Confident Body Language

We have talked extensively about first impression and the importance of those 17 seconds that it takes to make a first impression. Those few seconds create an impression that takes 27 interactions to overcome. One of the most effective communicators and what makes up 93% of communication is body language. 

We want to present confident body language and develop trust among our listeners.

Understanding Body Language

Body language is understood subconsciously whether we realize it or not. We take in that information and process it. That leads to the opinions we form. 

We are in the midst of the #olympics. (In this video we have an athlete who would love to be an #olympicathlete. Can you tell which actor is that person?) The competitors who have made it to the #olympics have watched, analyzed the body language of their competitors. I have heard of athletes using body language poses to create a sense of victory before competing. I talk about this in the e-course Ace Your Interview.   

Positive Body Language

What does this look like? Here are some tips to how your body language can effectively communicate confidence. 

*A head held high-You may have heard this from your mom or a teacher and tossed it, but it is an effective way to create a positive impression externally. It also helps with your positive attitude. There is something that happens when we externally move our bodies into a positive stance; we feel better. 

*Shoulders back with a straight back-Another tip from moms that you may have heard, and once again, she is right. 

*Open body language-This means not crossing your arms and protecting your body. Have your palms up and hands out. This may prove to be very uncomfortable initially, but once you get used to carrying yourself this way, it will become natural. The thing about it is although you are trying to protect yourself with your arms, the wounds rarely come to your chest and abdomen. Aren’t we most likely wounded by people’s words? Wouldn’t it be silly if we all walked around covering our ears? Although, I know we would love to sometimes. :)

If you would like help with speech coaching, which includes body language, more help is available at Speak Volumes, Inc.

Did you guess the athlete? It you guessed the young man, you guessed right! He happens to be a #division1 decathlete. We wish him the best of luck!

I’d love to stay connected! I am Kelly Archibald on Social Media :) Thanks for watching!

Let’s talk soon!

Kelly 

Hashtags: #bodylanguage, #confidence, #iamconfident, #olympics #speakvolumes #speechcoach