Understanding body language

Even for those familiar with body language and nonverbal expressions in all its forms (receptive and expressive) as in a restaurant when asking for the bill — an imaginary square drawn in the air with two sets of thumbs and forefingers, such non-lingual mastery needs to be honed in the corporate setting.

Are there nonverbal signals applicable only to the workplace?

Facial expressions are the first message communications to look out for. Evidence of fatigue and a distracted look indicate more pressing matters than the approval of your vacation leave and request for a transfer of parking space closer to the elevator. It’s best to defer your request and let the distraction pass — nothing important, Sir… catch you later.

Is the CEO texting like crazy and going through photo galleries, not even looking up while you are presenting the strategies to make your unit the center of the universe a sign of indifference? Of course, it is. So, make it short and spare yourself the embarrassment of getting the unwelcome response — next?

Body language can express a cooling of relations. The “avoidance waltz” is obvious to somebody paying attention. When X moves to the right, does Y discreetly move to the left? Here, lesser beings are used as physical screens to avoid contact the same way a 3-point shooter uses blockers to get an open look.

Variations of cancelled or routinely rescheduled meetings for the higher-ups involve moving conferences outside the office, or country. These involve fewer people usually deciding the fate of the uninvited. The “Fence Sitter’s” Rule on Emergency Meetings states: The more non-routine the time and place for a meeting called by a superior, the higher the probability of bad news for the persons excluded.