0Guidelines for an effective Body Language
The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said. – Peter F. Drucker
The above-given quote by Peter F. Drucker depicts the importance of non-verbal communication in the life of each and every human being. Our action always speaks better than words. In other words, verbal communication should always complement non-verbal communication. Also, if the way you deliver your perspective about a particular incident contradicts your gesture while speaking, your audience or the person with whom you are having a conversation will find an unhealthy mismatch in your delivered context and may underrate your performance.
Importance of Body Language
We, humans, follow two major kinds of languages for expressing our notion towards different situations: verbal and non-verbal languages. Both ways of conveying your opinions are highly valued in the corporate sector. The communication through words to a great extent can be controlled by our mind and we can make it more well-defined through our acquired knowledge and skills about the topic we are speaking. But what will be the final outcome of giving pages of effective and distinct explanations in verbal form with a poor body language backing it? Without a sliver of doubt, the negative impact you precipitate through your body language will pour cold water on all your efforts.
Let us consider one such scenario, where effective body language plays a prominent role:
Does being a subject matter expert in your desired domain and having the knowledge to answer the questions asked during an interview the sole reason for getting your preferred job?
If your body language is not positive, the above-mentioned qualities would not aid you to lead a better career in any company, instead, it will leave a bad impression on them. Every organization regardless of their size are in search of professionals who are good at the domain knowledge and also possess an effective and adaptive attitude.
These key factors contribute to an effective body language:
Postures and gestures
Gestures and postures are the two major factors that portray an individual’s inner emotions and attitude towards each situation. Your body gestures and postures signify your poise and interest while engaging in a conversation. It is critical since it shows your personality, confidence, and superiority. Despite having profound knowledge and a clear vision about the subject, a poor body language (in an interview or any social events) will never help you to get attracted in the crowd. It also shows your self-control and respect that you give others and yourself. Many studies have found that proper gesturing will help to recollect your ideas and points effectively.
In simple words, it is the way you carry your body language. So, try to make it perfect.
Gesture while speaking
Having a conversation with open arms is the best gesture one must follow while speaking. It evidently indicates your morality and commitment. You might have noticed many political leaders and other public figures mainly follow this gesture considering the fact that they can express their emotions clearly through their words.
Do’s
- Open posture shows your keenness in interacting with your opposite person.
- Open arm gesture directs your openness to new innovative ideas.
- Unfold your arms while having a conversation with others.
- Be in an upright position whether you are in moving or still position, with your head held straight.
- Your arms must be hanging in a relaxed manner.
- Effective hand-gestures make people pay attention to your points.
- Maintain palm in palm gestures, since it is a display of authority.
Don’ts
- Closed posture with your legs crossed must strictly be checked.
- Avoid folding your arms which shows your disrespect towards your recipients.
- Don’t adopt a slumped posture.
- Try not to fidget around, while engaging in a conversation.
- Avoid covering mouth with hands and thumb pressed in your cheek. This gesture is the symptom that conveys the disloyalty of a person.
- Don’t fold your arms together that conveys your offensive nature towards everything.
- Avoid hand and arm clenched gesture since it may serve you with a negative impression.
- Never bite your finger, since it displays your anxiety.
Facial Expressions
Do facial expressions play a prominent role in expressing our true emotion towards a situation?
The answer is ‘yes’, it will. It is really a powerful tool that is capable enough to convey our interest as well as disinterest towards any opinion or situations. So, maintaining proper facial expressions is really important during an interview and other important social events.
Our expression of emotions such as anger, fear, happy, sad etc, may be natural and are conveyed in the same manner by all people belonging to different cultures. This contradicts with the fact that all facial expressions are the result of the culture and social aspects of different people. According to Darwin, some facial expressions originate right from the evolution of the human species. But these expressions are prone to changes due to the influence of different cultures. Dealing with the controversies, technological developments in the future would enable to expand the research on facial expressions and thereby address many of the critical issues that remain unanswered by Darwin’s proposal.
Do’s
- Try to be pleasant with an elegant smile.
- Maintain expressions that reflect your positive attitude.
- Keep your eye-brows raised to express your attention.
Don’ts
- Don’t stress your face muscles.
- Avoid pouting and making faces.
- Don’t crinkle your eyebrows
Eye-Contact
Making a direct eye-contact with the person you are engaged with, is the most important factor to be considered in body language. Since eyes are commonly stated as the windows to our soul, having a strong eye-contact illustrates your confidence and self-assurance in persuading someone to our point of view.
Do’s
- Maintain proper eye-contact throughout your conversation.
- Keep it natural and friendly.
- Your eyes must be optimally open that indicates your intentions.
Don’ts
- Avoid prolonged eye-contact, it might look threatening.
- Don’t break eye-contact frequently.
- Rapidly blinking your eyes must be avoided.
- Avoid sleepy eyes while having an official meeting or an interview.
Shaking Hands
Handshakes play a prominent role in making our first impression. A proper handshake should demonstrate your confidence, respect, and concern towards your fellow beings. It doesn’t have any gender issues, both men and women can initiate a handshake.
Do’s
- Shake someone’s hand firmly.
- Try to be on your feet while offering a handshake.
- Express your gratitude by smiling.
- Keep your other hand relaxed at the other side of your body.
- Move your hand up and down gently.
Don’ts
- Avoid offering handshake with your sweaty or greasy hand.
- Don’t give a ‘dead fish’ handshake. It indicates you are nervous and uncertain.
- Avoid crushing of people’s hand; giving a ‘bone crush’ handshake.
- Don’t make your handshakes last for a prolonged period, i.e. a maximum of 3 seconds.
- Avoid distracting yourself while greeting someone.
An effective body language can also act as a saviour in situations where one cannot express their content through spoken messages or written language. In such circumstances, using appropriate body gestures through certain facial expressions and movements, you can convey your messages accurately to your prospective listener.
