Body Language in Business Part 10

We send messages about our status and power all the time. People can have status with power (for example, a const.i.tutional monarch) as well as influence without either (through the person's skills, contacts, insight). People can be domineering, and certain acts interpreted as dominant. Acquiring and maintaining dominance may involve different behavior.

While there are many suggestions offered by magazines regarding how to be or to appear dominant (the firm handshake, the physical stance and so on), work in this area has shown some pretty obvious findings. Those who are, wish to be seen as or are judged as being more dominant display the following behaviors: * Initiate speech more in groups * Are last to break the mutual gaze in conversations * Smile less and touch more * Gaze and glare more * Stand more erect and closer to others * Pay less attention to the other person * Speak more loudly but in a more relaxed way * Have more facial expressiveness.

However, and inevitably, these observations need to be qualified by various issues, particularly the context in which the behavior is occurring and the nature of the relationship between the people involved. Nevertheless, we need to recognize status in a group. Leaders need, on occasion, to be able and willing to send messages reminding of their dominance.

We also a.s.sert out ident.i.ty nonverbally. Through appearance and mannerism, speech style and demeanour we hope to convey messages about our personal, but also our social, ident.i.ty. The latter refers to the social group we belong to, or aspire to belong to. In every society there are gender roles comprising att.i.tudes and behaviors that are deemed acceptable, desirable, even demanded, of the two s.e.xes. Stereotypically, men are viewed as being more autonomous, a.s.sertive, dominant and task-orientated, while women are more empathic, gentle, warm and socio-emotionally orientated. In the process of growing up we learn various nonverbal behaviors that confirm our s.e.x roles. Thus men, compared to women overall, smile, look and laugh less, have less expressive faces and gestures, and seem less attentive to visual and vocal cues from others. They remain at greater distances from others, and tend to be far less skilled at giving and receiving nonverbal emotional cues. Men also touch less.

These typical gender differences seem more common during adolescence, yet it remains debatable as to what extent these behaviors have important evolutionary significance, or whether they merely reflect highly changeable socially constructed stereotypes. Indeed, this soon became a "hot" topic between nature versus nurture supporters, as well as those who were politically on the left or right wing. What of the nonverbal behaviors of androgynous people, or those with same-s.e.x orientation? What happens when people undergo a s.e.x change?

Certainly, watching skilful actors play different roles gives a clue as to how they signal personal and social ident.i.ty nonverbally. With keen observations and consummate skills they are able, with the subtlest of gestures, gaze patterns or vocal inflections, to convey a wealth of meanings.

BUSINESS TALKS.

Senior managers often have to give talks and conduct interviews. They may have to address a shareholders' meeting, and the annual conference. They have to talk to their department regularly and may have to attend and speak at many conferences. Hence the commonness of presentation skills courses, which are almost all about nonverbal behavior.

Often politicians and top business people have their speeches written for them, but the skill is in the delivery. Both writer and speaker need to know about the "P-words" Pitch, Poetry, Pause and Pace. They need to understand metaphor and repet.i.tion.

A speech is a talking show. Speech-writing is an art, but more so is speech delivery. The speakers need the "C words" Confidence, Cadence, Conviction and Color. Speech-making is visible thought: it is performance, and the performer needs to be overflowing with zeal and exuberance.

Speech-making is often pure theatre. The orator has to be at once proud and humble, powerful and powerless. The speech needs to be both visceral and intellectual. Most of all it needs to be personal and emotional, exclamatory and climactic. And the speaker needs to show all these emotions.

Clever speakers practice their gestures, their eye contact and all their movements. Many "psych" themselves up before a great speech so that they come across well.

Television has changed oratory. By and large, it has been made more difficult. Close-ups mean that every small eye movement, every drop of sweat, every wrinkle is seen and commented upon. The orator is up-close, intimate, just feet away from the viewer. Further, sound-bites dictate the ultra importance of catchphrases. Speeches are rehea.r.s.ed and timed: the gestures, the voice, and the pauses. Speech writers revise right up to the last moment.

