There are lots of different components involved in being an effective leader. Your ability to inspire confidence and be convincing will play a big role in this. As well as what you say and how you behave, body language can do a lot to convey your message, which is why it has such a big impact when it comes to leadership.
It takes just 7 seconds to make an impression
As a leader you are often under scrutiny and there is no doubt that everything, from how trustworthy you are to how credible you seem, will be constantly analysed by those around you. The first 7 seconds in any encounter is going to lay the groundwork for this, which is why body language is so key. People instantly make snap decisions about you in the moment that they meet you and the non-verbal cues that you give have been found to be four times more powerful than anything that you say. With that in mind, make sure you’re giving good eye contact, that you smile and lean in slightly, have an open posture and take the time to shake hands.
Body language that matches words = trust
Trust is vital for impactful leadership and this is often established by aligned verbal and non-verbal cues. So, essentially what you say needs to line up with how you act and present yourself. Gestures, for example, are one way that we tend to judge this. For example, you might be trying to deliver an inspiring verbal message during challenging circumstances but your body language is hunched and you’re looking at the floor. This will instantly undermine what you’re saying in the same way as open body language and eye contact would support it.
Don’t be afraid to use your hands
You may have been told in the past to keep your hands still when you’re communicating. However, new research has found that we are actually more likely to trust people who have a wider range of gestures - and that those who use hand gestures while communicating are more likely to be viewed as warm, enthusiastic and energetic. Conversely, people who don’t move at all are often perceived to be cold, wooden and detached.
Face-to-face meetings are still key
Despite the fact that technology has dominated many of our interactions in recent years, face-to-face meetings are still preferable, especially in particularly important moments. It’s during these interactions that there are a wealth of non-verbal cues to pick up on, from facial expressions to tone of voice and how much someone moves. In fact, communication can actually suffer when we don’t have access to the rich library of information that face-to-face interaction provides. As a leader it’s important to remember how much more impact you can make with a face-to-face meeting, rather than simply sending an email, and to learn to use all the body language benefits that offers.
From how trustworthy you’re perceived to be to your ability to inspire, these are just some of the ways in which body language impacts leadership. Find out more by booking on to our Body Language - The Hidden Secret of Communication Successfully Training Course.