Our body can produce over 700,000 unique movements. More than 90% of the job interview is conveyed by non-verbal means. You did all the homework for your interview. You know everything about the company, their vision, management style, what skills you have that would benefit this company, and where you expect your career to be in 10 years. Briefly you know all the correct answers to 249 interview questions, but at the end of the day what really counts is the main question: did you have good chemistry? Can they trust your message, and what you can do in order to make sure that they will?
Up to 93 % of communication is non-verbal. Including tone of voice, eye movement, posture, hand gestures, facial expressions and more. The pressure of body language can especially be felt in emotional situations. Body language usually prevails over words.
The eyes communicate more than any other part of the human anatomy. Staring or gazing at others can create pressure and tension in the room. Gangs have fought over the way someone looked at them. Researcher suggests that individuals who can routinely out gaze another develop a sense of control and power over others not so inclined. Maintained eye contact can show if a person is trustworthy, sincere or caring. Shifty eyes, too much blinking can suggest deception. People with eye movements that are relaxed and comfortable yet attentive to the person they are conversing with are seen as more sincere and honest.
Eyebrow muscle draws the eyebrows down and toward the center of the face if someone is annoyed. If someone is empathetic and caring during dialogue the eyebrows will not show the annoyed facial grimace.
There are 50 or so different types of human smiles. By analyzing the movements of over 80 facial muscles involved in smiling, researchers can tell when a smile is true. Look for the crinkle in the skin at the middle, outside corner of the eyes and if it is not there, the smile is probably fake. Authentic smiles are smiles that "crest" or change rapidly from a small facial movement to a broad open expression.
Bodily cues are the most reliable of all nonverbal signals of dishonesty. This is because a person generally has less aware control over these than other signals. (Springer, 1996; Ekman & Friesen, 1974). Hand-to-face gestures and shrugs are strong markers of deception. Playing with or touching things nearby during discussion has been found to be associated with deception (Cody & O'Hair, 1983). Deceivers also are likely to have increased illustrator activity--quick and animated use of hands/arms during speech.
Body language is a mysterious, unspoken way that people unconsciously communicate what is really on their minds. The importance of body language in sales lies in the fact that many buyers are either unsure of, or reluctant to openly communicate, their intentions.
So you must rely on their body language to tell you what their words do not say. Remember: body language by itself only tells part of the story. You must blend it with the psychological level and behavioral style, and then attempt to get a better prospect reading.
What makes sales body language so challenging is that it must be taken in the context of the situation and prior relationship you have with the person, as well as the person's behavioral and culture style. For example, the prospect who sits with his arms folded: If this were an Analytical type, it wouldn't bother me too much. However, if an Amiable did this, caution might he advise. What if a prospect is rigid and inflexible; a driver might normally act this way, but if the Expressive clams up or becomes more passive or rigid, again maybe caution is needed.
(See more in the www.bodylanguagecards.com )
Having said this notes, here are a few standard, well known descriptions of certain types of behavior that you should watch for to provide clues to what is on your interlocutor mind:
1. Honesty
• Open hands
• Leaning forward
• Taking coat off
• Moving closer
• Uncrossed legs
• Arms gently crossing lower body
2. Eagerness
• Small upper or inward smile
• Erect body stance
• Hands open, arms extended, eyes wide and alert
• Lively and bouncy voice, well-modulated
3. Defensiveness
• Minimal eye contact
• Rigid body
• Arms or legs crossed tightly
• Pursed lips
• Head down with chin depressed toward chest
• Fists clenched
• Fingers clenching crossed arms
• Leaning back in chair
4. Anger
• Fists clenched
• Body rigid
• Squinting of eyes
• Lips closed and held in a tight thin line
• Continued eye contact with dilation of pupils
• Shallow breathing
5. Readiness
• Leaning forward in chair
• Hand placed mid-thigh
• Relaxed, but alive facially
• Standing with hands on hips, feet slightly spread
6. Evaluating
• Slightly tilted head
• Sitting front portion of chair with upper torso forward
• Hand-to-cheek gesture
• Stroking chin or pulling beard
7. Nervousness
• Clearing throat
• Hand-to-mouth movements
• Covering mouth when speaking
• Tugging at ear
• Darting eyes
• Twitching lips or face
• Mouth slightly open
• Playing with objects or fidgeting
• Shifting weight while standing
• Tapping fingers
• Waving foot
• Pacing
• Whistling
8. Suspicion and secrecy
• Failing to make eye contact or resisting your glances
• Glancing sideways at you
• Rubbing or touching nose
• Squinting or peering over glasses
9. Rejection and doubt
• Throat-clearing
• Hand-rubbing or ear-Touching and rubbing nose
• Squinting or rubbing eyes
• Arms and legs crossed
• tugging
• Raising eyebrow
10. Confidence and authority
• Resting feet on desk
• Leaning back with hands laced behind head
• Proud, erect body stance with chin forward
• Continuous eye contact with little blinking
11. Needing Reassurance
• Pinching the fleshy part of hands
• Biting fingernails or examining cuticles
• Gently rubbing or caressing some personal object -- ring, watch
12. Frustration and disturbance
• Tightly clenched hands or shaking fists
• Hand wringing, rubbing back of neck
• Controlled short breathing
• Blind staring
• Running hands through hair
• Stamping foot
13. Boredom and indifference
• Head in hand
• Relaxed posture, slouching
• Tapping foot, fingers
• Slack lips
• Blank stares, little eye contact
• Doodling
Body Language - The Eyes can tell you a lot
People are much more of an open book than they are aware of. Body language can tell a great deal about that is going on inside. One of the most easily observed, yet widely unnoticed, aspects of body language is eye movement. Our eye movements are often a reflection of what type of mental processes we are engaged in.
The following illustration depicts the major types of eye movements and their significance
So, if you are chatting with someone and they keep looking to their right, laterally or upward, they are likely engaged in imagination or fabrication.
Or if they look to their left, laterally or upward, they are likely engaged in recall of an actual experience from memory.
Looking downward generally signifies internal dialog. Eyes down and left signifying internal auditory dialog.
Eyes down and to the right signifying internal kinesthetic dialog.
Give it a try.... it really works (see more in the www.bodylanguagecards.com )
Why cards?
The information in this field is organized mostly in books, which is amazing taking into consideration the fact that it’s a visual mode of communication, and the crucial thing is to have the visual memory of the movement in mind when one encounters the relevant gesture.
Cards send a signal to our brain that it’s a game and not another bulk of information that we have to learn. People like to play and thus the information is more effectively consolidated.
By flash cards much of the information is integrated in additional brain areas, those involved in habits acquisition.
It’s also a very easy way to practice and repeat the information- which is more complicated with other means.
Gill Shermeister
Trained as a zoologist Gill became fascinated by the similarities of basic mammalian behaviors to those of humans. He has spent the last 18 years investigating this field and as a lecturer on non-verbal communication, presentation and public speaking.
He is a personal trainer of some leading corporate negotiators and politicians.
Gill shares his professional secrets of his trade in this unique tool to master the secrets of Body Language.
Related posts: