Are you uncertain about your effectiveness during business meetings? There are some simple tricks that you can use to ensure that your body language remains just as effective as your words and your presentation. Body language techniques can be used throughout your career to create an air of confidence and poise.
1. Learn About Power Stances
What are power stances? Power stances are positions that convey strength and confidence, and help you feel at your best. An example of a power stance is holding your shoulders back with your hands on your hips. This stance will show others in the room that you believe in what you're talking about. There are also "weaker" and more "closed" stances that you should avoid. An example of one such stance is having your arms crossed in front of you and your shoulder's hunched in; this is a defensive posture.
2. Follow the Feet
One interesting technique that you can use when speaking with groups of people is to follow their feet to determine whether they are receptive to what you are saying. When a group is open to your statements, they will point their feet toward you; when they are skeptical, they will point their feet away. Likewise, you should always turn your feet towards people when you are speaking with them to show them that you are listening.
3. Use Mirroring to Establish Rapport
What is mirroring and why is it so important? Mirroring is a strategy by which you mirror your client's movements. If your client taps his foot restlessly, you tap your foot restlessly. Mirroring is an excellent way to establish rapport because the client will subconsciously feel more comfortable with you. It can be used to make a client feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar situation and to quickly acclimate yourself to another company's culture.
When used properly, body language can help you get over any nervousness or anxiety and connect with clients and investors more quickly than you could by simply speaking with them. Many people do not realize how much body language has to do with the way they interact with others.