Use body language to your best advantage

OFTEN what we don’t say speaks loudest, which is why even when you focus on telling your manager you are overjoyed at the thought of the new deadline system, they do not believe a word of it.

Your nonverbal communication — such as crossed arms and legs, for example — is revealing that you are, in fact, annoyed.

“If you are intelligent, hard-working, passionate and driven, yet it seems like you are always overlooked for promotions or you are unable to land your dream job, the problem could very well be that you are sabotaging yourself through nonverbal communication,” says Dr Franzél du Plooy-Cilliers, the head of faculty for applied humanities at private higher education establishment The Independent Institute of Education.

“Unfortunately, few people know that they are often inadvertently sending out strong and powerful messages that influence how other people judge and perceive them.” She has the following advice:

The way you dress, as well as your jewellery, makeup, tattoos, shoes, hairstyle and perfume all send a message. Your posture and the way you carry yourself are also nonverbal cues to the people you interact with;

Maintaining eye contact with the person speaking to you also conveys a lot about you. “If you attend meetings and do not maintain eye contact with the chair of the meeting or other speakers, doodle, play on your phone, yawn and stare out of the window, the nonverbal message you are sending is that of total lack of interest, which will not make a good impression on your superiors. They will therefore be reluctant to consider you for promotion”;

Make sure you dress appropriately. Whatever you are doing, whether you are going to a job interview or a client meeting, make sure your outfit is saying what you want it to say and not sabotaging your chances; and

Our nonverbal communication carries a lot more weight than our words, so try to become more conscious of the messages you’re sending. —