Body language

Doc, I d like the antidote now, he stated calmly, in a measured voice. I noted that his body language seemed non-threatening but paradoxically this made him appear even more dangerous. I tried not to contemplate what he would do if I refused his request. 

Notice how the paragraph begins with a topic sentence that expresses the main idea—that his look revealed the test result. The rest of the paragraph gives specific details and his expression and body language prove that main idea. This general structure also works well for an entire essay. 

All the classic self-improvement books say a positive mental attitude is the key to success. As general and ambiguous as that statement is, the trait of Optimism comes closest to capturing the essence of this skill. If you have a sample of handwriting written on unlined paper, you can quickly determine how optimistic someone really is. The more the entire baseline is tilted up and to the right, the more positive this writer is. This "slanting uphill" is an easy trait to remember and accept, because both our body language and our... 

After practicing on your own, enlist friends or family to serve as a mock oral board or interviewer. If you know a speech teacher, get him or her to help. Give them your questions, tell them about what you have learned, and then have a practice oral board or interview. Start from the moment you walk into the room. Go through the entire session as if it were the real thing, and then ask your mock board or interviewer for feedback on your performance. It may even help to videotape your mock board session. The camera can reveal things about your body language or habits that you don t even know about. 

Job interviews are your time to shine as a person and sell yourself directly to the employer. Until now, you ve used impersonal methods of communication to convey information about yourself. When you participate in an interview, your personality, appearance, charisma, knowledge, and body language help sell you as the perfect candidate for whatever job you re applying. 

Throughout the interview, be aware of your body language. 

Think about how tone is created in speech. When you say sure, the tone changes according to how loudly or sofdy you say the word and how slowly or quickly you say it. Tone is also conveyed (or supported) by the speaker s expressions and body language. In writing, of course, you do not have these visual resources, but you do have plenty of clues to help you determine tone. Those clues come from the elements of language and style that you ve studied so far point of view, diction, and style. 

Pa5ung close attention to your body language and that of others can help avoid conflict situations. Is someone having difficulty meeting your eye Maybe there is a situation with them that can be taken care of before it even begins. 

Deliver your material with expression arm movements and subdued body language will help maintain the interest of your audience. However, you should avoid extreme gestures (it may work for some TV personalities, but it isn t recommended for the beginner ). 

Body language used in transmitting a message also affects communication. In fact, tone of voice and body language combined contribute more towards communication than the words in the message. 

There are five main areas of body language gaze or eye contact, facial expression, proximity and orientation, posture, and touch. 

There are five main areas of body language ... 

Using your body to communicate and lead other s unconscious mind. This goes much deeper than body language. This knowledge teaches to use your body to control the internal states of someone, without ever saying a word about it It gives you rapport at the deepest levels. 

Some people try to mirror the interviewer s body language, facial expressions, and gestures. If you try this, remember to be as subtle and natural as possible. Ultimately, what you want to mirror is your interviewer s communication style and level of energy. If you are alert, sympathetic, and listen attentively, you will put your interviewer at ease. As a result, you will relax, too, and both of you will feel more comfortable in each other s company. 

Being prepared with many detailed success stories and anecdotes will ensure a successful interview. At the same time, don t forget to be aware Listen carefully to the interviewer notice your body language (and your interviewer s) and be conscious of your speech patterns. Use your best communication skills and demonstrate your awareness by asking questions. Not only will this action show that you have been paying attention, it will help ensure that both you and the company are a good match. 

In your effort to create some sort of structure to reduce the stress of being asked so many questions by so many people at such a fast rate, the tendency is to focus on answering the questions of one person on the panel. This is a mistake. Instead, you should try to include all members of the panel in the discussion. Make eye contact with the person who has asked the question, but make sure you include others by making eye contact with them as well. (See Chapter 5 for more information about using—and reading other people s— body language in an... 

Occasionally, you may feel rushed by your interviewer. Perhaps something has come up—a deadline or a meeting—and your interviewer s body language and verbal cues say "1 don t have much time." Or maybe your meeting has been delayed for some reason—perhaps the interviewer is still speaking with another candidate—and there isn t much time for your interview. 

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