Unlocking the Secrets of Body Language: Enhance Your Communication Skills

Confidence, personality, behavior — your body language says it all.

Body language is a skill that many people do not have, but it must be developed in today’s work and life contexts.

By mastering body language basics, you gain valuable tools you can use at home and in the office. Your body language counts, especially regarding your profession or career, from when you interview to when you attain senior-level positions or become a business owner.

Understanding body language means recognizing that what is not spoken is just as crucial as what is said — and that how your own body language is perceived is something you can adjust and enhance.

Studies reveal that words account for less than 7% of your messages. The remaining 93% is non-verbal communication: 55% of communication is predicated on what people see, and the other 38% is transmitted through tone of voice.

Eye contact and facial expression

Eye contact is the most blatant way you communicate. How much should you maintain in a meeting or interview? Usually, maintaining eye contact for about 60% of the time appears healthy and shows that you are concentrating.

A smile sends an affirmative signal — warmth and an aura of confidence. Your mouth gives cues even when you aren’t speaking; pressing your lips or twisting them to one side can suggest deep or hidden thoughts during a meeting or discussion.

What head position and movement signal

• Agreeing: Nodding is often a sign of agreement — a slow nod can indicate genuine interest or a polite, insincere gesture; a quick nod can indicate a lack of patience with the speaker.
• Looking away: Suggests a lack of interest or disagreement with the presented information; during an activity, it can indicate fatigue.
• Leaning to the side: Indicates a contemplative or open demeanor, and can suggest reliability.
• Head raised or held high: Can indicate self-assurance, superiority, or defiance/confidence.
• Moving forward, facing someone directly: Shows interest — a promising sign.
• Head down: Indicates disapproval.
• Head shaking: Indicates a difference of opinion; the speed correlates with the intensity of the disagreement.

Arms and other tells

How receptive you are shows in how you place your arms. Arms crossed or folded over your chest usually show a lack of interest and can be read as disrespectful. Waving arms may show enthusiasm to some, but others read it as uncertainty. The most effective position is arms by your side — it reads as confident and relaxed.

Not all body language is universal — there are differences in how men and women communicate, and in how gestures are perceived across genders. For example, research published by the American Psychological Association found that women, despite displaying the same facial expressions as men, were perceived as angrier and less happy.

A few gestures worth avoiding in professional settings:

• Biting nails — reads as insecurity or nerves
• Turning away — reads as disrespect
• Pulling ears — reads as indecision
• Holding a head tilt too long — reads as boredom (a brief tilt reads as interest)
• Touching the nose — often read as a sign someone is lying
• Drumming fingers — reads as impatience

Tips to enhance your body language

• Exercise — building a strong body can enhance personal confidence and posture
• Attire — how we present ourselves directly impacts self-assurance
• Open posture — maintaining an open posture exudes confidence and improves how others perceive you
• Speech — speak with the assurance of someone who knows their worth; speak clearly and enunciate

There are no prerequisites to developing this skill — it’s something everyone needs to know. After all, we are all human, and the first impression is often the lasting one.