Effective communication is an essential component of organizational success whether it is at the interpersonal, inter-group, intra-group, organizational, or external levels.

Although all of us have been communicating with others since our infancy, the process of transmitting information from an individual (or group) to another is a very complex process with many sources of potential error. he choice of words or language, tone of speech and body language will influence the !uality of communication. "#$ of our message gets conveyed through our body language . Body language is a term for communication using body movements or gestures in addition to, sounds, verbal language or other communication. %t forms part of the category of paralanguage, which refers to the non-verbal elements of communication used to modify meaning and convey emotion. %n addition, body language can also incorporate the use of facial expressions. &ody language may be expressed consciously or unconsciously. &ody language accounts for more than half of what other people respond to and ma'e assumptions about, when they are connecting with you. And more often than not, you(re not consciously thin'ing about it. &y becoming conscious, you(re )#$ ahead of the game.* Mastering Body Language: Key Objectives+

1. 2. 3. 4.

to carry greater influence to improve interpersonal s'ills to ma'e more effective presentations to reduce negativity in conflict

). to spot hidden agendas in conversation Voluntary body language refers to movement, gestures and poses intentionally made by a person (e.g., conscious smiling, hand movements and imitation). %t can apply to many types of soundless communication. ,enerally, movement made with full or partial intention and an understanding of what it communicates can be considered voluntary. Involuntary body language !uite often ta'es the form of facial expression, and has therefore been suggested as a means to identify the emotions of a person with whom one is communicating. Although they are generally not aware of it, many people send and receive non-verbal signals all the time. hese signals may indicate what they are truly feeling. &ody language comes in clusters of signals and postures, depending on the internal emotions and mental states. Open body language -ne of the most basic and powerful body-language signals is when a person crosses his or her arms across the chest. his can indicate that a person is putting up an unconscious barrier between themselves and others. %t can also indicate that the person(s arms are cold which would be clarified by rubbing the arms or huddling. .hen the overall situation is amicable, it can mean that a person is thin'ing deeply about what is being discussed. &ut in a serious or confrontational situation, it can mean that a person is expressing opposition. his is especially so if the person is leaning away from the spea'er. A harsh or blan' facial expression often indicates outright hostility. /uch a person is not an ally, and may be considering contentious tactics. 0onsistent eye contact can indicate that a person is thin'ing positively of what the spea'er is saying. %ndividuals with anxiety disorders are often unable to ma'e eye contact without discomfort. %t

can also mean that the other person doesn(t trust the spea'er enough to *ta'e his eyes off* the spea'er. 1ac' of eye contact can indicate negativity. Eye contact is often a secondary and misleading gesture because we are taught from an early age to ma'e eye contact when spea'ing. %f a person is loo'ing at you but is ma'ing the arms-across-chest signal, the eye contact could be indicative that something is bothering the person, and that he wants to tal' about it. -r if while ma'ing direct eye contact a person is fiddling with something, even while directly loo'ing at you, it could indicate the attention is elsewhere. 2isbelief is often indicated by averted gaze, or by touching the ear or scratching the chin. /o is eyestrain, or itchiness. .hen a person is not being convinced by what someone is saying, the attention invariably wanders, and the eyes will stare away for an extended period.

&oredom is indicated by the head tilting to one side, or by the eyes loo'ing straight at the spea'er but becoming slightly unfocused. A head tilt may also indicate a sore nec', and unfocused eyes may indicate ocular problems in the listener.

%t should be noted that some people (e.g., people with certain disabilities, or those on the autistic spectrum) use and understand body language differently, or not at all. %nterpreting their gestures and facial expressions (or lac' thereof) in the context of normal body language usually leads to misunderstandings and misinterpretations (especially if body language is given priority over spo'en language). %t should also be stated that people from different cultures can interpret body language in different ways. Examples of body language %n our daily lives we encounter many forms of body language gestures, these are a few examples. Although these signs are not immediate signals of a persons( feeling or implications, the following are traditional signs for certain implications. .hen noticed, they should not be ta'en as definite indications3

/tress3 sha'ing of legs4 wetting one(s lips fre!uently 567 1ying3

567

touching the face4 or putting a hand over the mouth4 pulling at the ears4 scratching the nose4 casting eyes down, or loo'ing downward to the left4 shifting in the seat4567 Also wiping hands on trousers to get rid of sweat or fidgeting with hands. 8e9ection3 crossed or folded arms, leaning bac'4567 2efiance3 frowning4 hands on hips4567 Aggression3 leaning far forward or clenched fists4 567 s!uaring of shoulders, stiffening of posture, tensing of muscles4 Anxiety3 :assaging temples, different than normal breathing rates, hunched shoulders, nervous head movements.

0onsider multiple related gestures, because folding arms could also mean a person is cold, rather than re9ecting ideas being discussed.

ruth3 /howing open hands.

