Imagine this: You have actually changed jobs to a new one with higher status. As time passes and you get your new duties, you'll start to display the body language of management-- all the signals of being top of the pecking order, but magnified and formalized.
Your posture might become slightly more erect, spontaneously increasing your height and breadth-both non-verbal signs of supremacy in ape groups, where the bigger and stronger the animal, the more likely it is to be a leader. You might take on the specific expression referred to as a 'plus' face, with direct, a direct gaze and a serious facial expression. You'll be most likely to take first turn, to declare more space, to touch subordinates and to act in a friendly way to superiors.
In spite of what a lot of books declare, you can't become a leader just by beginning to do all these things. Adopting a new type of nonverbal communication can work temporarily, but it won't work long term unless it signifies an authentic change in attitude. In particular, if you are being promoted within the company, where everyone will have the ability to compare your new signals to the way you behaved before the big promotion, the new you will be noted with scepticism.
What you can do is to make sure that, as you develop management abilities, your body language isn't weakening them, and that you aren't still imitating a fan. So check your nonverbal communication frequently against the above mentioned signals. If a few months into your promotion, you're still finding it difficult to speak readily, to go initially or to act confidently, these are signs that you aren't growing into your new role.
A word of alerting here for women. As part of their way of coping in life, women generally develop positive social skills. In specific, they smile and nad. But if overused, this type of nonverbal communication can suggest submission or placation, therefore weakening lady's authority, particularly if there are guys in the group. So, when first moving into a management position, it might be useful for you, as lady, to tone down and de highlight these signs, smiling seldom or nodding only when something truly meets your approval. It may seem hard-hearted, but it may also mean that you are taken a great deal more seriously.
ENCOURAGING THE GROUP
One of the essential abilities of leadership is motivating your staff to do a really good job and discouraging them from doing a bad one. You really need to learn to tell your staff when they are doing well or badly, and also to back up those messages with your nonverbal communication studies have shown that mixing positive words and negative non-verbal communication confuses and outrages, while blending negative words and positive nonverbal communication makes people think you're weak and can be easily controlled.
Appreciation or support, then, needs to be joined by real signs of approval: a smile, a nod, an enthusiastic intonation tone. If you are a natural toucher and so is your employee, then you can include occasional contact on shoulder or back, parts of the body that have no sexual ambiguity. As touch reaches the nerve centers faster and efficiently than either sight or noise, this will make the praise more significant and more encouraging
When it comes to reprimanding staff members, really angry nonverbal communication is practically never ever a great idea. First, it raises hackles and can produce long-term resentment. Second, if you're really mad, your agitated body state will override any ability to communicate coherently and effectively. In general, then, if you feel that unmistakable rise of energy that accompanies anger, take time out to turn away for a minute, take a few deep breaths and calm your body down. After that, an expressionless face will carry the clear message that you're displeased, as will a low voice with emphasis only on the vital words.
Simply sometimes, however, a short, sharp burst of inflammation can work wonders-particularly if you are a person who is normally even-tempered and supportive. Letting your voice arise and harden just slightly letting a frown appear and your gestures be faster and sharper can give a recalcitrant worker a tip of what your future displeasure may mean.
Job body language Any job, of any length-from a two-year fund-raising drive down to a Monday-morning meeting-- travels through certain stages, each identifiable by its own characteristic nonverbal communication. If you are aware of these signals, you can tell how each project is going, and what nonverbal interventions you need to make.
The first phase is preparation. This means more than just planning and preparing; it means accomplishing a pretty good group feeling and making sure that everyone enjoys and dedicated. The group may well be transferring to a slow rhythm as members slowly gear up to the job: there will be a lot of coffee-making, sitting, thinking and talking. Even with a group that has known each other for years, it needs to be apparent from the team's significantly coordinating nonverbal communication that connection is growing in preparation for the new project.
As leader, move and engage quietly with group members, using your non-verbal abilities to help them make contact with one another. You can also motivate group recognition through matching in most business groups, you won't be able to do this formally, though in groups such as theater businesses or sports groups, you can get people to sing, dance, exercise or do other activities together. You will know that things are working when you see individuals' nonverbal communication starting to integrate, if you do not let preparation run for a little bit longer, motivating the group to talk and share activities more totally. Do not push people on, try to get them moving prematurely or cut this stage brief people really need time to enter synchrony
The next, energizing phase is about action People will be feeling more vibrant. Their movement speed will increase-and, as it increases, they will get yet more energy. Voices will arise in pitch, volume and rate and, as issues come up. you might hear those same voices become irritated or mad. But the work will get done. At this moment you yourself should be energizing people. Let your voice and others' voices will follow; let your actions be more energetic and others will be too. Urge people on in a firm, clear voice. And don't worry about disagreements-they're a natural part of the process. What you need to do is keep people's energy up-and if it begins to flag. to get them moving around. If all works out, stay clear and don't interfere.
There'll come a point where you have reached your goal-be that the target reached in your fund raising drive or the decision made in your meeting. Then every team needs wind-down time, however brief. Here, they celebrate what they've done, begin tidying up and assess what's happened. People will in the beginning feel high, want to unwind and let their hair down-- you are going to observe arising voices and freer movement. After that, they are going to be silent and reflective, relaxing alone, just thinking, or with a couple of others, talking. For a brief job, expect an extra cup of coffee and just a few minutes of note-taking: for a big job, be prepared for a roaring night out and several weeks of filing.
At this point, when the end is in sight, ensure people do have a chance to celebrate, even if only briefly over lunch. Congratulate your group and after that let go, no longer advising them on but enabling them time to wind down. Let your non-verbal technique show that you are delighted and proud, and that they deserve time to relax. Just then can you begin again, preparing and energizing your group, as you begin the ball rolling once more.