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Education
ChapterTitle
StreetSmarts SM

Body language in business: Part 1 – the basics

By Nick Cucci line with what you want to share. Let's discuss how body
Fluid Pay LLC language can influence professional interactions through-
out the average work week.
uccess in business is often attributed to hard Creating open communication
work and business politics, but there is actually
more going on under the surface. More experts Our bodies can be open and inviting or shut off and dis-
S are focusing on the benefits of soft skills–with missive. How we hold ourselves will convey this informa-
85 percent of career success being attributed to them (see tion to the people we interact with. In order to create open
https://tinyurl.com/y6eujwjj). Being able to understand and communication, it is important to focus on being visibly
manage body language is one skill that can have a huge open. An inviting smile, angling your body in someone's
impact on your professional career. Whether you are direction, and relaxed shoulders can all help to create
looking to land that next big promotion or you just want open communication.
to get invited to work on more projects, body language
can help. This three-part series will take a look at body Showing active listening
language and how it influences workspaces all around Attention is one of the greatest gifts we give others, but
the world.
our bodies can sometimes undermine us–even when we
Grasping the importance of body language are listening.

Body language is a form of language that is built entirely Making direct eye contact and leaning in, for example,
around your physical presence. It is the communication can clearly tell someone that we are interested. Nodding
signals that your body gives off when you are in a room along as someone speaks is another common way to show
with someone—even if that room is actually a digital engagement. However, wandering eyes or turning away
Zoom meeting space. Every part of your body can play can tell someone that we are not interested and not listen-
a role in body language. From the way you hold a per- ing in the slightest.
son's gaze to your posture in a room, body language tells
a story–and it holds an influential space in our communi- Listening in a meeting isn't always easy, and most people
cations, whether we want it to or not. When you learn the know this. During a long meeting, it is common for our
impression that certain physical motions give, you might shoulders to slouch, our eyes to wander, or for us to be-
be surprised to learn what kind of messages you have come visibly out of focus. Unfortunately, this is very easy
been sending! to see for the speaker–and it can have a lasting negative
impression on how they perceive you.
Professional interactions are often a key component when
it comes to professional success. In fact, 71 percent of em- Building or de-escalating tension
ployees who feel productive at work cite communication Tension in the workplace is never easy, and it is very deli-
and connection with colleagues as the reasons (see https://
tinyurl.com/4cyy66fr). cate. When tension builds, it can lead to disastrously neg-
ative communication. However, when we de-escalate ten-
sion, we gain the ability to turn a negative conversation
Positive interactions reflect positively, and negative inter- into something more controlled. Being able to do this is
actions can have the opposite effect. If you are unaware of
these subconscious signals and how they are interpreted, important whether you are an analyst, a customer service
representative, or someone in leadership.
you might find yourself conveying something that isn't in
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