Body Language Basics for MBA

8/11/2019 Body Language Basics for MBA

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Body Language Basics

By

Professor Akash NiranjaneMBA Marketing, UGC NET, PhD

Pursuing



What is body Language?

• Silent (non-verbal) messages communicated

through the sender's body movements, facial

expressions, voice tone and loudness, etc. In

social psychology, all behavior in presence of

another person is considered communication.

Also called kinesic communications.



Why Body Language is Important for

all of us?

• Body language is another word for nonverbal

communication.

• A Princeton University study discovered that

people make judgments about a person's

likeability and competence in one tenth of a

second just by looking at their headshot



Common Body language Mistakes

• Yeah, I make mistakes because…life doesn’t

come with instructions………



Bad Posture

•

Leaning back is lazy or arrogant, leaningforward is aggressive and slouching is just lazy.

Instead, experts say to aim for a neutral

position.



Breaking Eye Contact

• "Hold eye contact one extra eyelash”

•

try to hold your interviewers gaze for oneextra second before breaking away. "Do this

especially when shaking hands,"



Chopping and Pointing

•

chopping or pointing motions can "cut up" thespace between you and next person in an

aggressive way



Crossed Arms

• Arms crossed over your chest signal

defensiveness and resistance

• "When you are open at your sides you appear

more approachable.



Excessive Nodding

• “Sometimes we undermine how powerful or

in focus we are by nodding like a bobble-head

doll”

• "Nod once or twice with a smile of agreement.

But find your still center and stay there."



Fidgeting

• "Stop fidgeting!“

• The nervous energy will distract the person.

• You want [him or her] focused on what youhave to say, not the coins jingling in your

pocket or the hangnail on your finger.



Hands Behind Back

• "Keeping your hands in your pockets or

behind your back inhibits movement and

makes you appear stiff .“

• It's important to appear approachable and

open



Mismatched Expressions

• "If your tone isn't matching your facial

expression you could find yourself in hot

water,"

• "If someone asks what you're most

passionate about and your face is in deadpan

while you answer, it's not going to translate

well."



Shifty Eyes

• Distracted or upward eye movements can

suggest someone is lying or not sure of

themselves.

• "It's important to look someone directly into

the eye to convey confidence and certainty."



Staring

• "It's important to be confident and look the

next person’s eye,“

• "But then break away. Locking eyes with

someone for an extended period of time can

be interpreted as aggressive, not to mention

creepy”



Quote on Mistakes

If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes.But if you learn from them, you'll be a betterperson. It's how you handle adversity, not how

it affects you. The main thing is never quit,never quit, never quit.

William J. Clinton



So, Sir What should I do to improve

my Body Language?

• You can improve your body language with the

help of certain gestures and postures



The Flooding Smile

• "Don't flash an immediate smile when you greetsomeone,“

•

pause and look at the other person's face for asecond, and then let a "big, warm, responsivesmile flood over your face and overflow into youreyes.“

• Even though the delay is less than a second, it willconvince people your smile is sincere andpersonalized for them



If you want to be taken seriously,

speak up early

•

By speaking up early, even if it on some trivialmatter, you establish yourself as someone

who is “at the table” and ready to participate.



Sticky Eyes

• don't break eye contact. "When you must look

away, do it ever so slowly, until the tiny string

finally breaks”

• This technique will help you appear more

intelligent and insightful



To sound dynamic, widen your stance

• feet planted firmly on the floor, a hips-width

apart, with your weight evenly distributed. A

broad stance like this calms your nervous

system, allows you to breathe with ease, and

amplifies your voice.



keep your body language open

• If you keep your posture relaxed, inclusive and

open, people around you will respond by

being more cohesive, positive and productive



Thank you

Body Language Basics for MBA

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