Body Language

Territory
Intimate Social
Touching Close 4-7 feet
6-18” Far - 7-12 feet
Personal Public
Close -1½ to Close - 12-25
2½ feet feet
Far - 2½ to 4 ½ Far - 25 feet or
feet greater
 Different Cultures ...
A crowded
culture

What is your
private space?
When you invade my space

Reactions to an
invasion of your
space
Feel troubled
Get defensive
Become
aggressive
Retaliate
Masks We Wear
 Public Masks
Public smile
Clothing
Putting on my face
Extended territory
On the road
At work
Can we drop masks?
 Jockeying for position
Inclusive - Non-inclusive
How you include/exclude others in a
group
Parallel body positions
Will position yourselves to relate to each
other
Side by side are neutral
Facing means people are involved
Congruence-incongruence
Groups that imitate each other
 Looking
How long do you look?
Staring- dehumanizes or challenges
Glances - socially acceptable timing
Appraisal- may indicate interest
Do you look when you talk?
Do you look when you listen?
Actions Speak Louder than Words?

‘What often happens in any relationship is that

language itself becomes a mask and a means of
clouding and confusing the relationship. If the
spoken language is stripped away and the only
communication left is body language, the truth
will find some way of poling through. Spoken
language itself is a great obscurer”

Body Language, Julius Fast, MJF books, 1970.

Misinterpretation = Trouble??
Lost business
Lack of animation = lack
of interest?
US tendency to get right
to business
 Troubles

Conflict with
peers

• Different work styles

• Wrong assumptions
 Trouble….
 Misinterpretation
of signals
Can be BIG
trouble
Legal trouble
Do you know
how to act or are
you confused?
Do you know what you are saying?