HOW BODY LANGUAGE CAN WORK FOR YOU

It is called "power body language".  It is the new application of the principles of kinesics---the science of body language---in the work-place.  In 1970, New York psychologist, Dr. Julius Fast, wrote the international best-seller, BODY LANGUAGE.  It was based upon the pioneering work of behavioural scientists such as Edward T. Hall, Raymond Birdwhistell, and others and had a simple message:  In every exchange between people, messages are sent through words (verbal language) and through body movements (non-verbal language). 

Understanding human communication was only possible if one understood both verbal and non-verbal messages.  Dr. Fast maintained that important aspect of body language were a person's posture, hand movements, eye contact, use of touch, handling of space, dress, and overall appearance.  Fascinating research was cited by Dr. Fast to support his argument.  For example, studies by Edward H. Hess found that the pupil of the eye of a heterosexual man becomes twice as large when he sees a picture of a nude woman.  And studies by Norman Kagan showed that deaf people have an uncanny ability to read other people's emotional states, even without lip-reading by focusing upon body movements.  A wide array of other body language books are available today including THE DEFINITIVE BOOK OF BODY LANGUAGE by Barbara and Allan Pease (2006), THE POWER OF BODY LANGUAGE by Tonya Reiman (2007), and THE NONVERBAL ADVANTAGE by Carol Kinsey Goman (2008).  

Dr. Fast updated BODY LANGUAGE in 1992 and in 2002.  But it is in SUBTEXT:  MAKING BODY LANGUAGE WORK IN THE WORK-PLACE (originally published in 1992) that Dr. Fast presents a more interesting and subtle argument.  He claims that “subtext”---the combination of verbal and non-verbal information which is communicated---is extremely important to correctly read, especially in the work-place.  Indeed, he writes, “can reinforce and strengthen the spoken text, or it may contradict the text, cancelling out any verbal promises or agreements.”  “Power body language” is the ability to successfully “read” the subtext of others and at the same time communicate precisely what you want others to “read” from you.  As part of power body language, Dr. Fast adds that “identifying honesty” is critical to success in the work-place.  “What is there in the subtext of a person that tells you they're not being honest about who they really are?  Or what they really think or feel?  There can be any number of elements.”  Dr. Fast suggests four important keys to understanding this:

1) Facial expression. 
Dr. Fast says that “[m]aybe they smile at inappropriate times.  A real, genuinely felt emotion causes a quick smile.”  If someone wants to fake an emotion, they'll hold the expression too long.  A genuine smile goes up in the eyes, and involves the top of the face.  A false smile just involves the bottom of the face and is usually not as wide as a real smile.”  

2) Physiological responses. 
Dr. Fast says that “There is no one gesture that gives away a lie.  But there are a lot of little physiological responses that go with a lie---certain gestures that are used consistently by many people.”  For example, when a politician is about to tell a whopper, he'll usually rub the side of his nose with his finger. 

3) Look for discrepancies. 
Dr. Fast says that “For example, again, a smile that appears only on the lips, not on the rest of the face . . . smooth words backed by nervous mannerisms.”

4) Know your situation. 
Dr. Fast says that “For example, if a business deal is a bad one, you're not going to find the flaws in the way the associate is behaving.  You have to examine the deal itself.  Abnormal behaviour is really just a tip-off that you need to look at the situation more closely.  You're not going to know that this person is putting over a phony deal unless you know what a good deal is and understand the whole situation.”

Many Australians are into "power dressing"---women wear business suits with shoulder-padded jackets, men wear the black or grey suit (never brown), and so on.  But Dr. Fast is dismissive of such actions if that is all that one does.  He claims that “You're not going to become powerful by wearing power clothes.  If you're a lawyer, you're not going to become competent by wearing an expensive gray suit.  You become competent by knowing your job.  Then the gray suit may help you.”  Instead, Dr. Fast suggests that you “listen to your intuition”.  He adds that “[o] one term we use for this ability to read cues is ‘intuition’---but it's not really that magical---it's a computer in our brains adding up all the little things that are wrong in a situation, judging the subtext of the whole.  I don't believe in mysticism.  And I don't believe that intuition is a leap into uncharted realms, through some telepathic power.  It is the summing-up of all the little things that you know about a situation, and drawing a conclusion.”  For example, if one’s intuition tells them that they should not trust a company's management team and their promises for the future, then start job-hunting immediately.  Chances are you're picking up lots of tiny signals that your conscious mind does not even see---but your inner computer---the brain---does see.

Dr. Fast adds that anyone can cultivate their intuition.  The first step is to look for subjects in your interactions with other people such as acquaintances and strangers.  Always pay attention to when you have a funny feeling about an individual or a situation.  Try and figure out exactly what bothers you and why.  Often you can make an intuitive leap from there.

Moreover, anyone can cultivate their subtext too.  But while appearance is important, giving excessive importance to appearance is not what matters most.  Dr. Fast claims that “[i]n business and elsewhere, there are people who aren't handsome yet who are really wonderful, lovely people.  And a fancy exterior can't make up for an inner lack of ability or talent.  The best message you can send in the world is that you're someone who knows what he's talking about.  Understand your talents and learn to use them at their highest levels.  The self-confidence it gives you will be the best addition to your subtext that you can possibly make.”

The body can speak a powerful language.  It can propel you to new heights.

 

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