BUSINESS ENGLISH

TENG 1193 Non-Verbal Communication Prepared By: So L.C.

NON-VERBAL LANGUAGE
By a mans fingernails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boots, by his trouser-knees, by the calluses of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirt-cuffs, by his movements by each of these things, a mans calling is plainly revealed. That all united should fail to enlighten the competent enquirer in any case is almost inconceivable. Sherlock Holmes, 1892

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

When people want to be open or honest, they will often hold one or both palms out to the other person and say something like, I didn't do it! or Im sorry if I upset you or Im telling you the truth.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

The palms are intentionally used everywhere to imply an open, honest approach.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

Palms-in-Pockets: Prince William showing the media that he doesnt want to talk. Keeping your hands in your pocket shows you do not want to participate un a conversation, just like keeping your mouth shut.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

The palm facing up is used as a submissive, non-threatening gesture, just like the pleading gesture of a street beggar, or the person holds no weapons. If you want someone to talk, you can use the palmup as a handover gesture to let them know you expect them to talk and you are ready to listen.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

If your palm is turned to face downward, you will project immediate authority. The other person will sense that you have given them an order, depending on your relationship with him or the position you have with him in a work environment. If the person was someone of your equal status, he might resist the Palm- Down gesture and would be more likely to comply if you use the Palm-Up position.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

The Nazi salute had the palm facing directly down and was the symbol of power and tyranny. If Adolf Hitler had used his salute in the Palm-Up position, no one would have taken him seriously they would have laughed.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

The Palm-Closed-Finger-Pointed is a fist where the pointed finger is used like a symbolic club with which the speaker figuratively beats his listeners into submission. It evokes negative feelings in others and is one of the most annoying gestures. In Malaysia and Philippines, finger-pointing at a person is an insult as it is only used to point at animals. Malaysians will use their thumb to point to people or to give directions.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

Speakers who use the Finger-Pointed position were viewed as aggressive, belligerent, and rude. It recorded the lowest amount of information retention by their audience. When speakers point directly at the audience, the delegates became preoccupied with making personal judgements about the speakers rather than listening to their content.

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

THE POWER IS IN YOUR HANDS

Squeeze your fingers against your thumb to make an OK type of gesture and talk using this position, you will come across as authoritative, but not aggressive. The audiences who listened to the speakers who used this gesture described the speakers as thoughtful, goaloriented and focussed.

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

A natural smile produces characteristic wrinkles around the eyes insincere people smile only with their mouth.

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

Place a mirror down the middle of illustration A at an angle of 90 degrees to reflect each side of the face, you will produce 2 different faces with opposite emotions. Mirroring the right side of the face shows picture B, which has a cheesy grin, while mirroring the left side reveals picture C, an angry frown. [The Twisted Smile]

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

The Drop-Jaw Smile is a practiced smile where the lower jaw is simply dropped down to give the impression that the person is laughing or playful. This is a favourite of people such as The Joker in Batman, Bill Clinton and Hugh Grant, all of whom use it to engender happy reactions in their audiences or to win more votes.

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

The Tight-Lipped Smile: the lips are stretched across the face to form a straight line and the teeth are concealed. The smiler has a secret or withheld opinion or attitude that they will not be sharing with you. It is a favourite of women who dont want to reveal that they dont like someone and is usually clearly read by other women as a rejection signal. Most men are oblivious to it.

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

Sideways-Looking-Up-Smile: with the head turned down and away while looking up with a tight-lipped Smile, the smiler looks juvenile, playful and secretive. This coy smile is mens favourite everywhere because when a woman does it, it engenders parental male feelings, making men want to protect and care for females. This smile made women want to be like her. It is also regular in womens courtship repertoire for attracting men, it is read by men as seductive and is a powerful come on signal.

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

The opposite of pulling up the corners of the mouth to show happiness is pulling both corners downward to show the Down-Mouth expression. This is done by the person who feels unhappy, despondent, depressed, angry, or tense. If the person holds these negative emotions throughout their lifetime, the corners of the mouth will set into a permanent down position.

THE MAGIC OF SMILES

In later life, this can give a person an appearance similar to a bulldog. Studies show that we stand farther away from people who have this expression, give them less eye contact, and avoid them when they are walking toward us.

