Body Language

1
Body Language
2
Territory

• Intimate
• Touching
• 6-18
• Personal
• Close -1½ to 2½ feet
• Far - 2½ to 4 ½ feet

• Social
• Close 4-7 feet
• Far - 7-12 feet
• Public
• Close - 12-25 feet
• Far - 25 feet or greater

3
Different Cultures ...

• A crowded culture
• What is your private space?

4
When you invade my space

• Reactions to an invasion of your space
• Feel troubled
• Get defensive
• Become aggressive
• Retaliate

5
Masks We Wear

• Public Masks
• Public smile
• Clothing
• Putting on my face
• Extended territory
• On the road
• At work
• Can we drop masks?

6
Jockeying for position

• Inclusive - Non-inclusive
• How you include/exclude others in a group
• Parallel body positions
• Will position yourselves to relate to each other
• Side by side are neutral
• Facing means people are involved
• Congruence-incongruence
• Groups that imitate each other

7
Looking

• How long do you look?
• Staring- dehumanizes or challenges
• Glances - socially acceptable timing
• Appraisal- may indicate interest
• Do you look when you talk?
• Do you look when you listen?

8
Actions Speak Louder than Words?
What often happens in any relationship is that
language itself becomes a mask and a means of
clouding and confusing the relationship. If
the spoken language is stripped away and the
only communication left is body language, the
truth will find some way of poling through.
Spoken language itself is a great obscurer Body
Language, Julius Fast, MJF books, 1970.
9
Misinterpretation Trouble??

• Lost business
• Lack of animation lack of interest?
• US tendency to get right to business

10
Troubles

• Conflict with peers

• Different work styles
• Wrong assumptions

11
Trouble.

• Misinterpretation of signals
• Can be BIG trouble
• Legal trouble
• Do you know how to act or are you confused?

12
Do you know what you are saying?