1. Move slowly
If you’ve ever watched a presentation where the speaker rushes their words, uses quick hand gestures and can’t stand in one place, you’ll know about this.
Moving quickly with a sense of urgency shows you’re uncomfortable in the situation and can also make your audience feel the same.
Although you might be feeling uncomfortable, you may not want your audience to know.
By slowing down your body movements, you’ll become more relaxed and confident in your words – and your audience will too!
2. Ask for Feedback From Your Peers
Try to be aware of the impact your body language is having during different interactions throughout the day. It might even be worth asking for feedback from those you’ve spoken to really understand how your body language comes across to others.
3. Adopt an Open Posture
What’s the difference between an open and closed posture?
An open posture is a relaxed individual who uses open body language, such as facing the person or placing hands apart to appear approachable and receptive.
A closed posture is when a person crosses their arms or faces away from a person while they’re talking. This shows defensiveness and disinterest in the person or the conversation.
By using an open posture, you can build a connection more easily
Bonus Tip: If you find it difficult to remember to use an open posture, give mirroring techniques a try. This is when you pay attention to the body language of others and mirror it subtly – reflecting their expressions or body positions. This doesn’t mean mimicking their every move but doing so subtly to create a rapport with that person.
4. Mirror Facial Expressions
Facial expressions are universal. A smile can say so much without uttering a single word.
So whether you’re speaking to a friend who’s going through a hard time or you’re in an important meeting where big decisions need to be made, try to mirror the facial expressions of those around you. This is a great way to show friendliness and openness and makes the speaker feel that they’ve been heard.
For example, if a friend comes to you with a personal issue they’ve been struggling with, they’re looking for empathy and understanding, not anger or extreme happiness. By mirroring facial expressions in situations like these, you can validate their feelings and show they’re not alone in this issue they’re going through.
5. Attend a Confidence and Assertiveness Course
If you want to make a positive impact at work or with your colleagues, start by understanding how you are perceived in certain situations. This will help you get the results you’re looking for no matter the context.
Our Confident Communication and Assertiveness course is led by Communications Coach and expect, Anne Walsh, who can help you enhance your communication through body language tips and truly understanding your communication style.
Want a taste of what to expect? Access our free taster session with Anne to discover a taste of what you can learn on one of our Confidence and Resilience training courses.
Mastering positive body language isn’t something that can be done overnight – it takes time to naturally be open, confident and engaged.
But work at it and you’ll find yourself doing a little bit better at poker the next time you play.