&ody language comes in clusters of signals and postures, depending on the internal emotions and mental states. Open body language A significant cluster of body movements are all about being open. his is sometimes misinterpreted solely as indicating being relaxed and untense. .hen you open, you are signaling a change in the way you are thin'ing or feeling, which is li'ely to be in response to what the other person has said or done. Arms open Arms are not crossed and may be animated and moving in synchronization with what is being said. ;alms are also relaxed and may be !uite expressive, for example appearing to hold things and form more detailed shapes. Relaxed clot ing 0lothing is li'ely to hang loosely and actions to loosen clothing may ta'e place, such as removing a 9ac'et and unbuttoning a collar. he head may be directed solely towards the other person Bored body language

.hen a person is bored, they whole body is telling you. /o if you are trying to persuade them, don(t bother (unless you are trying to bore them into submission). Language of boredom A ready body is poised for action. !istraction A bored person loo's anywhere but at the person who is tal'ing to them. hey find other things to do, from doodling to tal'ing with others to staring around the room. hey may also 'eep loo'ing at their watch or a wall cloc'. Repetition &ored people often repeat actions such as tapping toes, swinging feet or drumming fingers. he repetition may escalate as they try to signal their boredom. "iredness A person who feels that they are unable to act to relieve their boredom may show signs of tiredness. hey may yawn and their whole body may sag as they slouch down in their seat, lean against a wall or 9ust sag where they are standing. heir face may also show a distinct lac' of interest and appear blan'.

#losed body language A significant cluster of body movements are all about closing. his is sometimes misinterpreted solely as indicating defensiveness. Language of closure 0losure literally closes the body up. %t may range from a slight bringing together of the limbs to curled up into a tight ball. Extreme cases may also include rhythmic roc'ing of the body to and fro. Arms across %n a closed positions one or both arms cross the central line of the body. hey may be folded or tightly clasped or holding one another. here may also be holding one another. 1ighter arm crossing may include resting an arm on a table or leg, or loosely crossed with wrists crossing. <arying levels of tension may be seen in the arms and shoulders, from a relaxed droop to tight tension and holding on to the body or other arms. Legs across 1egs, li'ewise can be crossed. here are several styles of leg crossing, including the an'le cross, the 'nee cross, the figure-four (an'le on opposite 'nee) and the tense wrap-around. 1egs may also wrap around convenient other ob9ects, such as chair legs. .hen legs are crossed but arms are not, it can show deliberate attempts to appear relaxed. his is particularly true when legs are hidden under a table. Loo$ing do%n or a%ay he head may be inclined away from the person, and particularly may be tuc'ed down. &o%er body language ;ower is often expressed in communication as a combination of strength and humanity. his is very attractive and is a form of =urt and 8escue. 'reeting (ands a$e As the other person approaches, move to left side, extend your arm horizontally, palm down (be first to do this). ,rab their palm firmly, pull them in and hold their elbow with your left hand. he horizontal arm is an unmissable signal. ;alm on top is being dominant, putting yourself on top. =olding the elbow further controls them. he royal handshake is outstretched arm to 'eep the other at their distance. A limp hand, palm down, stops them doing a power sha'e.

"ouc ing ouching is power symbol. ouching people can be threatening, and is used by leaders to demonstrate power. he handsha'e is, of course, a touch, and can lead to further touching, such as the elbow grip and patting shoulders and bac'. ,uide people with a palm in the small of the bac'. ,reet them with a hand on the bac'. Ready body language A significant cluster of body movements are all about being ready for something. Language of readiness A ready body is poised for action. &ointing Any part of the body may be pointing at where the person is thin'ing about. his may be another person or the door. his may be as subtle as a foot or as obvious as the whole body leaning. Eyes may also repeated flash over in the intended direction. "ension he body is tensed up and ready for action. %f sitting, hands may hold onto armrests in readiness to get up. 1egs are tensed ready to lift the body. hings in the hand are gripped. Attention is away from everything except the intended direction. Movement .here there is movement, it is in preparation for further movement. 1egs uncross. =ands grab bags, straighten clothing, and so on. he whole body leans in the intended direction. >ou can amplify the words you emphasize with your body. %n fact you probably do without noticing it. A slight nodding of the head. he beating of an outstretched finger. he thrust of an entire body. < presenters are interesting in how they create emphasis. hey 'now that only their heads are in view, so they twist, turn and nod their heads far more than you or %. .hen emphasizing in two places, with the voice and with the body, beware of mixed messages. his includes emphasis from one whilst the other remains flat or stationary. %f % say ( hat(s really great!* whilst standing rigidly to attention, you may be forgiven for concluding that % was not that enthused. Basic rules

The basic rules of using your body to emphasize are to synchronize and exaggerate: Synchronize
o ma'e emphasis count, it must all act together. .ords and intonation, as well as all the bits of your body you are using to support the emphasis. %magine it as playing in an orchestra - you need to get the whole lot playing in tune

