Body Language Basics continued....

 

POSTURE Posture can be sign of dominance or submissiveness - shoulders back with an erect posture can be a sign of dominance, - being slumped can mean insecurity, guilt, or a feeling of shame EYE CONTACT While the rules of eye-contact engagement vary from culture to culture, in western countries it can mean honesty and forthrightness - The eyes are a powerful part of our body language cues and can express everything from sexual interest, to annoyance, to happiness and pain PLAYING WITH HAIR When a woman cups her hand, palm out, and tucks her hair behind her ear, it can be an expression of flirting, openess and interest. (But it can also simply mean her hair was in her eyes.)

YOUR BODY LANGUAGE  Using Body Language to Your Advantage While you might think you are friendly person, if you go straight to your office and avoid eye contact with anyone, it can send the wrong signals to your co-workers. Think through your daily routine -- what you do at lunch, how you spend your afternoon and evening -- and ask yourself questions like: Do I smile? Do I make appropriate eye contact with people? Once you better recognize your body language, you can start to manage it in a more meaningful way. How can you use the body language of others to your advantage? You can use it to gauge the sincerity of what a person is saying  If a person is telling you something, and he's covering his mouth, he might be lying.  If a person's hands rub from his forehead down across his face, he could be wiping away an emotion, like stress or anxiety.  Either way, if what a person is saying contradicts his body language, your intuition might be picking up on something that is not quite right.

Body Language Basics

PUT BODY LANGUAGE TO THE TEST Here are some common scenarios in which body language can have a big impact. First dates First dates are laden with body language signs that can help you gauge whether or not a person is interested. Men tend to talk a lot on first dates when they're interested in a woman. If you're interested back, make eye contact and listen. If either person isn't interested, and looks around the room and avoids eye contact, that's a sign that a second date isn't likely. When men touch a woman on the small of her back to walk her through a door, that's a sign of confidence and interest. For women, it's the length of their touch that measures their interest. While short, less-than-a-second touches are appropriate, touches that are too long could convey an intimate meaning. Job interviews Don't sit down while you wait for your interviewer to come and greet you; it puts you in an awkward position where you have to stand and gather yourself and your belongings in an odd sort of shuffle. Stand and wait, or sit on the arm of a chair. And when your interviewer arrives, make eye contact, raise your eyebrows slightly in acknowledgement, smile, and then shake hands. During the interview, make eye contact when listening to show your interest, but don't stare. Sit up in your chair instead of slouching, and when you're done, leave strong by giving a good, palm-to-palm handshake. Dinner with the in-laws. Your partner's parents want to know that you are interested in and care for their child. The best way you can tell them that you are "the one" is to look at your partner with love and affection. An example of interview & body language An assistant vice president at a bank in New York was interviewing candidates for a teller position, which required good people and communication skills, a professional presentation, and a strong focus on customer service, etc. One candidate in particular stood out, but not in a good way.  -her nonverbal communication and body language were way off -her handshake was more of a finger shake -her eye contact was nonexistent  -her slouched posture suggested insecurity. What the candidate said didn't matter because her body language spoke volumes: she wasn't a good fit for the position.