult. The following are three different types of postures: I) Positive Body facing front and open posture shows confidence Hands on the hips shows determination and ability to take control Direct gaze and a broad smile show friendly attention ii) Neutral Direct gaze shows attention Relaxed arms and legs show lack of tension iii) Negative Indirect gaze is evasive Ear - pulling indicates doubt Body turned away signifies rejection of what the other person is saying Slight slumping shows lack of confidence Note: When standing with people, leave a personal space of about 1m (3ft) 2) Conquering Nerves The nervousness people feel before making a presentation or attending an interview is very natural. Their minds prepare them for action via their nervous system, so nervousness is due in part to glands pumping the hormone adrenaline into their blood. Use body language to appear more confident than feel by making a conscious effort to smile and to relax your arms. Look people in the eye while you are talking or listening to them, keep your posture comfortably strait and do not fiddle with your hands. Take a slow, deep breath to relax yourself, if you are feeling tense. 3) Keeping Your Distance Leaving an acceptable distance between people is part of body language, and this distance changes depending on situation. For instance, guest at a social gathering stand closer to each other than strangers in a non-social situation. Always take care not to intrude into another's personal territory in case you arouse defensive or hostile reactions. 4) Creating An Impression First impressions are very important. It is thought that the initial five seconds of a meeting are more important than the next five minutes, so attention to detail can make a huge difference. Think about grooming and appropriate clothing, and err on conservative side. Even if an informal look is required, ensure your garments and shoes are in impeccable condition. Before going into a meeting, check your appearance in a mirror to make sure that your hair is tidy. Making an Impact A) Untidy Messy hair Crumpled T-shirt Slovenly stance Dirty shoes B) Smart Neat hair Upright posture Neatly buttoned jacket Shining shoes. Cultural Differences Britons and Americans tend to leave more personal space around them then other nationalities, and are more likely to move away if they feel like their space is being invaded. People who live in rural areas may also stand further apart than city dwellers Manik Thapar http://www.careerpath.cc Articles Source - Free Articles About the Author Manik Thapar (MBA) http://www.careerpath.cc |