Exaggerate .hen you want to emphasize, do thing bigger. :ove such as an arm further and faster. :ove the whole body with the arm. %nclude facial expressions. ?irst, to change your body language you must be aware of your body language. @otice how you sit, how you stand, how you use you hands and legs, what you do while tal'ing to someone. >ou might want to practice in front of a mirror. >eah, it might seem silly but no one is watching you. his will give you good feedbac' on how you loo' to other people and give you an opportunity to practise a bit before going out into the world. Another tip is to close your eyes and visualize how you would stand and sit to feel confident, open and relaxed or whatever you want to communicate. /ee yourself move li'e that version of yourself. hen try it out. >ou might also want observe friends, role models, movie stars or other people you thin' has good body language. -bserve what they do and you donAt. a'e bits and pieces you li'e from different people. ry using what you can learn from them. /ome of these tips might seem li'e you are fa'ing something. &ut fa'e it til you ma'e it is a useful way to learn something new. And remember, feelings wor' bac'wards too. %f you smile a bit more you will feel happier. %f you sit up straight you will feel more energetic and in control. %f you slow down your movements youAll feel calmer. >our feelings will actually reinforce your new behaviours and feelings of weirdness will dissipate. %n the beginning easy itAs to exaggerate your body language. >ou might sit with your legs almost ridiculously far apart or sit up straight in a tense pose all the time. hatAs o'. And people arenAt loo'ing as much as you thin', they are worrying about their own problems. Bust play around a bit, practice and monitor yourself to find a comfortable balance. )* !on+t cross your arms or legs , >ou have probably already heard you shouldnAt cross your arms as it might ma'e you seem defensive or guarded. his goes for your legs too. Ceep your arms and legs open. -* (ave eye contact. but don+t stare D %f there are several people you are tal'ing to, give them all some eye contact to create a better connection and see if they are listening. Ceeping too much eyecontact might creep people out. ,iving no eye-contact might ma'e you seem insecure. %f you are not used to 'eeping eye-contact it might feel a little hard or scary in the beginning but 'eep wor'ing on it and youAll get used to it. /* !on+t be afraid to ta$e up some space D a'ing up space by for example sitting or standing with your legs apart a bit signals self-confidence and that you are comfortable in your own s'in. 0* Relax your s oulders D .hen you feel tense itAs easily winds up as tension in your shoulders. hey might move up and forward a bit. ry to relax. ry to loosen up by sha'ing the shoulders a bit and move them bac' slightly. 1* 2od % en t ey are tal$ing D nod once in a while to signal that you are listening. &ut donAt overdo it and pec' li'e .oody .oodpec'er. 3* !on+t slouc . sit up straig t D but in a relaxed way, not in a too tense manner.

4* Lean. but not too muc , %f you want to show that you are interested in what someone is saying, lean toward the person tal'ing. %f you want to show that youAre confident in yourself and relaxed lean bac' a bit. &ut donAt lean in too much or you might seem needy and desperate for some approval. -r lean bac' too much or you might seem arrogant and distant. 5* 6mile and laug D lighten up, donAt ta'e yourself too seriously. 8elax a bit, smile and laugh when someone says something funny. ;eople will be a lot more inclined to listen to you if you seem to be a positive person. &ut donAt be the first to laugh at your own 9o'es, it ma'es you seem nervous and needy. /mile when you are introduced to someone but donAt 'eep a smile plastered on your face, youAll seem insincere. 7* !on+t touc your face D it might ma'e you seem nervous and can be distracting for the listeners or the people in the conversation. )8* Keep you ead up - 2onAt 'eep your eyes on the ground, it might ma'e you seem insecure and a bit lost. Ceep your head up straight and your eyes towards the horizon. ))* 6lo% do%n a bit D this goes for many things. .al'ing slower not only ma'es you seem more calm and confident, it will also ma'e you feel less stressed. %f someone addresses you, donAt snap youAre nec' in their direction, turn it a bit more slowly instead. )-* !on+t fidget D try to avoid, phase out or transform fidgety movement and nervous tic's such as sha'ing your leg or tapping your fingers against the table rapidly. >ouAll seem nervous and fidgeting can be a distracting when you try to get something across. 2eclutter your movements if you are all over the place. ry to relax, slow down and focus your movements. )/* 9se your ands more confidently D instead of fidgeting with your hands and scratching your face use them to communicate what you are trying to say. Ese your hands to describe something or to add weight to a point you are trying to ma'e. &ut donAt use them to much or it might become distracting. And donAt let your hands flail around, use them with some control. )1* Realise % ere you spine ends D many people (including me until recently) might sit or stand with a straight bac' in a good posture. =owever, they might thin' that the spine ends where the nec' begins and therefore crane the nec' forward in a :ontgomery &urns-pose. >our spine ends in the bac' of your head. Ceep you whole spine straight and aligned for better posture. )3* !on+t stand too close Done of the things we learned from /einfeld is that everybody gets weirded out by a close-tal'er. 1et people have their personal space, donAt invade it. )4* Mirror - -ften when you get along with a person, when the two of you get a good connection, you will start to mirror each other unconsciously. hat means that you mirror the other personAs body language a bit. o ma'e the connection better you can try a bit of proactive mirroring. %f he leans forward, you might lean forward. %f she holds her hands on her thighs, you might do the same. &ut donAt react instantly and donAt mirror every change in body language. hen weirdness will ensue. )5* Keep a good attitude D last but not least, 'eep a positive, open and relaxed attitude. =ow you feel will come through in your body language and can ma'e a ma9or difference. ?or information on how ma'e yourself feel better read +# ways to change how you feel and for relaxation try A very simple way to feel relaxed for F" hours.