BODY LANGUAGE TIPS
to talk to them.
from one another at a table subjects
recall less of what is said. The other
person is also always perceived to be
more antagonistic. When our bodies
are positioned directly opposing
someone else, our brains follow suit.
Therefore, in an interview it is best to
sit or stand at a slight angle. This is
much less threatening and lowers the
heart rate of both participants. So be
sure to set your office up so that your
chairs are angled.
Do triple nod. Dale Carnegie, the master
of winning friends and influencing people,
advised his students to be interested in the
people you are speaking with. This means
getting them to open up and tell you more.
One way you can do this nonverbally is to
use the triple head nod. Three quick small
nods in a row is the nonverbal sign for “tell
me more,” or “I hear you, explain.” It is a
great way to show that you are interested
and engaged.
ENTREPRENEUR BODY LANGUAGE TIP
#2: PITCHING
Whether you are giving an elevator pitch
to new friends or pitching to a panel of
investors, the idea of selling your idea
and your business can strike terror in the
hearts of many entrepreneurs. I will go in
depth into pitching for my course, but here
is the most important part of pitching:
nonverbal in addition to verbal. Researcher
Mehrabian found that up to 55 percent of
our communication is nonverbal. But, what
do most entrepreneurs focus on when they
are pitching? Their verbal content. What
you say is important, but just as important
is how you say it. When practicing your
pitch think about some nonverbal ways to
explain your point. For example, if you are
talking about growth, move your hands in
the hockey stick formation every investor
wants to see. If you talk about breaking
something down into steps, use your hands
to segment your steps. This actually helps
the people listening to you remember and
comprehend your pitch.
ENTREPRENEUR BODY LANGUAGE TIP
#3: HIRING
Finding the right employee is one of the
most important parts of an entrepreneur’s
job. As you build your team you need to
make sure you have the right person who
can help bring your company success. The
best thing you can do while hiring is to get
your interviewee to speak as much and as
honestly as possible. Here is how you can
get to know someone in an interview:
• Use angled seating. How you sit
actually affects behavior more than
anyone realizes. Studies show that
when people are seated directly across
•
Make sure you can see all of them.
Sit with your interview in an open
space or with a glass table. This way
you can see jiggling feet, odd shifts
or noticeable differences in body
language when you ask the tough
questions. You want to make sure you
make note of any nervous tics when
you bring up important issues like
previous experience, trust, salary and
expectations.
ENTREPRENEUR BODY LANGUAGE TIP
#4: NEGOTIATING
Researcher Amy Cuddy has argued that
your nonverbal behavior not only affects
others’ perception of how powerful you
are, but it also changes your own feelings
of confidence and power. Before going
into a negotiation, you need to prep your
argument and your body language to feel in
control and powerful.
• Stand tall and straight. The more space
you take up the more powerful you feel.
Put your hands on your hips and firmly
plant your feet when walking into the
negotiation room.
• Try steepling. Steepling is when
someone brings their hands up towards
their chest or face and presses the
tips of their fingers together. This is a
gesture of confidence, self-assuredness
and even superiority. This can easily be
done to inspire confidence in yourself
and others during a negotiation. This
is an easy one for females in particular
since it is seen as assertive, not
aggressive.
• Sit high: In addition to choosing seats
at an angle instead of directly opposing
your partner, you should also avoid
sitting on low sofas or chairs—they
make you look small and weak. If you
have to sit on a sofa sit on the edge so
you are not forced to slouch. Also be sure
to make use of chair arms instead of
resting arms against your body. Keeping
arms close to your body also makes you
look weak and childlike.
ENTREPRENEUR BODY LANGUAGE TIP
#5: MANAGING
Managing a team is one of the most
important parts of an entrepreneur’s job.
To manage effectively there are a few body
language tips you