Understanding body language

Body language is the unspoken communication between people during a face-to-face encounter. While you may not realize it, your posture, gestures and expressions probably say more to the person you are conversing with than the words you are saying.

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When two people meet, both are probably reading the body language of the other person as well and you are both likely to walk away with an impression based more on the body language than on the spoken words.

There are thousands of signs that professionals use to interpret actions – darting eyes, sweating palms and nervous gestures, just to name a few. But how do you interpret those actions when you aren’t trained to recognize body language? The first real step is to follow your instincts.

Most people will admit that they’ve met someone who had an immediate and profound effect on them. That person may have intimidated the person, put him or her at ease or simply incurred immediate like or dislike. Body language likely played an important role in that snap decision though you may not have even been aware of it.

The distance a person stands from the person he or she is talking to is significant. The experts tell us that a person who is secure and very interested in what the other party says will often stand closer. To that person, someone who prefers to stand farther away may seem standoffish.

Interpreting every action takes time and training, but trusting your instinct will often give you a bit of insight into the meaning of body language. Just remember that you also have to listen. Basing your entire opinion on the body language could lead you to a mistaken conclusion, especially when you consider that your own body language is also playing a role by eliciting responses.