There are often "plants" among the audience, clap, yelp and shriek at the right time, accompanied by euphoric, orchestrated hand-clapping. The camera operators follow the speakers' moves; gestures have been synchronized with speech. Cuts to crowd shots are pre-planned by the camera crew.

The paradox is that authenticity and naturalness cannot easily be taught. Speeches have to be clear, simple and genuine, but that is often the problem. It takes a lot of "effort" to be natural!

What are speeches for? Their primary function is to inspire action, often just to encourage people to vote. Sometimes the objective is also to feel good about the leader, the cause and those listening. Speeches are about articulating dreams. They are not full of numbers, but of pa.s.sionate conviction. Leaders need to be "one of us" to all their listeners. They must understand inclusivity and they need to gesture it and show it with their "sweeps" of the audience.

Great oratory is poetry. The writer must understand alliteration and imagery. It is important to use and understand symbolism and meter. No wonder so many great speech-givers have often been cla.s.sically trained. They have to articulate with clarity.

Good speeches should be, and often are, spell-binding, mesmeric, hypnotic. Adolf Hitler knew the secret of oration before scriptwriters and make-up artists. He wasn't young, but nor was Winston Churchill. John F. Kennedy and Nelson Mandela were young when their greatest and most memorable speeches were given. Youth is energy, hope, the future. Youth is pa.s.sion, optimism and idealism. Hence the importance of the pace of speaking and movement.

Great speeches are about journeys. They need to capture a sense of destiny and destination. They create tension by specifying a challenging problem but then they offer a solution. They must inspire trust. Many speakers make recognizable gestures like "hand on heart" or "praying hands".

Many researchers have studied great orators and indeed great speeches. Hitler and Kennedy, Churchill and Mandela were as famous for what they said as how they said it. Equally, famous people who have to give speeches but who are poor orators are often teased for their inadequacies. Because speaking to great crowds is often highly anxiety-provoking, the nonverbal behaviors contrast with the verbal. This includes sweating, self-touching (particularly around the mouth), and clearly faked and rehea.r.s.ed smiles. Indeed, anxiety management is one of the most important tasks for business speakers and others.

Presentation techniques.

Giving a presentation is one of the most daunting prospects for many. According to some often quoted popular research, a large percentage of UK citizens would rather have their leg cut off than speak in public. Public speaking is inherently different from social conversations. There is no turn-taking, often no verbal feedback, and no safety net. The speaker feels vulnerable, tense and lonely standing in front of a potentially malicious audience. One starts to wonder how people do it so well (or not, as the case might be).

There are two components to a successful presentation: content of the speech and its delivery. Both what you've got to say and how you say it are important. Speech-writers, for example, confess that they compose addresses not using what they would have said, but thinking of what their "character" would. And playing the part of the character is paramount to be believed and listened to. The word "naturally", as used by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and US President Barack Obama are different, as are their intonations, and their scriptwriters know this.

Of course, such acting skills might not be as necessary to report your company's third quarter performance figures. But they do help if for no other reason than to gather confidence and lose inhibitions. On the other hand, it is words that paint pictures, not gestures or facial expressions, so make sure you've got ideas worth listening to.

Figure 6.1 Verbal communication in front of others is a circular process Verbal communication in front of others is a circular process. The message is put across to be received, the audience reacts with approval, disapproval or indifference; the feedback is gathered and a.n.a.lyzed by the speaker, who either tries to ride a wave, improve his/her delivery or liven up the atmosphere. This relationship is represented by the diagram in Figure 6.1.

Public speaking is a two-way activity with the audience. It usually involves both the speaker and his/her listeners. However, because of the stage lighting, some speakers may not be able to see their audiences very well, or, if the audience is large, only see the faces of the people in the first few rows. In this sense, visual information is restricted, though speakers often develop acute hearing as a feedback mechanism.

The nature of public communication is very different from other forms of speaking. It is not a conversation where an array of signs and cues, easily picked up by almost everyone, guide the communication. There is no turn-taking, where, while one speaks, the other listens. Public speaking and presentation-giving is a monologue, well practised, often manically rehea.r.s.ed, and logically organized. Because one party to the communication process (the audience) has to remain silent for prolonged periods of time, the other one has to ensure it keeps the interaction engaging or worthy of attention.

