Is Your Body Language Helping or Hurting Your Message?

Did you know that 93% of communication is non-verbal? Research by Albert Mehrabian highlights that body language and tone of voice play a far greater role in communication than the words we use. Despite this, we often focus solely on what we say, overlooking how we physically express ourselves.

โญ ๐™ƒ๐™š๐™ง๐™šโ€™๐™จ ๐™๐™ค๐™ฌ ๐™ฉ๐™ค ๐™š๐™ซ๐™–๐™ก๐™ช๐™–๐™ฉ๐™š ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™™ ๐™ง๐™š๐™›๐™ž๐™ฃ๐™š ๐™ฎ๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง ๐™—๐™ค๐™™๐™ฎ ๐™ก๐™–๐™ฃ๐™œ๐™ช๐™–๐™œ๐™š:

โžก๏ธ Posture
Your posture is one of the first things people notice.
Standing tall with relaxed shoulders conveys confidence and openness.
Avoid slouching, which can suggest low energy or disengagement, and crossing your arms, which might signal defensiveness or a lack of interest.

โžก๏ธ Eye Contact
Eye contact is crucial for building trust and showing attentiveness.
Maintaining consistent eye contact demonstrates sincerity and interest.
However, prolonged staring can make others feel uncomfortable. Strike a balance to ensure youโ€™re engaging without being intense.
If direct eye contact feels unnatural, focus on the triangle between the personโ€™s eyes and nose.

โžก๏ธ Gestures
Gestures can amplify your message when used correctly.
Purposeful hand movements emphasize key points and keep your audience engaged.
Overly exaggerated or repetitive gestures, however, can distract or confuse others. Keep them aligned with the tone of your words for maximum impact.

โžก๏ธ Smile
A genuine smile is one of the simplest and most effective tools for positive communication.

โžก๏ธ Mirroring
Mirroring the other personโ€™s body language subtly and naturally can help build trust and connection.
This technique creates a sense of alignment and empathy.
Be careful to avoid copying them too closely, as it can feel forced or insincere.

๐ŸŒŸย ๐˜ผ๐™จ๐™  ๐™”๐™ค๐™ช๐™ง๐™จ๐™š๐™ก๐™› ๐™๐™๐™š๐™จ๐™š ๐™Œ๐™ช๐™š๐™จ๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™จ ๐™๐™ค๐™™๐™–๐™ฎ:
โžก๏ธ Do I adapt my tone and words depending on the audience?
โžก๏ธ How often do people seek clarification after I explain something?
โžก๏ธ Do I actively listen, or am I just waiting for my turn to speak?

โญ Food for Thought
Good communication isnโ€™t just about speaking clearly; itโ€™s about understanding and being understood. Think of it as a mirrorโ€”your words, tone, and body language reflect your mindset, clarity, and emotional intelligence.