Body Language to Avoid at Work
Body language is a large factor in how you are viewed by others. We’re here to explain to you some of the key body language aspects to absolutely avoid when conversing with coworkers, bosses, friends, or family. Following these guidelines will ensure you to leave a positive impression and become even more likable!
- Fidgeting with Your Hands: Holding hands behind your back, consistently playing with your fingers and generally fidgety movements cause your audience to assume you are nervous, insecure, or unconfident in the information you are conveying. Remain still, and practice power stances that will allow you to exude physical confidence! Showing your audience that you believe in yourself is one of the key aspects that will help them believe in you as well.
- Overuse of Hand Gestures: Side note… be conscious of how often you move your hands while talking! If you are a highly animated talker, try to monitor your movements when giving presentations or leading discussions, as your hand movements will likely distract the audience from valuable information.
- Crossing Your Arms: I’m sure we can all think back to a television or movie scene in which the “mean” character is standing with a scrunched face and arms folded in front of their chest. Remember the importance of your arm and hand placements, and avoid stances like these that cause you to come across as condescending, entitled, uninterested, or bored.
- Bad Posture: Always maintain awareness of the way you carry yourself! It is crucial to the effectiveness of your conversations and presentations that you stand up straight, facing your audience. Without doing so, you may risk coming across as insecure, or weak. These aspects may, unfortunately, bring about doubt from your coworkers or teammates.
- Avoid Eye Contact: While this may not directly involve your body, avoiding eye contact with the person you are talking to may once again cause you to come across as insecure, uninterested, or nervous. In the most serious cases, this may cause you to seem as though you may be hiding information or even lying. Make sure to maintain steady eye contact and look directly at who you are talking to. Doing so will allow you to avoid all of these negative outcomes and instead express your care, dedication, and listening skills. Remember… always demonstrate active listening by asking questions throughout the conversation and expressing interest!
- Not Smiling! Always, always, always smile! Not only does this showcase a genuine persona, but it helps you to feel more confident in yourself, ultimately elevating the atmosphere of the entire room. Someone who is not smiling is someone who is not proud or satisfied with their work. So, make sure you show everyone your pride!
Body language is a powerful tool that you should use to your advantage. Mastering correct and effective body language will help you to captivate audiences and be your most persuasive, likable self!
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In addition to body language . . . click here to learn about the top most attractive employee qualities!
