How to Use Body Language Effectively

You can consciously decide how you use your body language and you can voluntarily change it in the direction you best see fit. Thus, you can improve the message you communicate.

According to most psychological research, your body’s communication has more of an impact in communicating your feelings and attitudes than all the other forms of communication put together.

This means that if you want to transmit a certain attitude, you’ll need to focus on your body language more than anything else. So for example, if you want to demonstrate confidence, you need primarily to discover what confident body language looks like and then apply this knowledge.

Learning how to use body language effectively will not only transform your communication, but given the power of proper communication, it can transform all areas of your life, from your social life, to your relationship, to your career.

The challenge is that there is no single type of effective body language. Depending on the emotions and attitudes you want to communicate, one type of body language may work better than another type.

If you aim to show that you’re relaxed, then you want to stand up straight, but not too straight. If you aim to show dominance, than you do want to stand up as straight as possible and really push your chest forward.

Sometimes, subtle changes in your body language can significantly change the message you’re putting across. So it’s critical to figure out precisely what attitude you want to project and then master the kind of non-verbal communication that projects that attitude.

This being said, there are certain types of body signals that are frequently good and it’s an excellent idea to incorporate them into your non-verbal communication in a voluntary way. Smiling is almost always a positive sign and you want to be smiling a lot.

You also want to hold good eye contact. Try to look at the person you’re talking with about 2/3 of the time for the best effect. In addition, an open posture works wonders in most social situations. Don’t cross you hands and don’t keep them in your pockets. Keep them visible and in an open position.

More than anything else, learning how to use body language effectively is a matter of experimenting, seeing what works and then implementing it in the long-term. It takes time and patience, but you’ll become a master of non-verbal communication.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

This text provides a clear and concise overview of the importance and application of body language in communication. It serves as a helpful introduction for anyone looking to understand and improve their non-verbal communication skills.

Here's a review:

Review of the "Body Language" Text

The provided text on body language is a well-structured and highly informative piece that effectively conveys the significance of non-verbal cues in human interaction. It's an accessible guide for anyone seeking to enhance their communication skills.

Strengths:

• Clear Thesis: The article immediately establishes its core premise: body language is a conscious tool that, when mastered, can significantly improve the message communicated and, by extension, various aspects of life.
• Emphasis on Impact: It strongly highlights the psychological research indicating that body language has a greater impact on conveying feelings and attitudes than other forms of communication. This lends credibility and underscores the importance of the topic.
• Practical Application: The text moves beyond theory by providing tangible examples, such as how to project confidence (by discovering and applying confident body language) or dominance (by standing as straight as possible with a pushed-out chest).
• Acknowledging Nuance: It wisely points out that "there is no single type of effective body language" and that the optimal choice depends on the specific emotions and attitudes one wishes to communicate. This avoids oversimplification and encourages thoughtful application.
• Actionable Tips: The inclusion of universally positive body signals like smiling, maintaining good eye contact (2/3 of the time), and an open posture (uncrossed hands, visible hands) offers immediate, practical advice that readers can implement.
• Realistic Outlook: The concluding statement, emphasizing "experimenting, seeing what works and then implementing it in the long-term," and acknowledging that it "takes time and patience," provides a realistic and encouraging perspective on skill development.
• Concise and Engaging: The language is direct and easy to understand, avoiding jargon, which makes the information digestible for a broad audience.

Areas for Minor Improvement:

• Grammar/Flow:There are a few minor grammatical inconsistencies or awkward phrasings that could be polished for even smoother reading. For example:
  • "Thus, you can improve the message you communicate." could be "Thereby improving the message you communicate."
  • "than all the other forms of communication put together" could be "than all other forms of communication combined."
  • "Sometimes, subtle changes in your body language can significantly change the message you’re putting across. So it’s critical to figure out precisely what attitude you want to project and then master the kind of non-verbal communication that projects that attitude." This is a slight run-on sentence. Could be broken into two or rephrased.
  • "Don’t cross you hands" should be "Don't cross your hands."
  • "in a voluntary way" could be simplified to "voluntarily."
• Specificity of "Psychological Research": While it mentions "most psychological research," citing a specific, well-known study (like Mehrabian's often-cited, though sometimes misunderstood, 7-38-55 rule, if relevant) could strengthen this claim, if appropriate for the context. However, for a general overview, this level of detail might not be necessary.

Overall:

This is a highly effective piece that succinctly explains the power of body language and offers valuable guidance for conscious improvement. It's informative, practical, and encouraging, making it a great resource for anyone interested in enhancing their non-verbal communication skills.