Musings from the CU Suite

Written by Anthony Demangone

We've all heard that non-verbal communication is often more important than what you say. Your body language, tone and eye contact speak volumes.

Bernard Marr does a wonderful job of highlighting the 15 body language mistakes (Linked-In) that many of us make. Here are the ones that caught my eye.

• Chopping or pointing with your hands — feels aggressive.
• Crossing your arms — makes you look defensive, especially when you’re answering questions. Try to keep your arms at your sides.
• Failing to smile — can make people uncomfortable, and wonder if you really want to be there. Go for a genuine smile especially when meeting someone for the first time.
• Standing with hands on hips — is an aggressive posture, like a bird or a dog puffing themselves up to look bigger.
• Checking your phone or watch — says you want to be somewhere else. Plus, it’s just bad manners.

Smile, even if you have a tooth missing!

I have a personal story related to the "remember to smile" advice. I tend to have a sour-looking "thinking" face. It's not that I'm upset - I'm just thinking. During a conference, on a number of occasions, people have asked me if something was wrong. 

Ugh. Not what you try to convey at a conference! So now, I focus on smiling. 

So, faithful readers - I ask you to go through that list and see if you're guilty of any of the body language mistakes.