Types of speakers.

So what can we learn from successful speakers? What techniques do they use? What tricks do they employ, both verbally and nonverbally?

Many businesses employ motivational speakers. Many countries have organizations (speakers' bureaus) with dozens of speakers "on their books". They tend to be academics, media stars, politicians and successful business people who are paid handsomely for relatively short after-dinner or conference speeches. In one sense, there is nothing new about the concept of a motivational speaker. Our parents had Billy Graham, Lord Soper and, of course, Churchill. In those days, such speakers were almost always found in religious, political or military contexts. They had the ability to uplift the heart; to perk up the dispirited; to energize the weary and to convert the indecisive.

So how do motivational speakers perform and what can we learn from them?

There are several versions of the genre: the manic evangelist; the sincere believer; and the serious comic. Curiously, they are very different in style but similar in content. The manic evangelist is really an American export. Such speakers require plenty of audience partic.i.p.ation. One is required to jump, clap, scream, sing and perform other cryptocheerleader activities during the course of the meeting. The speech of these evangelists is often musical and full of rhythm. The sincere believer is the street corner preacher who tells his moving tale with timing, pa.s.sion and anecdote. The serious comic is a night club act that is full of riotous humour but interspersed with a serious message, which may be delivered in a quite different tone. There are various others whose job is speaking: barristers, teachers, media people and lecturers.

Churchill had a curious approach to speech-giving. He would put much preparation into his speeches and did not like giving them spontaneously. He would revise and rehea.r.s.e extensively beforehand. One of his tricks was to dictate speeches to secretaries rather than to write them himself. That allowed him to listen to the speech as it would be delivered and polish the words "on the go". His notes were also remarkable: each page would only have a single paragraph, similar to what we know as bullet points now. The diligence in speech preparation has clearly paid off for the former prime minister. His speeches are among the most cited and best remembered. It comes as no surprise, then, that Members of Parliament in the UK touch the foot of Churchill's statue for luck before giving a speech in the House of Commons.

TABLE 6.1 Features that make a message outstanding Other famous historical speakers include Elizabeth I, who wrote poetry and was familiar with teachings of rhetoric through her cla.s.sical schooling; and Shakespeare, who while he might not have delivered any great speeches himself, wrote one of the most influential ones in his play, Julius Caesar.

Hitler exploited the power of oratory. All the details of his performances were carefully rehea.r.s.ed (he would practice exaggerated moves and gestures in front of the mirror) and staged. During his rallies, sound amplifying devices were planted around the stadiums to enhance the perceptual effect of his speeches. His lack of inhibition while speaking was also particularly convincing.

By a.n.a.lyzing celebrated speeches and performances, it is also possible to consider the distinguishing characteristics of the messages that became memorable (see Table 6.1).

Great speeches meet these conditions precisely. The result is audiences who are inspired and moved, and almost a purifying, cathartic experience for the listeners.

ARE ALL SUBJECTS MADE EQUAL?.

Next is the issue of the subject. For a psychologist, it might be more interesting to teach "The origin and treatment of s.e.xual perversion" rather than "Advanced multivariate statistics". Equally, those studying English may find "Turning novels into movie scripts" easier than "Irony in Restoration comedies".

On the other hand, it is believed that all topics and subjects can be made equally appealing. Videos, visiting celebrities and field trips all help in learning settings. Using many didactic methods to bring the material alive is the stuff of teaching. Note how people on television have made archaeology, geology and (even) cookery exciting and popular.

The other factor is, of course, the presenter's ability and personality. Enthusiasm, energy and commitment go a long way. Complex issues need to be ill.u.s.trated with examples. Giving clear explanations, and being open to suggestions, count. The lecturer needs to be stimulating, inspirational and influential: in short, charismatic. But charisma cannot compensate for not being organized, knowledgeable or up-to-date.

Content and style of talks.

To "deconstruct" a talk is an interesting challenge. There are similar metaphors and techniques in all motivational talks. There is a lot of "I believe" talk and repet.i.tion. Phrases that "taste good" in some way are often repeated; for example, "Talent is not enough".

