What are your hands saying about you?
Research shows that 90% of our communication is nonverbal. That includes our facial expressions, body language, and the gestures – or lack of – that we make with our hands.
Most of us spend a lot of time crafting and curating the words we’re going to say, but pay little to no attention to the nonverbal message we’re communicating to our audience.
In fact, how we convey our message using our nonverbal cues can alter the meaning. Our words may be saying one thing, but our face, posture, and hand gestures can communicate something very different.
Body language can convey confidence, or the lack of it. It can send the message that we are knowledgable and competent or that we don’t have any idea about what we’re doing.
How we hold ourselves, our expressions and gestures can make us seem intimidating or approachable.
It can make you appear open and curious, or closed off and uninterested. It can also make you seem as if you’re hiding something, simply by keeping your hands out of sight.
These nonverbal cues also come across loud and clear in video conferences.
Since our body language holds such weigh, it’s worth taking the time to consider the nonverbal messages you’re providing others.
Words are important, but our body language speaks volumes. Be sure to tune into what you’re really saying.