THE MAGIC OF LAUGHTER

THE MAGIC OF LAUGHTER

In courtship, it is women who do most of the laughing and smiling, not men. The more he can make her laugh, the more attractive she will find him. The ability to make others laugh is perceived as a dominant trait. A subordinate person will laugh to appease a superior person and the superior person will make subordinates laugh but without laughing himself as a way to maintain his superiority.

ARM SIGNALS
When you fold your arms, your credibility dramatically reduces. When a listener folds his arms, not only does he have more negative thoughts about the speaker, he is also paying less attention to what is being said. You may feel arm-crossing is simply comfortable, but others think you are not approachable.

ARM SIGNALS

ARM SIGNALS
If a person has clenched fists as well as a full arm-cross, this cluster, called FistsClenched-Arms-Crossed, shows hostility as well as defensiveness. If combined with a tight-lipped smile or clenched teeth and red face, a verbal or even physical attack could happen. This person has an aggressive, attacking attitude.

ARM SIGNALS

ARM SIGNALS
The Double-Arm-Grip is characterised by the persons hands tightly gripping their upper arms to reinforce themselves and avoid exposure of the front of the body. Sometimes, the arms can be gripped so tight that the fingers and knuckles can turn white as blood circulation is cut off. It is a persons way of comforting himself with a form of self-hugging.

ARM SIGNALS
Arm-gripping is commonly seen in doctors and dentists waiting rooms or with firsttime air travellers who are waiting for liftoff. In a courtroom, the claimant may be seen using a Fists-Clenched-Arms-Crossed pose while the defendant may have taken the Double-Arm-Grip position.

ARM SIGNALS
Status can influence arm-folding gestures. When a general manager is introduced to several new employees at a companys social function:
He would greet them with a Palm-Down handshake, stands back from them a yard away with his hands by his sides or behind his back (superiority), or with both hands in his pocket (noninvolvement). He rarely folds his chest so as not to show the slightest hint of nervousness.

ARM SIGNALS
When a general manager meets a young, up-and-coming male who is also a superior type and who may even signal that he is as important as the general manager?
Result: After the two give each other a dominant handshake, the younger executive may take an arms-folded gesture (protection/defensive) with both thumbs pointing upward (self-confident).

ARM SIGNALS

ARM SIGNALS
Famous people are just as nervous in public as the rest of us. Prince Charless Cuff-Link-Adjust: revealing his insecurities

TAKE THE CULTURAL TEST

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

The previous illustration shows two men talking in a doorway. The man on the left is trying to hold the other mans attention, but his listener wants to continue in the direction his body is pointing, although his head is turned to acknowledge the other mans presence. In any face-to-face meeting, when one person has decided to leave, he will turn his body or feet to point toward the nearest exit.

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

45-degree Open Position is taken by the first 2 people, which invites a third person to join in the conversation.

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

If a third person wants to join two others who are standing in a Closed Position, hell be invited when the other two angle their bodies to form the triangle. If the third person is not accepted, the others will hold the Closed Position and turn only their heads towards him as a sign of recognition; and they will probably give tight-lipped smiles.

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

A conversation between three people may begin in the open triangle position, but eventually two people may take the Closed Position to exclude the third person. This group formation is a clear signal that he should leave the group to avoid embarassment.

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

Crossing the knees towards another person shows a sign of interest in or acceptance of that person. If the other person also becomes interested, he will cross knees towards the first person. As the two people become more involved with each other, they begin to mirror each others movements and gestures.

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

In the picture, the man and woman to the left have formed a closed position that excludes all others, such as the man on the right. The only way in which the man on the right could participate in the conversation would be to move a chair to a position in front of the couple and attempt to form a triangle, or take some other action to break their closed formation.

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

Feet serve as pointers indicating the direction in which a persons mind is going, they also point at people who we find the most interesting or attractive. In the picture, you can see the conversation seems to be dominated by the men, and the woman is just listening. Then, you notice that the men all have their front foot pointing towards the woman.

How the Body Points to Where the Mind Wants to Go

With this non-verbal cue, the men are each telling the woman they are interested in her. On a subconscious level, she sees the foot gestures and is likely to stay with the group for as long as she is receiving this attention. She is standing with both feet together (neutral) and could eventually point one foot towards the man she finds the most interesting.