Is Your Body Talking Good Business?
Body Language in Business – Sort it out and communicate with greater impact

By: Mary-Louise Angoujard, CEO and Founder, Rapporta Limited  

Whatever the business, communicating positively is important. We spend so much time focusing on the spoken word (content) and yet nonverbal communication such as posture, body language, facial expression and eye contact can easily either support or detract from our message.

Nonverbal communication affects business results.

Achieving business goals and personal objectives depend in large part on the quality of communication, and body language is so powerful that it can even determine the overall impact of a message.

We are often more likely to believe body language than what is said – for example, how many of us believe that a waiter or service person who asks “Can I help you?” in a listless tone, accompanied by a bored and distant facial expression really, does want to help? The words are right, but the body language and tone (both nonverbal) do not support the words. And we believe the nonverbal messages more.

This kind of incongruent, mixed-message communication happens all the time and people are usually unaware of their own body language. I recently coached a wonderful, kindly, motivated and engaged manager who was (completely unintentionally) communicating in such a way that people perceived him as arrogant, aloof and judgemental. By addressing a few key issues he was able to turn this around so that his nonverbal communication helps build rapport with his team rather than having an alienating effect.

Another Rapporta client had been identified as the best person for a senior appointment but this depended on whether he could “strengthen his personal presence and leadership impact”. This turned out to be largely about his body language, voice tone, and phraseology – not what he said and did, but how. He addressed these, and got the promotion.

Selling is another area where the nonverbal is highly important. Are people likely to want to buy from the sales person who refuses to make eye contact, demonstrates poor posture, lack of energy and generally seems disinterested or unconvinced about his/her own products and services? What about if they have great body language but respond with an uncertain tone when presented with a question or objection?

The impact of nonverbal communication, when coupled with good verbal skills, product quality and know-how, definitely makes a difference to the bottom line in any business. 

Body Language – A few basic rules

1. “The body and the mind act as one system.” Much of the interaction between body and mind is unconscious on our part. (A good thing, too -- can you imagine how much time you’d waste if you had to think of telling yourself “Breathe!” continually?)

And, if most of the body language we display towards others is unconscious on our part, remember others also notice and interpret it mostly unconsciously.

2. Context is often forgotten when people refer to so-called “clear” signals of body language. Consider how you would interpret someone with their arms folded across the body, head down, stiff torso, hunched shoulders or legs crossed? All of the aforementioned could be considered “closed” body language, so always take context into account.

• Waiting for a bus in the cold/wind
• Feeling shy at a party
• Disagreeing strongly with something at a meeting

Initial Impressions - Begin to build rapport at your first meeting.

Networking events, customer service situations and sales meetings involve a lot of first meetings, and we all know that i nitial impressions count for a great deal. As well as dressing appropriately, the key to creating a first positive impression lies in your approach; energy, an upright yet relaxed posture and stance, a firm (but not bone-crushing) handshake, direct eye contact and warm facial expression really do make a difference. Along with a sincere tone of voice, they convey a genuine attitude of interest. It helps to remember this at networking events as well as first business meetings. (“You don’t have to be interesting, just be interested”.)

Good eye contact is vital  

Have you ever noticed when someone loses interest and/or concentration, their eyes go into a “blind stare” and they seem lost in their own little world? You can tell this even if they are looking at you, because they practically stop blinking entirely.

Blinking regularly is another good sign as it increases the feeling of listening, engagement and concentration.  

What about when someone finds it difficult to meet your eyes? This is seriously off-putting, and can even affect people’s perceptions of trustworthiness. At best, it makes others feel uncomfortable.

But good eye contact does not mean continual, unremitting, “eyeball to eyeball” staring. In a business context, good eye contact usually means meeting another person’s eyes directly for no more than four “beats” or seconds at a time, and often.  

Posture

Those constant reminders to “stand up straight” when you were growing up were very much in your best interests!  

Good posture appears balanced and confident. By ensuring your back is straight (although not stiff or appearing rigid) and shoulders held back comfortably, you will not only improve the way you come across, seem taller (which has been linked to appearing authoritative) but you also feel more confident in the moment.

Making a Negative a Positive  

You can sometimes avoid needless confrontation in meetings by a simple matter of seating position (as long as you also practice rapport-building and asking open questions to find out the other party’s concerns).  

Sitting directly across from someone is a more “confrontational positioning”, so if you expect opposition, try to sit at an angle to them or (if it’s a colleague) on the same side of the table to “share the same perspective.” Something so simple really can help although it’s not, of course, fail-safe.

If you do notice an apparent negativity or lack of engagement, it’s best to get concerns and issues out in the open so that they can be dealt with positively: Try asking for the person’s input in a non-confrontational way – for example “Tom, what is your perspective on this?” When people become interested and engaged, their nonverbal communication changes like magic. (Note that tone is just as important as the words.)

Body Language in Business Presentations

 Many people are called on to present in public and even though it is listed as one of the biggest fears people have (a large percentage reporting that they fear public speaking more than death), presentation skills coaching is relegated to the “nice to have” category of personal development. But this is risky. Let’s say, for example, that you have been invited, selected or railroaded into doing a presentation at the company conference or an industry forum meeting.

How do you want to be perceived by your audience? Just how important is your message? You have considerable influence on how the audience receives the message. Different stances, facial expressions and gestures create different impressions on the psyche of the audience, as well as having an impact on the speaker’s own confidence, voice and energy.  

Top body language tips to appear – and feel --- more confident and have more impact when making presentations:  

• Prepare well. Practice everything, including gestures, so that your body as well as your mind is familiar with the presentation. This frees you up to engage with your audience more naturally since you will not be as worried about what your body is doing.
• Errors or discomfort during the first 20-30 seconds can be disorientating, so also practice getting up from your chair, moving into place, and beginning the presentation. Go through this at least once or twice at the venue before the presentation starts if possible.
• Posture should be straight, but not rigid.
• Ensure your stance is strong. Avoid repeatedly shifting your weight from one foot, or one hip, to the other, which results in appearing less sure of yourself and having less impact on the audience.
• Definite gestures are better than vague ones, which look less powerful and could lead the viewer to perceive the ideas behind them in the same sort of light.
• For public speaking, larger (although not uncontrolled) arm movements and open palms when gesturing suggest greater power and confidence than small, repressed movements.
• Make eye contact with your audience – “sweep” the room with your eyes, and actually meet the eyes of different members of the audience regularly as you present – the entire audience will feel acknowledged – and everyone will feel more comfortable and engaged, including you!

It has been said that “the quality of communication determines the quality of everything else”, and nonverbal communication is a big part of quality communication! It’s easy to gain greater awareness and understanding for improved impact in any context, and Rapporta Limited is offering Better Business readers 25% saving to attend the public programme entitled “Decoding the Unsaid in Business” in London on 10 June 2005 .

Contact Rapporta via email at info@rapporta.com or call 0208 788 7433 to obtain more details and to register. Alternatively, visit www.rapporta.com.

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