Did you know that 93% of your communication is non-verbal? Within the first seven to seventeen seconds of meeting someone, they have already begun to form an opinion about you. Of those opinions, 55% are based solely on your appearance! You may be conveying much more than you realize. Often our body movements are so subconsciously done, we don’t even realize that we have done them. For example, think about when someone tastes something new. You know immediately by their facial expression if they think it’s awful or wonderful. Our body language gives us away, and generally conveys the truth about our thoughts.
In face to face interactions so much is conveyed by the way you enter a room, how you stand, or your handshake. In the virtual world, of course there are all those obvious things like background, how you dress and background distractions around you. However the most critical is the attitude conveyed with body language and facial expressions. Becoming aware of this is especially critical in this new era of virtual meetings. Here are a few simple things that can have an immediate impact and convey a more positive message.
Before going to your next virtual meeting take a few minutes by yourself. Do some deep breathing, release some stress. Sit up straight, roll your shoulders and try placing a mirror in front of you. Posture is important! You may even want to try standing if you can place your camera at eye level.
Be sure you continue to stay engaged with eye contact rather than trying to multitask. People are just like you with busy schedules, remember to show them they are important and their time is also valuable. Eye contact can be challenging with a camera. Our tendency may be to look at them, and if your camera on your computer is lower you may appear to be looking down at them rather than eye level. If it is too high, you are looking up and may appear meek and less confident.
Many of us talk with our hands, and we don’t even realize it. There are messages subconsciously conveyed with our hands. For example, our palms up vs palms down. Think about it, if you are having a conversation with someone and their palms are down, they may be conveying displeasure all though they are saying “wait, let’s talk about this.” On the other hand, palms up (or hands open) conveys a sense of cooperation or willingness to help. When we expose our palms, we appear more cooperative and trustworthy. It says more than just ‘hi’. Because our hands do show expression, it’s important your camera position is not so close that you look like a talking head, and not so far that you are distant or uninterested. Place your camera at a comfortable distance somewhere in the middle. You might want to start a zoom call without guests and play with the right distance.
Making a conscious effort to think about what your body is doing, especially when you are frustrated, angry, nervous, or happy will help you determine whether your body language is congruent with what you are saying. When your non-verbal’s match your words, your communication will be clear and authentic, as well as being perceived as more trustworthy, corporative or charismatic.
Of course, the most obvious is a simple smile. When we are not speaking, our resting face is sending a message… what’s yours? When our personal emotional management is strong, we are able to have more awareness and discernment about the messages we are conveying. Image is more than just what you wear. It’s knowing yourself and your LIFEStyle energy. Be more confident by living in your strengths and letting your inner beauty shine because you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Live life confident!
