“Before someone speaks, their body language sends the message.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert (Click to Tweet)
“Increase Negotiation Skills Now
How To Easily – With Body Language”
People don’t realize they’re always negotiating.
Body language affects everything we do. Whether we are making decisions in the boardroom or asking someone out on a date, our body language plays an enormous role in how we are perceived. And it also plays a significant role in the outcome of negotiations. That is why observing body language is so essential in negotiations. By reading body language, the ability to reveal the meaning of unspoken words increases your negotiation skills.
Continue, and discover how you can increase your negotiation skills by observing the hidden signals conveyed through body language.
What is nonverbal communication related to body language, and how can it help increase negotiation skills?
Most of us have heard that body language is vital during a negotiation. But what does it mean? When you hear about nonverbal communication, body language is part of that. It’s another way to communicate without words. It can include things like facial expressions, posture, and gestures.
For example, studies have shown people are more likely to agree to your requests if you open yourself up and lean forward during the conversation. Contrast that to someone crossing their arms or hunching their shoulders and looking away as you or they speak. Their body language sends a message – and so does yours.
Each culture has different signs for certain words and phrases, so gestures are not universal. Thus, gestures may differ depending on where you are. However, you can do a few things to practice reading them if you are not familiar with them already.
Hand to Mouth
Observe when someone places their hand near or over their mouth. People may do this when they know they are not telling the complete truth. And that may be the reason they are attempting to hide their spoken words.
Hand Covering Eye
This signal may indicate the person wants to conceal what they are saying or seeing. It may also suggest they do not believe what they are seeing.
Hand Rubbing Back of Neck
People experience a degree of anxiety when stress besets them. They subdue that feeling by rubbing their neck or other body parts. When you observe this gesture, become aware of your discussion. It is most likely the source motivating the reaction you see.
To increase your body language reading abilities, practice. When you’re out and about, focus on people around you. Note positive and negative gestures. That will help you read others’ body language better.
More specifically, when observing gestures, heighten your senses to the meaning of emitted body language signals. As you become more keenly aware of them, you will learn to adjust the negotiation strategies you employ. And that is how you will increase your negotiation skills using body language.
Why should I increase my negotiation skills by reading body language?
Some people think reading body language is overrated. Some even think it is too unreliable for use in real-world scenarios. But those people are missing out on a valuable tool that can lead to increased negotiation skills and outcomes.
Many people do not realize that improving their ability to read body language does not require becoming someone they are not. It simply requires them to use subtle actions to appear more confident when negotiating.
When it comes to successfully negotiating anything from a higher starting salary at work to getting your landlord to lower your rent, body language plays a vital role in persuading others around you. Thus, learning to read body language accurately will increase your negotiation skills and help you dominate any negotiation.
What are the easy tips for increasing my negotiation skills with body language?
Everyone constantly emits and receives signals. We do that whether we want to or not. And our body language can speak louder than our ability to process words. Thus, we absorb more signals and meanings than someone’s words convey.
For example, Americans’ average speech rate is around 125 words a minute. In comparison, the human brain can process about 800 words a minute.
So, while the human brain waits for the next piece of conversation to reveal itself, we observe signals that grant us additional meaning in the words that follow. Stated another way, we witness body language to gain greater clarity and definition of underlying intent.
The following body language tips can help you communicate better during negotiations.
If your hand gestures appear awkward or robotic, try relaxing them by keeping palms up and open. Holding your hands in your lap may ease the tension you are experiencing more.
If you tend to fidget too much when talking about something important, try taking deep breaths beforehand while thinking about what you will discuss. The display of nervousness can be offsetting. Thus, calm yourself by controlling your thoughts and the delivery of them. And that is another way to increase your negotiation skills.
Avoid leaning over someone else at an uncomfortable angle; they might feel cornered; instead, keep good eye contact and sit straight up with your legs in a comfortable position.
There are many other easy tips for increasing negotiation skills through body language. So feel free to go to https://TheMasterNegotiator.com and search on body language to find more information.
Reflection
When interpreting body language, it’s important to remember that context is everything. Someone’s flinging hands while talking may not necessarily mean they are angry or aggressive. Observing body language actions in clusters (e.g., throwing hands wildly, wide eyes, aggressive behavior) will allow you to read body language more accurately than concluding someone’s intent from a single gesture. That is how you will increase your negotiation skills by using body language. And everything will be right with the world.
Remember, you’re always negotiating!
Check out this offer to learn more about negotiating better and reading body language!
Listen to Greg’s podcasts at https://megaphone.link/CSN6318246585 Once there, double click on the one you would like to hear.
After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com
To receive weekly free 5-minute sneak peeks into the brilliant techniques offered by Greg, click here
https://www.themasternegotiator.com/negotiation-speaker/ and sign up at the bottom of the page