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Body Language in Business
Communication
Body Language - technically known as kinesics (pronounced
'kineesicks') - is a significant aspect of
modern communications and relationships. Body Language is therefore very
relevant to management and leadership, and to all aspects of work and
business where communications can be seen and physically observed
among people. Body language is also very relevant to relationships
outside of work, for example in dating and mating, and in families
and parenting. Communication includes listening. In terms of
observable body language, non-verbal (non-spoken) signals are being
exchanged whether these signals are accompanied by spoken words or
not.
Body language goes
both ways:
• Your own body language reveals your feelings and
meanings to others.
• Other people's body language reveals their feelings
and meanings to you.
The sending and receiving of body language signals
happens on conscious and unconscious levels. Body
language is a powerful concept which successful people tend to
understand well.
We form our opinions of someone we
meet for the first time in just a few seconds, and this initial
instinctual assessment is based far more on what we see and feel
about the other person than on the words they speak. On many
occasions we form a strong view about a new person before they speak
a single word. Consequently body language is very influential in
forming impressions on first meeting someone.
The effect happens both ways - to and from:
• When we meet someone for the
first time, their body language, on conscious and unconscious levels,
largely determines our initial impression of them.
• In turn when someone meets us for
the first time, they form their initial impression of us largely from
our body language and non-verbal signals.
Body language potentially (although not always, depending on the
definition you choose to apply) encompasses:
• how we position our bodies
• our closeness to and the space
between us and other people (proxemics),
and how this changes
• our facial expressions
• our eyes especially and how our
eyes move and focus, etc
• how we touch ourselves and others
• how our bodies connect with other
non-bodily things, for instance, pens, cigarettes, spectacles and
clothing
• our breathing, and other less
noticeable physical effects, for example our heartbeat and
perspiration
Body language tends not to include:
• the pace,
pitch, and intonation, volume, variation, pauses, etc., of our voice.
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It is now
generally accepted that certain basic facial expressions of human
emotion are recognized around the world - and that the use and
recognition of these expressions is genetically inherited rather than
socially conditioned or learned.
These emotional face expressions
are:
• Happiness
• Sadness
• Fear
• Disgust
• Surprise
• Anger
"Body language is the unconscious and conscious
transmission and interpretation of feelings, attitudes, and moods and
this transmission and interpretation can be quite different to the
spoken words." Ask yourself, when analysing
body language: Are there external factors affecting the mood and
condition of the individual concerned? Do not jump to conclusions -
especially negative ones - using body language analysis alone.
Body language is not an exact science.
No single body
language sign is a reliable indicator. Understanding body language
involves the interpretation of several consistent signals to support
or indicate a particular conclusion.
So how do you read Body Language signs
Check this out
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