Body Language and Its Impact in the Business Sector
by Alexa Le
When you think of the concept of communication, especially in business, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe you are thinking of two people in business attire talking across a table in a conference room, or maybe you are thinking of a long-distance phone call between two companies trying to settle a deal. While both are true, one critical aspect that people often forget is the impact of nonverbal communication and body language.
Have you ever noticed the difference between listening to an audio recording of a famous speech and watching a video recording of the actual thing? Big difference, right? This is because of the nonverbal communication expressed in the video, from the expressive hand gestures to the engaging eye contact to fervent nods or shakes of a head. With body language, we are able to pick up on more subtle nuances that words alone cannot get across. We have the valuable ability to read between the lines of what is being said and what is actually meant.
It is often said that 90% of all communication is nonverbal, but that’s not the whole story. This number derives from the findings of Albert Mehrabian, a body language researcher who found that communication is comprised of 55% nonverbal elements, 38% vocal elements, and 7% of actual words (1). The most important takeaway we should get from these findings is that nonverbal is a crucial tool that should be used in combination with verbal communication. Essentially, think of body language as the factor that should win out when noticing any inconsistencies between verbal and nonverbal communication. Notably, the tone and inflection of someone’s voice also makes up for about 40% of a person’s supposed attitude (1), emphasizing the importance of that unique fusion between the words you speak and how they are perceived by the other person.
So how can this impact you in the business world? Well, we all know the importance of effective communication and first impressions when trying to secure that business deal or job interview, and your body language might be more important than you initially recognized. Take for example handshakes, the greeting you will almost always use when meeting a person for the first time. Did you know there are actually multiple variations of the handshake, and all of these generally have a subconscious impact on the person you are meeting? And I’m not just talking about the amount of firmness you are putting into your handshake, but the position of your hand. When going in for a handshake, if you place your hand above theirs, it sends a message of dominance and superiority. Likewise, placing your hand under theirs with your palm facing upwards has the connotation of being more submissive. The perfect balance? Offer your hand to them with the palm facing sideways, sending a message of an equal balance of power and that you are on the same page (2).
There are countless other ways that body language impacts the way you come across, and it is important to note that these all vary across different countries and cultures. Be sure to read up on the nuances of the culture you are planning to enter if you ever have a need to travel to another country for business reasons!
1 https://online.utpb.edu/about-us/articles/communication/how-much-of-communication-is-nonverbal/