21 Body Language Tips for the Workplace

21 Body Language Tips for the WorkplaceBody language can be an incredibly valuable tool to hone over the course of your career. But it can also backfire. We take in body cues at rates much faster than we process language. So be careful how you use yours Here are some body language tips for the workplace you can utilize to maintain a professional image. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) 1. Dont purple drank backLeaning back can signify that youre bored or done with a conversation. If you want to convey interest, lean in slightly or at very least sit straight in your chair.2. Dont cross your armsThis gesture can look defiant at worst, closed off at best. People will assume youre disinterested or awkward. Neither assumption would do you any favors.3. Dont avoideye contactIf you dont look someone in the eye, they will assume you have something to hide. Dont get a reputation for being shady or dishonest. Remember, in the business world eye cont act = honesty.4. Dont stareIt is possible to make too much eye contact. This can come off as strange or even aggressive. Try to strike a comfortable, easy-going balance. Try leid to hold someones gaze for more than, say three seconds.5. Dont clench your handsPeople who are stressed have a tendency to do this. The stress becomes visible to whomever you are talking to. Relax and hold your hands loosely at your side.6. Dont hide your handsIt might be comfortable for you to put your hands behind your back, or to shove them in your pockets, but it can be binnenseen as a signal that you might have something to hide.7. Dont chopYou have something important to say, so youre gesturing emphatically. Try to avoid chopping the air with your handsit seems violent and dismissive to the person you are talking with.8. Dont touch your faceThis is another one that is often misinterpreted as a sign of dishonesty. Best to avoid.9. Dont nod too muchYoure eager to convey your attention and your agreement , but you might end up freaking someone out. You might seem weak and submissiveor, on the flip side, indifferent.10. Dont fidgetIt makes you look a little crazy and it can also raise the stress level of the person watching you do the fidgeting. You could also come across as bored or impatient.11. Dont hunchYoull come off as depressed or lazy or too tired to function. Shoulders back, smile on your face Project confidence with your body, not just your brain.12. Dont tangle up in your chairIf you wrap your feet or legs around your chair legs, its the same as clenching your hands together. Youll look a little ill at ease and put your fellow converser off.13. Dont make yourself smallTry not to shrink. It will convey a lack of confidence. Try expanding where you might normally contract and see what effect this can have.14. Dont go too bigTry not to gesture so wildly or be so expansive that you seem like youre on stage. This can have the opposite effect you want. And it might frighten peop le.15. Dont point your feet at weird anglesThis might seem like a small, weird thing, but if your feet are pointing the wrong way, some people will take note.16. Dont pat yourselfEven if you find it comforting to pat your legs, your coworkers or boss wont. Theyll just see you as very uncomfortable, and that will make them uncomfortable too.17. Dont look at your watch (or phone)Just dont. Its incredibly rude. Keep your attention on the conversation unless you absolutely have to check the time or an important phone call.18. Dont touch people with your fingertipIf youre at the stage with someone where it would be appropriate to build trust or ease by touching them briefly, do it with your whole hand, not your finger tip. Youre not E.T.19.Dont ignore cuesWhen in doubt, mimic your interlocutors body language. If they gesture, you can gesture. If they are standing straight on their feet and projecting confidence, do the same.20. Dont invade the bubbleWhen in a work context, do not invade anyones personal space. Give them room.21. Dont ignore where you areDo your research when visiting different parts of the world, or even different parts of the country. Customs differ everywhere you gotake the time to make sure you dont accidentally do anything offensive.