BODY LANGUAGE

TRANSLATED

EAGER

Smiling & nodding excessively

Closing notepad, looking at watch

Leaning into negotiation

DOMINANT

Demonstrates control & authority

Hands behind head, leaning back in chair

Remain seated, leaving the other person standing

Piercing eye contact

READY TO NEGOTIATE

Loosening tie & undoing top button

Palms open & away from body – nothing to hide

Head tilted – listening & interested

Sliding forward in chair

THOUGHTFUL

Stroking chin or

resting in hands

Tugging ear – wants

to hear more

Looking upwards

Dilated pupils –

interested in what they

see

NERVOUS

Fidgeting &

changing position

frequently

Drinking water

Gnawing lips

absentmindedly

Using laptop

as shield

Touching hair

or face

Breaking eye

contact

BORED

Looking around room

Doodling or tapping pen

Slumped in chair, swinging foot under desk

Not looking at the other party when their talking

ANGRY

Tight lips, grinding teeth

Placing glasses down on table

Crossed arms with legs firmly together – holding back

Running finger under collar, red skin around neckline

DEFENSIVE

Pursing lips

Holding chin –

not yet convinced

Standing up straight,

back arched, chest out

Linking hand with arm

unnaturally behind back

DECEPTIVE

Leaning away

Rubbing side of nose

Avoiding eye contact when challenged

Looking left to recollect an image, then right to reconstruct

HOWEVER,DON’T IGNORE OTHER FACTORS

Just because they look nervous, they could actually just be warm

If they look closed off with arms crossed, they could just be cold

Tiredness could look like boredom

So, don’t take what their body language looks like as president