Body Language and Non-Verbal Communication for Leaders

It is said that ‘action speaks louder than words’. The same stands true in case of the nonverbal communications. Body language training is a type of nonverbal communication with which we express our thoughts, feelings or intentions by physical behaviors like body posture, gesture, facial expressions and eye movements.

It should not be confused with sign languages as body language training has no specific rule book to follow and the language varies from place to place, culture to culture. In the corporate world body language training is given similar importance to that of knowledge and experience. One might have huge knowledge and exposure but the absence of body language training kills them all.

About body language training

The ambiguous part of the communication is body language and that is why it is the most ignored one. Reading body languages and behaving accordingly can be a great strength for a professional. Body language training is also known as kinesics and is broadly divided into the following physical movements’ categories.

1. Facial expression

It is the most complex among the body language categories as we tend to express our emotions through our face. We combine eye and eyebrows, nose, cheek and lips movement to show our different moods and emotions like happiness, sadness, depression, sorrow, anger, etc.

Studies also suggest that facial expressions are the result of the perception and interpretation of other’s body language training too. The brain processes the expression readings simultaneously and prepares the congruent expression for it.

2. Body posture

Body postures are also a determinant of emotions. As per research of human behavior when a body posture is compared with that of the neutral emotion then it can be clearly understood how a body behaves in different emotional stages. Say for an instance, when a person is angry, he or she will reflect dominant postures whereas when someone is feeling fearful, he or she will display avoidance and submissive tendencies.

In the case of standing or sitting postures, one who is leaning forward sitting in his or her chair with a nodding head means that he or she is eager to be a part of the conversation. But when someone is sitting with his or her arms and legs crossed, it means that he or she is not at all open to the discussion. Tapping feet also means that the person is eager to leave the discussion and becoming impatient.

Again, when someone is standing with his or her arms on the waist in akimbo style and the feet directing towards the speaker, it shows that he or she is very much interested and attentive in the conversation.

3. Gesture

Gestures include the movements of the hands, fingers, arms, head and legs which can be either voluntary or involuntary. Gestures shown by arms in a discussion can mean a lot of things like someone sitting or interacting with folded arms means he or she is not welcoming the conversation. The gesture reflects unwillingness and closure to the conversation.

Hand gestures tell us a lot of things about the person’s state of mind. Relaxed and stable hands signify confidence in the character and depth one has in the subject whereas the person continuously clenching signifies anger or stress. Someone wringing hands shows anxiety and nervousness.

Finger gestures vary in their meaning from culture to culture. Pointing fingers towards someone is not acceptable and considered as rude. Thumbs up means everything is ok but in Iran this gesture is considered as an insult. While speaking people tend to use their fingers and hand movements to demonstrate something. This also gives a good impact on the listener. The demonstration is emphasized with the gestures and sometimes the speaker also asks the listeners to participate in it by using his or her fingers.

4. Handshakes

Handshake is the common gesture to greet everyone nowadays. In the corporate world it is a welcome sign too. Shaking hand also means congratulating someone on their success. When there is a mutual success then both the parties shake hands in a formal way to express gratitude for the support and team work. The degree of grip varies and their meaning too. Tight handshakes show confidence whereas it is not good for the womenfolk. But in some culture like the Hindus and Muslim do not prefer handshakes.

5. Oculesics

The study of eye movements is a subcategory of the study of body language. This category covers the meaning of eye behavior, eye movement, and other related non-verbal communication. Normally avoiding eye contact means the person is either lying or hiding something. It also shows a lack of confidence. Prolonged contact means the person is interested in the conversation or challenging the opposite person.

About the Improve Body language training course

The online training program is designed by the professional who has immense knowledge in this particular field. Their suggestive inclusions in the course will definitely make a person smart and developed in this aspect.

Keeping the recent trends in mind the course is designed and categorized into modules to make the knowledge delivering process better. Every session has an example description so that the learner can easily correlate what he or she has gained. All the examples are based on daily encounters in the corporate and personal world.

The Body language course is constructed with a generic approach so that it can be helpful for anyone. In fact, personality development is important for everyone and is very crucial in every aspect of life. In this Body language training course, a learner will be taught how to react in a particular moment. He or she will be trained to tackle issues like a professional and become a perfect human being.