BODY LANGUAGE TIPS unconsciously pick up on the fact that you aren ’ t present and don ’ t really want to talk to them .
• 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 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 .
• 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 , selfassuredness 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 can use . However , the most important one is being approachable . You want team members to feel comfortable with you to report what is going on accurately . Here are some body language ideas for being open :
• Uncrossed arms
• Smiling often
• Loose shoulders and arms
• Unclenched fists
• Leaning towards someone as they are speaking to you
• Uncrossed legs
Try some of these moves and notice how much more people open up to you . Being an entrepreneur is five full time jobs .
I hope these nonverbal tips help you be a Jack ( or Jane ) of all Trades in your business . +
Vanessa Van Edwards is lead investigator at the Science of People — a human behavior research lab . She is the national best-selling author of Captivate : The Science of Succeeding With People , which was chosen as one of Apple ’ s Most Anticipated Books of 2017 . She writes a monthly column on the science of success for Entrepreneur Magazine and the Huffington Post . As a human behavior hacker , she runs original research experiments on topics such as the science of leadership , human lie detection , body language hacks , the psychology of attraction and successful people skills at ScienceofPeople . com .
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