But most of all one notices the metaphors in the story. People seem best attuned to stories. From early childhood we learn about this world and its rules through stories that have structure, believable characters and often a moral. The plot includes a journey or, often, a race. This emphasizes both the past and the future. It is about having goals and the journey to reach them. Human beings are designed, it seems, to take in information via stories. All good stories have structure: a beginning, middle and end. They can contain puzzles and dilemmas. But they need resolution: ideally, a victory for the truth, the right and the virtuous. The story itself is a journey and tales often tell of travels and pilgrimages.

The stories are also, of necessity, about fort.i.tude, tenacity and endurance in the face of setbacks. What is inspiring is how obstacles were overcome; how the failure turned into success; how overcoming disappointment was the key factor. It's the solution to the problem of evil in theology: evil is there to teach us a lesson.

Another theme is the fall of the proud: how c.o.c.kiness and egotism lead to failure. There is a lot of talk about the best/worst experience of one's life, and how learning life's lessons enabled one later to be a success. Parents and friends sometimes appear in the talk. This is the social support/teamwork bit that managers like their staff to hear. So there is reference to synergy, interdependence and the necessity of give and take in teams. Nearly all stories have happy endings. Nearly all business books are upbeat, positive, moral tales. They are full of homilies, heartwarming stories of "little people" whose simplicity, essential goodness and wisdom won the day. They call for acting: to get the voice, the gesture and the posture match the themes in the story.

In case of motivational talks, they are deeply anti-fatalist in the sense that we make our destiny. We make our beds and we lie in them. We are, and can be, captains of our fate and masters of our ship. And at the heart of everything is the C-word uttered so often everywhere nowadays: change, or better, progress. The theme is how, if you change your goals, change your strategy, change your lifestyle, change your foolish ways you too can win an Olympic gold medal, become the top salesman and so on. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Unlike shopping at Marks & Spencer, you can't get a refund. With only the talent that you have, plus enthusiasm, determination and a good team, you can WIN BIG.

Great orators never ignore "pitch, pace and pause". Hit the right notes; vary speed: pause for effect. Learn rhetorical devices, such as the power of repet.i.tion, the magic number three, the influence of body language to punctuate and emphasize. Get the pace and timing right, tickle the heartstrings with stories of joy and sadness, and have a happy ending ... and you too could be a motivational speaker.

Speech-giving and emotions.

Giving speeches and presentations is stressful for most people. As noted earlier, it is the most common of all phobias. People vary in their reaction to the prospect of public speaking. It ranges from the "buzz", nervousness and anxiety right up to utter panic. However, often the tension is good. Atkinson (2004) mentions some cases where experienced presenters deliberately create the conditions of apprehension before and during the performance (for example, former British MP and noted orator, Enoch Powell, would not visit the toilet before giving speeches).

Physiologically, public speaking causes rising blood pressure, increased rate of heartbeat, and sweating. Adrenalin rushes through the body. Muscles in the neck and chest constrict, sometimes affecting the voice and causing it to tremble. Relaxing breathing exercises should take away this tension, and generally, taking a few deep breaths could also do the job.

Mouth movements should be wider than usual, as this technique helps to eliminate monotony from the way the speaker sounds. Those who don't do this when speaking (the Queen, Prince Charles, former UK Prime Minister John Major) sound flat and unexciting.

Emotions influence the rate of speech. Some people "belt through" the speech to get it over with, but speed of delivery is very important. To communicate effectively you need to slow down substantially, from the conversational rate of 170180 words per minute to 120130. That might feel too slow in the beginning, but it makes your message digestible to your listeners.

Fear of the audience is usually (but not always) irrational. It stems from the phobia of being ridiculed or intimidated by one's listeners, thus creating a "me against them" confrontational att.i.tude. Generally, however, listeners do not want you to make a fool of yourself in front of them so that they can laugh. More often than not, if you are speaking, you've got something useful or interesting to say and people want to hear it. Audiences also do not comprise a "collective mind". Atkinson (2004) suggests thinking of public speaking as "a number of one-to-one encounters that happen to be taking place at the same time", rather like a group conversation.

