Body Language in a Business Environment

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Remember when you were a kid and you did something bad? Or if you have kids, what’s the posture parents adopt when they are going to punish their kids? Most parents either put their hands in their waist or they cross their arms trying to look upset. That’s when you as a kid knew something bad was coming.

Body language tells a lot more than what you think. A TED video posted Oct 2012 shows Harvard researcher, Amy Cuddy talking about this; body language shows power, dominance, and strength or it can also show the exact opposite. 

Just like in the wild, where animals tend to expand, grow bigger or adapt positions that make their body seem larger to show their dominance, humans also respond to the same principle. For example, those who win a race extend their arms in a V shape, taking more space. A CEO will sit stretching his arm to the next chair while a staff member might curve, lower his head or shrink unconsciously, like accepting that sub ordinance in the office. 

According to the University of Illinois Extension Statistics, first impressions generally comprise: 55% your appearance and body language, 38% the tone of voice in which you say something and 7% what you actually say. 

So how does this apply to your business?

When making a negotiation, people want to project a strong image. They want to hide their weaknesses and exaggerate their strengths. 

• Crossing your arms is OK to call your kids attention, but not to negotiate. It shows you’re bored or anxious. The best way is resting your hands on your lap or in a neutral way. 

• Avoid crossing legs; it seems you’re closing yourself. The opposite is not suggested either, a very relaxed position may suggest you’ll fall asleep. Make sure you adopt a comfortable yet relaxed position. 

• Are you a foot tapper or shaky legs person? Try to control it; you don’t want to seem an insecure or anxious person. Leave the dancing for later. 

• Your eyebrows say much more than what you think. Raise one and you’ll look arrogant, raise both and you’ll look skeptical. Relax your face muscles and focus on the speaker. 

Do you have any additional tips we might have missed? Share your suggestions on body language with us in our comments section, our Facebook page or our Twitter and let us hear your thoughts.

The Cost of Useless Meetings

Economist John Kenneth Galbraith once said, "Meetings are indispensable when you don't want to do anything."

And he wasn’t wrong, as a survey carried out by 3M Meeting Network of Executives, revealed that 25% to 50% of the time people spend in meetings is wasted.

Another study made by Get a Kly, a consulting firm that provides corporate coaching and training, says that professionals lose 31 hours per month to unproductive meetings. That is almost 4 business days a month!

So why are companies dedicating so much time to something that is actually costing them more than bringing them value?

Few companies realize the real cost of each meeting and how extending them is increasing the costs even more. Some applications have developed to try and suggest a real cost on the meeting you are having, these Apps (try MeetingCalc or Meet or Die) ask you to type in the number of attendees and their titles, it will reply with an estimated figure of what you are tying up in your meeting instead of turning it into executives who would be working and being productive.

One of the effects these meetings are causing is to extend the working hours of the team.

This doesn’t mean meetings are useless. Of course they are necessary, but allowing them to prolong more than scheduled, to discuss topics that were not in the agenda or personal situations, ends up turning each meeting into a waste of time for the rest of the attendees.

Ken Segall, creative director of Apple once shared his experience in Fast Company Magazine about a meeting he attended with Steve Jobs, and wrote how Steve threw a lady out of a meeting because he thought she didn’t have anything to add. Nothing personal, but business does not admit space to lose focus or time. Here are some suggestions of how Steve Jobs carried out his business meetings.

1. Throw out the least necessary person at the table.

2. Walk out of the meeting if it lasts more than 30 minutes.

3. Do something productive today to make up for the time you spent here

Perhaps it may not work for every company, but we would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions on how to keep focused on the subject of your business meetings.

And if you're on the road and need a place to meet, give us a call at (866) 354-5478 or visit OfficeList and we'll help you arrange a meeting room rental in the US or Canada.