If you are aware of the proper use of nonverbal communication skills, body language, your colleagues will perceive you as a confident, energetic and engaging person. Should you present negative nonverbal communication, you will be seen as a person with low-esteem. It may be not fair but it is true.
The most common mistakes people make in the area of nonverbal communication were recently addressed on the Business Insider website. Read the recommendations of Tonya Reiman, author of The Power of Body Language.
Posture
Your posture greatly affects how you feel about yourself. What does the optimal posture look like? There should be a gap between your feet, your neck should be elongated – to sum up, you should stand tall. Do not slump your shoulders, because if you do so, your audience will perceive you as a lazy, unhappy person.
Hand gestures
You should avoid using big hand movements. Do not wave your hands, rather use smaller gestures. In business small gestures are a sign of authority and confidence.
Show empathy
It is important to give positive physical feedback to what your colleagues are saying. It can be “uh-huh” sounds, raised eyebrows or nodding your head. Any gesture that shows you care improves communication. You will not look hostile in your colleague’s eyes.
Importance of eye contact
People who have the ability to maintain eye contact are perceived as being confident. Eye contact is also crucial for persuasive communication. When you need to break eye contact do so by looking to the left or right, do not look down. You could be perceived as an insecure person.
Some others mistake that can harm your image, in the eyes of others, is not aligning verbal and nonverbal communication. Not smiling and a bad handshake can also harm your image, however, Reiman adds that permanent smiling is even worse. Another point to keep in mind is never let your cellphone come between you and the person you are talking to.
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