My topic today is body language. I am someone who could spend hours sitting, watching and analyzing people. People’s actions and gestures somehow intrigue me to the extent that I think I have a person figured out before I even meet them. Of course there are lots of people who fool me but usually there is one body sign that sets a first impression.
Last time I did a skit (for Brian Ashford’s retirement) some people wondered how I did that? It’s a whole lot easier when you are standing in front of a group of people with a disguise on. I love Halloween! You can act like a fool until you’re found out, then you feel like a fool. The last thing anybody wants to do is embarrass oneself and I am no exception.
Psychologists tell us that when we communicate with others, only 7% of the message is contained in the words we use, 38% is in the tone, and 55% is non-verbal or body language. As you can see body language is very important when we are commu
The first body sign I notice is a smile. A smile is different from a smirk. I got pulled over by a traffic cop one time and I thought I’d smile, wrong thing to do at the wrong time. “Take that smirk off your face” he said. Timing is everything. A firm handshake with eye contact is a very strong and positive signal. Bob Mills (past field rep) had a very warm and sincere greeting when you met him. He made you feel special and important. On the other hand someone who avoids eye contact or looks past you sends a negative signal. When I am talking to someone and they are busy looking around at other people, I feel like I am taking up their valuable time. I could tell them anything and they would nod their head in agreement.
As you can see you can get a good idea of the type of person you are dealing with by observing their body language. There are also effective methods of gaining and maintaining rapport with people. When you mirror someone, you are