Decipher Body Language

Body language is the unspoken communication we use in our face to face encounter with people. Communication experts tell us that our words convey only 7% of our thoughts and feelings; rest is conveyed by our body language. Body language makes or mars our chances in job interviews, networking, and social meetings.
While it is important to be aware of our own body’s communication, we can use our knowledge of body language to decipher what others are conveying without saying anything.

Here are some guidelines that you could use to understand other people’s non-verbal communication:

• Notice the distance the other person is keeping from you. If s/he is too close, he is pushy or in your face. If too far away, he is aloof, distant and standoffish.

• Watch the angle of his body. If he is friendly and interested in you, his body will lean towards you. On the contrary, if he is leaning backwards, he is cold and unfriendly.

• Look at his arms. If they are crossed over his chest, he is defensive and wants you to stay away from him.

• Look at his eyes. If he is looking into your eyes, he respects you and is interested in what you are saying. If he is looking down, he is either shy or deceitful. He may be lying to you. If he is looking at his watch or thinking of what to say next, he is not interested in your talk.

• Look at his head. If it is leveled, he is confident and knows his importance. If his head is tilting to one side he is friendly and interested in you.

• Look at his lips. If they are pursed or twisted, he is either thinking carefully about what you said or disagrees with you but is holding back his comment. He is certainly not very pleased with you.

• Look at his hands. If he is fiddling with something, he is clearly nervous.

• Look at his legs. If he is shuffling from one leg to the other, he is impatient.

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