In dealing with other people, much has been written about what we say and how we say it. But more and more, researchers are focusing on another aspect of communication that we don’t often think about. Body language. It turns out to be much more important than we think. We send strong signals to other people by our posture and movements. People read these signals.

Body language is something we all need to pay more attention to. Here are some ways that body language can help you at work.

1. Sending signals of interest can help reach an agreement more quickly.
These kinds of signals include eye contact, smiling, nodding, gesturing and imitating the movements of the other person. They all show that you are involved, committed, and on the same wavelength as the other person.

2. Smiling can actually make an activity seem easier.
Your body sends signals to your brain, and a smile sends a positive signal to your brain. Even though you may not really enjoy what you are doing, smiling makes it seem a little easier. Conversely, if you have a scowl on your face, it sends negative signals to your brain and make the task seem all the more distasteful.

3. To connect with people, use more welcoming gestures.
For example, standing in a room with your head down and arms folded won’t encourage anyone to approach you. On the other hand, if you are smiling, or handing out your business card, or offering to get coffee, you will connect with people much more easily.

4. To project authority, tone down your emotion.
If you come across as too zealous or eager, you lose some of the gravitas that projects authority. Calm shows authority. So, to express authority, inhale more deeply, minimize your movements, make gestures no higher than your waist, and pause before making an important point.

5. To lower tension, reorient your body.
When relations become strained, you can help tone down the situation by repositioning your body in relation to the other person. You do this by standing or sitting next to them. Facing them directly or moving too close will only make matters worse.

6. To establish a relationship quickly, shake hands.
Touch is a powerful expressive mechanism, and people tend to remember those they shake hands with more readily. It creates a bond.

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