Productivity
What your body language is saying in meetings
It’s not just about what you say, it’s also what your body is subconsciously telling everyone else in the room. Here’s how to nail both verbal and non-verbal communication to lift your career.
Non-verbal communication can tell people more about you faster than even a well-spoken introduction or snappy dress sense, especially if your audience knows what to look for. And more importantly, it’s more difficult to fake non-verbal communication than it is to control what you’re saying. Research from Harvard Business Review has shown that body language can even affect your hormones, which affect your decisions. That means that how we say things is just as important as what we are saying. But – we’ve got you covered, from subconscious cues, hand gestures, eye movements, posture, facial expressions and more. You need to sync what your body is saying with what’s coming out of your mouth. Here’s how to present the best version of yourself – without saying a thing.
1. Look them in the eyes, especially when addressing them
Yeah, it’s an obvious one, but it’s crucial. People don’t trust people who can’t look them in the eye – it has strong connotations with guilt or being evasive. At best, you are seen as lacking confidence, at worst, they’ll think you are being dishonest, or are hiding something. Pair this with a strong handshake, and confident stride into the meeting or interview room – not too fast, not too slow, shoulders back, and head upright. But don’t stare continuously. That gets creepy, quickly.
2. Sit upright in the chair
Don’t slouch, or lean too far backward or forward. Rest your elbows on the chair arms or on the table and keep both your feet and hands spread wide – you want to take up space and project confidence, but you also don’t want to seem arrogant. Assistant professor Amy Cuddy from Harvard Business School calls these stances ‘power poses’. Don’t cross your arms, and line-up your shoulders with whoever is speaking at the table – that shows engagement. And whatever you do, put your phone on silent and keep it in your pocket.
3. Don’t fidget
You don’t want finicky, crazed hand movements, or jumpy-knee syndrome. Don’t bite your nails, play with your hair, click your pen, doodle in your notebook, or tap the table. And try smile occasionally – research by Duke University found that that it can add to your attractiveness in interviews and meetings, and give a sense of wellbeing and offer feelings of warmth, trust, and friendliness. The same research showed that smiling faces are recalled more often – so you will be more memorable (in a good way).
4. Subtly mimic the person’s movements and expressions
This is a tricky balance, as you want to tilt your head in the same way, and generally mirror the same movements, but subtlety is the key – you don’t want to look like you’re playing Simon Says. This will help increase the feeling of engagement and trust.
5. Take some notes, but focus on concentrating and taking the info in
It’s not about writing down every detail and copying things verbatim – you want to listen carefully, maintain meaningful eye contact, and to give the occasional nod to show you are listening.