The human body is the best picture of the human soul. ~Ludwig Wittgenstein
There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it. – Dale Carnegie
How you present yourself to the world physically, through your body language, communicates volumes to potential customers and competitors. If you are not completely satisfied with your business results and how people are responding to you, there could be more to it than just needing to improve your marketing.
Here are 5 body language poses that can sabotage success described in this excellent article by Julie Bawden Davis that was recently published on American Express: Open Forum. They are not exclusive to women so you’ll want to check yourself on those.
And when you are about to enter into situations where you need to be seen as confident and in control of yourself, a simple change in posture can make all the difference. New research shows that posture actually affects a person’s hormones and behavior. Try practicing these simple power poses described by Sue Shellenbarger in her recent article published on Wall Street Journal to create just the internal shift you need in critical situations.
Your body language works for and against you, depending on how you use it. But it is one tool (of many) at your disposal and under your control you can put to work in your journey to business success if you take the time to learn how to use it.