Body Language: What Leaders Say Without Words

Greetings, readers!

Effective leadership is about inspiring and positively impacting others with their communication.  Words are important, but there’s an entirely separate conversation happening simultaneously – and it’s in a different language.

Body language – the use of personal space, physical gestures, posture, facial expressions, and eye contact – are forms of communication that happen concurrently in human interactions and can influence your impact as a leader.

In the 1960s, Dr. Albert Mehrabian, PhD from Clark University, conducted studies to measure the communication of feelings and attitudes.  The Mehrabian Formula is one of the most widely referenced statistics in communication and establishes the interconnected dynamics of words and expression.

There are two channels of communication: verbal and non-verbal. Only 7% of communication is derived from words, whereas a whopping 93% is from your non-verbal channel.  Of that 93%, 55% comes from body language. Intrigued? Me too.

How can you use your body language to make you look like a leader? And how can you enhance your leadership presence with the right body language? Read on and find out!

Here Are 5 Body Language Takeaways That Leaders Use to Influence Others

1. Your first impression is communicated in seven seconds or less.

First impressions are super critical in the business world.  It can take seconds for someone to label you as trustworthy, confident, suspicious or submissive.  That label carries forward in the conversation. If they like you, then they will see the good in you. If they are unsure of you, they will be wary of your actions.

Consider the following when you want to give a ‘leadership’ vibe in your first impression:
Have the right mindset. People pick up your attitude instantly. Your first impression starts before you meet a client, enter a meeting or step onstage to make a presentation.  Be intentional about how you want to be perceived and make a conscious choice to embody that energy.

Oh! Here’s an article on having a Chasing vs. Attracting mindset. Very enlightening! Check it out!

Smiling is underrated.  It sends positive signals of invitation and inclusion, that say, “Hi! I’m friendly and approachable. You can talk to me.” But there’s a tricky balance to manage.  In some circumstances, smiling too much can make you seem weak or easily pushed around.  Not smiling enough can make you look serious or even angry. I say, use your judgment. Smile where it makes sense. Don’t smile when you’re angry. That’s just weird.

Make eye contact. Looking at someone’s eyes transmits energy, indicates interest and shows you are listening.  Think about the last time you were talking to someone and they were scrolling through their Instagram stories – how did that make you feel?

Kara Ronin’s video on Body Language in the Workplace offers a guide on where to look and for how long: Create an “inverted triangle” – the area within someone’s two eyes and nose – and try to keep eye contact 80-90% of the time they are talking.

Watch your posture. Research from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University revealed that when you open up your body and take up space (they called it “posture expansiveness”), it imbues a sense of power in making leaders think, act, and be perceived in a more powerful way.  During conversations, lean in slightly.  This shows you’re engaged and interested. But don’t go overboard. Personal space. COVID. Germs!

Shake hands. Deemed as the most effective and quickest way to establish a good rapport, research shows that a single handshake is equivalent to three hours of continuous interaction. Mind = blown.

But wait, what about COVID? Shaking hands hasn’t been as frequent since 2020, so if you want an alternative, waving, nodding or simply smiling works too.

2. Trust is built on your verbal-nonverbal alignment.

In other words, when what you say and what you do are aligned, trust is formed. Conversely, when people sense your body language does not match your words – looking around the round when you are trying to speak candidly or folding your arms when you are trying to convey openness – that creates the perception of uncertainty.

3. Your hands speak too.

When people speak passionately, their hand gestures are usually more animated, showing their enthusiasm.  More hand gestures say warm, agreeable and energetic. Less hand gestures (remaining still or moving mechanically or “wooden”) come across as no emotional investment.

Show them your hands. Hidden hands convey less trustworthiness.

 Finger pointing. Effective leaders apply this gesture in meetings, negotiations, or interviews. The right amount shows dominance, but too much suggests losing control of the situation.

Enthusiasm speaks volumes! The right balance of hand and arm movement with energy projects enthusiasm and drive.  Too much, however, makes you look more erratic, less believable and ultimately, less powerful.  Keep your gestures grounded.

4. Face-to-face is still the way to go.

Amidst our fast-paced, technology-driven societies, the verdict remains that in-person face-to-face interaction is the most preferred and powerful method of communicating. Our brains continually process the nonverbal cues they interpret, adding to the trust and professional intimacy needed to build strong business relationships.

5. Body language is half the conversation.

Peter Drucker, renowned management consultant, poignantly said, “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” Our verbal and nonverbal communication creates two distinct conversations happening simultaneously. Leaders who are body language savvy enable them to pick up on crucial signals within conversations that can make or break a business deal. They move and gesture in ways that imbue confidence, competence, and status. In nurturing situations, body language brings warmth and empathy, especially when collaborating or managing change.

Admittedly, it can be difficult to adjust your body language if you have been carrying yourself in a certain way for years. Luckily, here’s an article on Atomic Habits that can help you turn this positive change into a natural habit!

Conclusion

Humans are complex beings. We involve more than just dialogue to make informed decisions. And for anyone who wants to convey leadership, understanding and applying the dynamics of body language is winning half the battle.

So, in preparing for that next meeting, interview or presentation, consider placing more value on your attitude, smile, eye contact and posture, because your first impression happens in a matter of seconds. Be aware of your verbal-nonverbal alignment, as you can build trust with proper use of your hand gestures, enthusiasm and finger-pointing (Filipinos point with their lips.  Just wanted to throw that in here). And if you have the option of zoom, email or in-person, face-to-face builds strong business relationships.

The power of body language can motivate, bond and project leadership, so get out there, practice and starting saying more with your body.

Thanks for reading and catch you on the next one!