Body language can be likened to a fallow land that can always be tapped into for an array of opportunities. How and what you do with it determines on you. It is most painful, however, that not too many people do seize the opportunities offered by body language to pursue their callings. With a vast knowledge on body language, one should not fall prey of deceptions from people. This is to say that body language can always serve as a guide for people who can rightly interpret its signals.
When I talk about getting the most out of body language, I am referring to the ways in which you can use the body to your own advantage in various ways. Through your body language, you can build trust with anyone, project that you’re confident and even maximize your personal safety. There are arrays of other positive endeavors that it can be used for but this article will briefly cover the aforementioned areas.
In an attempt to build trust with people, the first action to take is to tilt your head. Tilting your head shows a willingness to adopt a more vulnerable position. In a bid to display trust, commitment or interest, you need to bare you neck to the concerned person. This is an indication to listen without tolerating distractions. This gimmick is usually more effective while debating with your opponent. Former US President, Barack Obama is famous for this technique. According to Umoh (2018), “In this manner, Obama showed understanding for his political opponents, who demonstrated less hostility and resistance as a result.”
Furthermore, you can get the most out of body language through the maintenance of appropriate eye contact. This does not only show display of confidence, it also portrays trust. Research shows that we tend to see people who avert their gaze as less sincere, socially anxious and deceptive. Conversely, we’re more likely to believe someone who looks at us directly (Umoh, 2018). However, the eye contact etiquette is an act that many people across professions need to learn. When you give too much stare, you will be seen as intense and when you give too little, you are seen as being insecure or frightened. In Western culture, looking your conversation partner in the eye 70 percent of the time is a good guideline to follow while in Japanese and other less-contact cultures, this is seen as being rude and inappropriate.
As mentioned earlier, body language can be used to build confidence. In order to do this, you need to assume the power pose. Research at Harvard and Columbia Business Schools shows that simply holding your body in expansive, “high-power” poses (leaning back with hands behind the head and feet up on a desk, or standing with legs and arms stretched wide open) for as little as two minutes stimulates higher levels of testosterone—the hormone linked to power and dominance—and lower levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. This can always be tried when you feel tentative but want to appear confident. In addition to causing hormonal shifts in both males and females, these poses lead to increased feelings of power and a higher tolerance for risk. The study also found that people are more often influenced by how they feel about you than by what you’re saying (Goman, 2018).
If you want people—colleagues, family members and others—to collaborate with you, ensure all barriers are removed. Physical obstructions are especially detrimental to collaborative efforts. Take away anything that blocks your view or forms a barrier between you and the rest of the team. Even during a coffee break, be aware that you may create a barrier by holding your cup and saucer in a way that seems deliberately to block your body or distance you from others. Experts have said at different forums that they can evaluate their team’s comfort by how high they hold their coffee cups. This shows that even if you appear to be careless, another person is taking cognizance of your actions. Insecure individuals do hold their cups very high. People with their hands held at waist level were more comfortable than those with hands chest high (Goman, 2018).
And finally on this, if you want to stimulate good feelings, always wear a genuine smile. A genuine smile not only stimulates your own sense of well-being, it also tells those around you that you are approachable, cooperative, and trustworthy. A genuine smile comes on slowly, crinkles the eyes, lights up the face, and fades away slowly. Most importantly, smiling directly influences how other people respond to you. When you smile at someone, they almost always smile in return. And, because facial expressions trigger corresponding feelings, the smile you get back actually changes that person’s emotional state in a positive way (Goman, 2018).
You can build your personal safety with the use of body language. There is no argument about the fact that walking slowly is good at it provides you with the opportunity to have a clear view of your surroundings. However, in cases when you are out alone, always adjust to a faster pace—this should be done calmly. Poor posture will often increase your chances of being selected by a predator (they are looking for a victim that will be easily challenged and physically weak.) By diminishing your height with poor posture (slumping the shoulders, crossing arms, or hiding in large garments), you are projecting the notion that you can be easily overpowered. Instead, straighten up, take long purposeful strides and feel the confidence exude from within (Driver, 2018).
In conclusion, ensure you are not distracted from your environment. Predators can always attack within a twinkle of an eye, so always pay attention! According to Driver (2018), not paying attention to your surroundings is one of the quickest ways to get marked as a victim. You need to focus more on the people around you more than the event you have to attend in the next one hour.
References
Driver, J (2018).Using Your Body Language to Maximize Personal Safety. Retrieved from https://www.doctoroz.com/blog/janine-driver/using-your-body-language-maximize-personal-saftey
Goman, C (2018). 10 Powerful Body Language Tips. Retrieved from https://www.amanet.org/training/articles/10-powerful-body-language-tips.aspx
Umoh, R (2018). These 5 Simple Body Language Tricks Can Help Build Trust With Anyone. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/07/5-simple-body-language-tricks-to-build-trust-with-anyone.html
Images are from: https://www.freepik.com/, https://www.pexels.com/ (C) 2022, Alan Elangovan, All Copy Rights Reserved.