Small Business Today Magazine JAN 2015 AIM GLOBAL LOGISTICS | Page 27

EDITORIALFEATURE

Networking with

Body Language
By Gail Stolzenburg 

N

onverbal communication comprises 70% or more of one’s
communication skills.  If people make up their minds in
eight seconds and if they want to continue the conversation, then what is their body language saying?  Have you
looked for a dictionary on body language and found very little
information on the subject?

A good starting place for body language is the eyes.  They
provide a lot of information.  However, rather than what some
people believe, very seldom can you tell if someone is telling a
lie.  Have you ever been in a staring contest with someone and it
became uncomfortable?  How long should you keep direct eye
contact?  Should you look at the space between their eyes rather
than directly in their eyes?  One technique that speaking coach
Rod “The Storyteller” White teaches is to focus on the person’s
left eye, the eye which activates people’s creative side.

Can you tell from someone’s facial expressions if they are happy, angry, excited, or fearful?  These expressions are universal,
regardless of culture.  In the September 2014 issue of Small
Business Today Magazine, I discussed the differences between
the way men and women network in my column titled, “Business Networking & Sex – Not What You Think!”   Women
laugh more, smile more, and are more open than men.  Men
shake their head more, show anger more, and are more closed
off than women.  We are talking about business networking
but sometimes a person’s smile is interpreted as an invitation. 
Focus on being professional.

One of the first things taught in Tai Chi classes is that people’s
shoulders tend to rise when they are tense.  Next time you are
talking with someone, first check your own shoulders, pull them
down and relax, then check the shoulders of the person you’re
talking with and help them relax by asking questions.   More is
accomplished when they feel comfortable talking with you.

When someone’s arms are crossed, they are less open to
conversation and ideas.  Handing them a conversation piece, like
a business card, forces them to change their posture.  Another
technique is copying someone’s body language.  This is called mirroring and matching such as a hand or arm position.  It should
never be obvious but you may find the person is saying to themselves, “I’m unsure what it is but there is something I like about
that guy.”

One of the first things taught in
Tai Chi classes is that pe