Watch out !
A typical way of walking, the form of your handshake, the way you cross your ankles, the direction of your eyes while talking to another person, the tone of your voice - each give out a certain definite message. Each and every body movement contains a clue to your personality. Are you being defensive? Are you contemplating something ? Are you confused about something? Is your body showing signals of approval? Can rejection of ideas be traced in your body postures?
Each of us have an internal system of recognising certain signals. We immediately know when somebody we know is upset. We can detect their moods and thoughts. This is an unconscious form of reading the other person's body language. To certain extent we develop this skill as part of a society. A good salesman can intuitively detect a potential customer. He knows when he is near closing of a sale and adapts his body language to engage you into trusting his credibility and making the buy.
Sitting in a restaurant or in a bar we often send out signals to a potential mate. A flick of hair, crossing of ankles, tilted head, animated gestures - all represent signals of being attracted to the person opposite us. Most of these are unconscious and are read by instinct.
My friend always knows when her dog is grouchy, or when he needs to go out to pee ! Each pet owner can vouch that they know exactly what mood their pet is in. Again - it is body language at work. Various studies get caried out to study and understand animal behavior.
Each culture may have their unique form of expressing themselves - but certain gestures are universal.
Gaining a better understanding of body language is fun and extremely essential - especially while negotiating or trying to make a sale ! How you present yourself at an interview might tip the scale in your favor or not. Verbal cues are often not attended to. The way you present yourself - your mannerisms - say it all !
Its easy to gain a basic understanding of what body language is all about !
Here are a few links to "decode" body language !
This is a condensed version of a chapter in "Mind Your Manners" - a table -describing gestures and their clues by John Mole. Another table defining various key body movements and an article describing cultural differences in certain postures and gestures @ LifePositive.com
Interview? Do it right ! Body language markers to wach out for @ pcw.co.uk,Interview Tactics and CareerJournal
The Sales Man, the marketer, the Negotiater needs to read this.
The dating scene ! Signals men send out and signals women hint out ! Take a quiz to find out what your body language says about you @ Romance-Dating-BodyLanguage Quiz. Shape up your act - hints @ ThirdAge.com and - the body language 101 guide to interpreting - if SHE likes you @Becomeaplayer.com!
Animal Behavior - Pets and their body language ! Links to understanding the canine @ WagnTrain,Pet-tails and Canine Behavior. The feline link @ Purina.com and the clue to rabbits@ Rabbit.org!
The geek you might want to read up on this article which describes how technology is being developed to read your mouse movements - yup - The PC - Mouse that helps you to navigate thru the web ! Whether you are reading a website or not - your mouse movements tell all ! the article@bbc.co.uk
