Body Language Basics

By
Professor Akash Niranjane
MBA Marketing, UGC NET, PhD
Pursuing
What is body Language?

Silent (non-verbal) messages communicated
through the sender's body movements, facial
expressions, voice tone and loudness, etc. In
social psychology, all behavior in presence of
another person is considered communication.
Also called kinesic communications.
Why Body Language is Important for
all of us?
Body language is another word for nonverbal
communication.

A Princeton University study discovered that
people make judgments about a person's
likeability and competence in one tenth of a
second just by looking at their headshot
Common Body language Mistakes



Yeah, I make mistakes becauselife doesnt
come with instructions
Bad Posture


Leaning back is lazy or arrogant, leaning
forward is aggressive and slouching is just lazy.
Instead, experts say to aim for a neutral
position.
Breaking Eye Contact
"Hold eye contact one extra eyelash

try to hold your interviewers gaze for one
extra second before breaking away. "Do this
especially when shaking hands,"
Chopping and Pointing


chopping or pointing motions can "cut up" the
space between you and next person in an
aggressive way
Crossed Arms

Arms crossed over your chest signal
defensiveness and resistance

"When you are open at your sides you appear
more approachable.
Excessive Nodding
Sometimes we undermine how powerful or
in focus we are by nodding like a bobble-head
doll

"Nod once or twice with a smile of agreement.
But find your still center and stay there."
Fidgeting

"Stop fidgeting!

The nervous energy will distract the person.

You want [him or her] focused on what you
have to say, not the coins jingling in your
pocket or the hangnail on your finger.
Hands Behind Back
"Keeping your hands in your pockets or
behind your back inhibits movement and
makes you appear stiff.

It's important to appear approachable and
open
Mismatched Expressions
"If your tone isn't matching your facial
expression you could find yourself in hot
water,"

"If someone asks what you're most
passionate about and your face is in deadpan
while you answer, it's not going to translate
well."
Shifty Eyes
Distracted or upward eye movements can
suggest someone is lying or not sure of
themselves.

"It's important to look someone directly into
the eye to convey confidence and certainty."

Staring
"It's important to be confident and look the
next persons eye,

"But then break away. Locking eyes with
someone for an extended period of time can
be interpreted as aggressive, not to mention
creepy
Quote on Mistakes
If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes.
But if you learn from them, you'll be a better
person. It's how you handle adversity, not how
it affects you. The main thing is never quit,
never quit, never quit.

William J. Clinton


So, Sir What should I do to improve
my Body Language?



You can improve your body language with the
help of certain gestures and postures
The Flooding Smile
"Don't flash an immediate smile when you greet
someone,

pause and look at the other person's face for a
second, and then let a "big, warm, responsive
smile flood over your face and overflow into your
eyes.

Even though the delay is less than a second, it will
convince people your smile is sincere and
personalized for them

If you want to be taken seriously,
speak up early


By speaking up early, even if it on some trivial
matter, you establish yourself as someone
who is at the table and ready to participate.
Sticky Eyes
don't break eye contact. "When you must look
away, do it ever so slowly, until the tiny string
finally breaks

This technique will help you appear more
intelligent and insightful
To sound dynamic, widen your stance

feet planted firmly on the floor, a hips-width
apart, with your weight evenly distributed. A
broad stance like this calms your nervous
system, allows you to breathe with ease, and
amplifies your voice.
keep your body language open
If you keep your posture relaxed, inclusive and
open, people around you will respond by
being more cohesive, positive and productive

Thank you