Good public speaking needs to be melodic, like singing. Our brain seems "wired" in the way that any novel stimulus auditory, visual or kinesthetic gradually dissolves into the surrounding noise at some point after the initial exposure. Thus a motionless speaker and monotonous speech lose the audience's attention very fast. To keep your audience interested you need to alternate between tones, swing the notes and switch tempo. In other words, you need to conduct your speech as if you are telling a story or singing a song, building up the suspense and intriguing the listener. To do that, exaggerate your pitch and create an exciting sequence.

The more senior you become in business, the more often you have to speak in public, to both friends and foes, colleagues and shareholders, local and international media. It has been said that a company owner or a shareholder could by their performance alone influence the company's share price. A conspicuously calm, clear and confident speaker can allay the fears of investors. Equally, a b.u.mbling, nervous, rattled speaker can lose the trust of everybody.

Studies of the great orators of the world should give clues about how to give a speech. However brilliant the words, they are not enough on their own: witness world famous speeches given by the inexperienced. Speech-giving is a skill. It is the art of presenting yourself, your agenda and your case. It is about looking and sounding right; about controlling your emotions while "manipulating" those of the audiences. It is about using well-known rhetorical devices matched to theatrical prowess.

Body language of the speaker.

The presenter needs to be engaging and entertaining: he or she has to both lead and be led by the audience. Gestures, movements, facial expressions and eye gaze patterns are the most common nonverbal signals during speeches. Nonverbal signs in speech-making and presentations can be broadly divided in two categories: affirmative and negative. Affirmative gestures emphasize, stress and highlight the verbal message; they engage the audience, keep it focused and interested. Negative signs are those a.s.sociated with tension, anxiety and nervousness; they are distractive, unnecessary and generally best avoided at any time.

Positive body language signs are either explanatory or evaluative. Explanatory gestures clarify the meaning of what is being said, accentuate viewpoints, and call attention to the message. They can also serve the purpose of sustaining the audience's attention or to help the speaker to elucidate the verbal communication. Evaluative gestures and facial expressions comprise those types of nonverbal cues that are being exhibited by the audience. Public speaking is a credibility exercise; it takes both guts and ability. It is an art and science, a performance and a lecture.

Atkinson (2004), an expert researcher in public speaking, suggests some nonverbal tips: 1. The speaker has to display open body language signals. This projects both the confidence of the speaker and the trustworthiness of the message. Folded arms and a.s.sociated closed, hunched posture will influence the quality and the projection of your voice and articulation by making your chest constrict. An open posture also communicates honesty and sincerity of the speaker and their message. One of the first things speakers have to learn is to open up and be less rigid on stage.

2. The public tends to interpret folded arms gestures as:

* Defensiveness;

* Comfort;

* Missing armrests; or

* Feeling cold.

Consequently, Atkinson advises speakers not to fold their arms when speaking, whether in an interview or a talk. That is because of a widespread (but erroneous) belief made popular by the ma.s.s media and the like that it signals defensiveness and hostility. Keep your arms open and you are much more likely to create a favorable impression.

3. Anxious nonverbal body language not only distracts the speaker from the delivery, but also diverts the audience from attending to the message. Again, such speakers are judged as lacking ability and for that reason cannot keep their audience's attention. Nonverbal cues that communicate anxiety are:

* Fiddling with objects/hair;

* Nervous pacing;

* "White-knuckle syndrome" clenching fists or gripping objects too hard; and

* Self-touching.

4. Some gestures can potentially be distracting, while others are good for capturing and sustaining attention, such as sudden pointing, a sharp raising of the arm and so on. These show excitement and energy, and break the routine. Repet.i.tive movements swinging, swaying, pacing up and down on the other hand, can be annoying to the listener.

5. While gestures are natural to conversations and can be used for various reasons, conscious inhibition of movements is likely to interfere with the flow of speech. If you would like either to use or not use a particular gesture or facial expression while speaking in public, you could try practising speaking in front of a mirror. This would allow you to discover when you use this particular gesture, and how desirable/undesirable it is. It is good to seek the opinion of close, truthful friends. Then rehea.r.s.e the speech with movements until the new pattern becomes literally second nature. Otherwise, allow the original gesture to remain as it is, because conscious monitoring would only impair your performance.