Looking Self-Assured

If you want to be seen as a confident and self-assured person, capable of conducting business negotiations in a cool professional manner, using open body language will make you more persuasive.

Stand upright, balanced on both feet with your weight evenly distributed. If you can pull in those abdominals you’ll look not only taller but slimmer. Remember, your body is an instrument – it can convey every emotion.

Another tip is mirroring gestures. It’s great for creating a good first impression with new business contacts. By copying what the other person does, it endorses the favourable view they’ve formed of you.

Actions speak louder than words and body language speaks volumes.

When you are trying to create a favourable impression with someone, your body will quite naturally point towards them – your face, hands, arms, feet and legs will be turned their way.

These gestures can be quite subconscious, but they are picked up easily by the other person. You’ve probably noticed this dozens of times amongst people you’ve sat next to at work, when travelling or in social situations.

Try watching next time you’ve got a few moments to spare – observe how individuals position themselves when communicating with each other. You’ll notice how they naturally angle themselves towards the person with whom they are trying to create a positive impression, and turn away from those they are seeking to avoid.

Eye Contact

Making the correct sort of eye contact in business negotiations is important. Usually you are dealing with someone you don’t know very well so there are a number of things to remember.

It is quite natural to look at people from eye to eye and across the top of the nose. This is the safe area to which eye contact should be confined. With friends, in social situations, this area of vision increases to include both eyes but also downwards to the nose and mouth. If you’re flirting with someone, the scope of this triangle increases -widening at the base to involve more of the body.

As the object of the exercise is to do business with them rather than sleep with them, do pay attention if you find someone watching your mouth while you’re talking to them. In body-language terms, they might be sending you a signal that they want to kiss you. I am not being gender specific here, so I think it’s best to err on the side of caution!

If you’re very nervous, try not to stare obsessively at someone when they are speaking to you. They could be forgiven for thinking that they’ve got something stuck to their chin, or that you are fixated on a particular facial feature. On the other hand, looking away completely, slow blinking or closing the eyes for longer periods than normal, can be a clear indication of lack of interest or, worse, boredom.

As a final point, remember that gestures can direct eye contact.

Pointing to something you are showing to your business contact directs his eyes towards it, lifting the head and engaging eye contact again will change the emphasis of your meeting. These hints may not be infallible, but they are useful and worth noting in the general context of relationship-building for business.

Getting A Head Start

If you want to stand out from your competitors and create the best impression for business purposes, use your head!

Keeping your head level both horizontally and vertically gives the impression of authority. A friendly gesture when listening to what your companion is saying is to tilt your head slightly to one side or the other.

Also remember that you were given two ears and only one mouth, so use them in that proportion. If you can spend twice as much time listening as talking, you will be creating a positive impression. People will regard you as a skilled communicator who knows how to initiate a conversation without dominating it.