If you think body language is meant theoretical discourses alone, you are greatly missing out. Body language is best understood when subjected to a practical approach. First impressions, whether good or bad can always be created with body language. When it comes to creating first impression, what you say matters a little; before you even open your mouth to speak, they would have made up their mind on your personality. This is the reason why you must always take cognizance of your appearance and how you carry yourself while meeting people for the first time. In this piece, I will drive you through ways in which you can create a fantastic first impression with your body.
India Ford, a renowned body language expert states that 93% of all communication is nonverbal. That shows that you cannot afford to overlook body language while creating first impression. Let’s begin our discussion from the face. Nodding and smiling while someone is talking shows you’re fully engaged in the conversation. As a general rule, Daniels in his article urges that you should gently nod three times to show full agreement and understanding.Raise the eyebrows for less than a second and lower them immediately as a way of saying “hello.” This attracts the attention of creating movements in the face. Not doing this presents you to the recipient as being hostile or have recently had issues with people.
Then, the eye contact! The eyes are the window to the soul and as such, you cannot afford to carry them anyhow while making first impression. Eye contact is vital to show you’re both paying attention and interested. However, feel free to glance around when there’s a natural pause in the conversation. Being rigid portrays a negative message about you. Instead of being glued to a spot, look around and make sure that you are not fidgeting. If you find it difficult to make and maintain eye contact, one trick to fake body language confidence is to make a note of someone’s eye color. By forcing yourself to look directly into the eye and mentally process what you’re seeing, you’ll look on the outside as though you’re in control (Daniels, 2018).
What of the way you blink? Blinking is a subconscious movement that increases as nerves do. Before stepping into the meeting arena or venue, note your usual ‘resting’ blink rate, then compare it to when you’re getting tense. You must be able to accurately judge yourself before another person does. Concentrating on something else during an intense meeting can help calm nerves naturally, so on the outside you’ll look less like you’re fluttering your lashes at a potential father-in-law (Daniels, 2018).
When it is time to open your mouth, you have to be dexterous about this too. Turning up the corners of your mouth won’t suffice for smiling under pressure. For sincerity, make sure any smile reaches your eyes or you’ll risk coming off as fake and confrontational as an angry teenage girl. As for laughing, it shows you’re listening and can lighten the mood. If in doubt whether or not the joke requires a full-on fit, just smile – a fake laugh can always be detected and is invariably worse than none at all. There is no need for you to feign anything. When you force things on yourself, you will end up appearing awkward. When shaking, make it very firm but not overly tight. This show you have a good character. On the other hand, a weak one depicts you as being timid before saying the first word. I will strongly advise that you stand within the confines of the basics. Ensure the hand is straight-up, palms opened, accompanied with thumb-on-top shake. The hand must be vertical rather than leaning to one side. This shows that you are equal and trustworthy.
Beyond the handshake, hands play a vital role. During any meeting with anybody, keep arms relaxed and uncrossed at your sides. Avoid anxiously touching your hair or adjusting clothes, but feel free to gesture when you speak, as this improves your credibility. Showing your palms also subconsciously gives off the
message that the other person is welcome in your company. Most importantly, mirror the person you are meeting with. Mirroring is a technique used to create a sense of bonding and improves the chance of ‘clicking’. Align your body with the other person so that you’re facing them fully, and in group situations, pivot toward the person you’ve got to impress.If their stance is formal and they’re standing like they mean business, be sure to do the same. Gentle imitation is the key, don’t overstep the mark by copying their every nose scratch (Daniels, 2018).
Don’t be too concerned about the other person that you will neglect your stance. When you’re standing up, pay attention to where your feet are positioned. If your feet are crossed, or placed close together, you’re more likely to come across as nervous or awkward. Or, really needing the toilet. Instead, keep your feet at least shoulder-width apart. This way, you adopt more of a power stance that communicates confidence both internally and externally. Plus, you’re less likely to fall flat on your face, which is always a bonus (Daniels, 2018).
In most cases while talking about first impression, many people tend to neglect the place of personal space. This is wrong and can make a mockery of every other point highlighted. Unless you are married, engaged, or in a tight relationship with someone, make sure you provide plenty of personal space during a social situation. Most people become very uncomfortable when you get right up in their face. If you see the other person taking a step back or leaning away, you will know that you have invaded her space. Once you make a person very uncomfortable, it will affect the communication process. This is why you have to take every nonverbal cue into context (Mayne, 2017). In the case whereby you’re the one rating people for the first time, the indices flow naturally.
References
Amos, J (2013). Body Language and First Impressions. Retrieved from http://www.bodylanguageexpert.co.uk/bodylanguageandfirstimpressions.html
Daniels, N (2018). How to Use Body Language to Create a Good First Impression. Retrieved from https://www.fashionbeans.com/2017/how-to-use-body-language-to-create-a-good-first-impression/#
Mayne, B (2017). Body Language Etiquette. Retrieved from https://www.thespruce.com/body-language-etiquette-1216665
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