Workplace Skills

UNIT 11 BODY LANGUAGE

Structure
11.0 Objectives
11.1 Warm up
11.2 Observing others
11.3 Reading Comprehension: Body Language during Interviews
11.4 Vocabulary: Making Sentences
11.5 Writing and Speaking: Speech on Body Language
11.6 Listening: Presentation on Body Language
11.7 Grammar: Phrases and Clauses
11.8 Summary
11.9 Answers to Self Check Exercises
11.10 Answers to Activities
11.11 References and Further Reading

11.0 OBJECTIVES
This Unit will help you to understand the importance of body language i.e. non-
verbal communication. We use body language as much as we use verbal
communication, to communicate or while communicating verbally. Our body
language sends strong signals, positive as well as negative to the person(s) who
listen. A lot of guidance is given in this Unit to get your body language right
while communicating with others.

11.1 WARM UP
Go back to Section 8.1 in Unit 8, where you identified three presentations which
you had attended in the near past. These are:
1) ......................................................................................................................
2) ......................................................................................................................
3) ......................................................................................................................
You also wrote down what you liked /enjoyed and also what you did not like/
enjoy in each of these. Now recollect those three presentations and the body
language of the presenter and write below what you appreciated or what you did
not like about the body language of the presenter.
Presentation 1
Liked Disliked
a ………………………….. a …………………………..

b ………………………….. b …………………………..

c ………………………….. c …………………………..
50
Presentation 2 Body Language

Liked Disliked
a ………………………….. a …………………………..
b ………………………….. b …………………………..
c ………………………….. c …………………………..

Presentation 3
Liked Disliked
a ………………………….. a …………………………..
b ………………………….. b …………………………..
c ………………………….. c …………………………..

Activity
1) While making a presentation, what type of body language you think the
presenter should exhibit to ensure that the audience actively listens to the
presentation?
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................

11.2 OBSERVING OTHERS

Knowingly or unconsciously we are always observing each other. You should
always be aware of the fact that you are being observed continuously! You too
must be doing that where others are concerned. It is also a fact that we usually
don’t tell others anything about their good as well as bad body language.

When you are with a group of five or more people the next time, observe them
closely and identify the body movements or actions of at least one person that
indicates
o enthusiasm and interest
o confidence
o power and control
o boredom and disinterest
Discuss your findings with members of the group.
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
51
Workplace Skills
11.3 READING COMPREHENSION: BODY
LANGUAGE DURING INTERVIEWS
Communication between people takes place in various ways. It is estimated that
only about 10% of a message is communicated through verbal communication!
We often cannot determine the truthfulness or sincerity of people by what they
say. Very often words transmitted verbally do not reflect what people really feel.
The only way you can determine their true inner feelings is by reading their body
language. It is often difficult to question a person directly because even her/his
replies may not indicate what s/he really feels or thinks. From her/his body
language you may not get convinced that what s/he is saying is true.
Here are some examples of body language and their interpretations:

Brisk, erect walk Confidence

Standing with hands on hips Readiness, aggression
Sitting with legs crossed Boredom
Sitting legs apart Open, relaxed
Arms crossed on chest Defensiveness
Walking with hands in pockets, Dejection
shoulders hunched
Hands on cheek Evaluation, thinking
Touching, rubbing nose Rejection, doubt, lying
Rubbing eyes Doubt, disbelief

When you appear for an interview, it is important to remember that besides your
resume, you are going to be watched for the clothes that you wear and how you
present yourself during the interview. Even before a word has been spoken,
your body language would have already given the people on the panel their first
impression of you. Based on your body language, they would be able to assess if
you come across as insecure or self assured. It can also tell others if you are an
assertive or a quiet type of person. It also reveals whether you are speaking the
truth or not. Body language can also show if you are prone to stress or not. It can
show how enthusiastic you are and whether you are a nice person, someone who
will take work seriously and yet have a sense of humour. The members of the
panel will ask you questions, but they will pay attention not only to what you say
but also to how you say it.

Everybody uses body language, but it takes place mostly at the subconscious
level. By becoming more aware of your own body language and by watching the
body language of others, especially leaders and successful people, you can
definitely improve your own body language.

During job interviews, try to adopt a posture that shows interest but despite the
obvious stress do try to come across as being relaxed. You should change your
body posture during the interview. For example, when someone says something,
it is good to turn a little with your shoulders towards that person and also to lean
forward a little. This shows that you are taking an interest in what the other
52
person is asking or saying. It is also important to pay attention to the body language Body Language
of the persons who is interviewing you.

Sometimes, your hands are an obstacle during job interviews rather than a useful
means of communication. In a difficult situation we fold our arms across our
body. During a job interview it is better not to do this, because it can be interpreted
as a defensive gesture. It is better to let your hands be on your lap or place them
on the armrest of your chair. From these positions it is also easy to support your
words with hand gestures. Hand movements also help to liven up the interview.
It indicates that you feel at ease and are relaxed. However, do not make too many
hand movements as it may be a distraction. Do pay attention to inadvertent
movements that you may make sometimes due to nervousness. For example,
shuffling your feet or kicking against the leg of the table can be very irritating to
others. So also drumming with your fingers can be a distraction.

It is also important to show through your body language that you are listening to
the people interviewing you. Looking directly into somebody’s eyes or looking
away actually serves as the dots and commas in your spoken sentences. When
one of the panel members explains something or poses a question, keep looking
at that person for as long as s/he is speaking. This shows that you are listening.
When you answer a question, you should look first at the person who asked the
question, but while you answer you should take turns looking at the other people
on the interview panel.

Success at the interview also comes from paying attention to the body language
of the people interviewing you. Acceptance and irritation of the panel will be
visible from their body language. So do be conscious of the body language of the
members of the panel.
(adapted from an article “Body language during a job interview” by Frank van
Mar Wijk)

Activity
Now that you have read the article, answer the following questions:

2) What do the following body gestures indicate?

i) Sitting with hands clasped behind the head and crossing the legs
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
ii) Open palms
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
iii) Tilted head
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
iv) Stroking chin
................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................
53
Workplace Skills 3) What are some of the inherent qualities that your body language may reveal
at an interview? List at least one below.
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................

4) What advice does the article give you regarding sitting on the chair at an
interview?
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................

5) Some movements of your body could be distracting and irritating. What are
these?
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................

11.4 VOCABULARY: MAKING SENTENCES

Activity
6) Make sentences using the following words, ensuring that the sentences bring
out their meaning fully.
i) Convey
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
ii) Transmit
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
iii) Assess
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
54
 iv) Self-assured Body Language

..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
v) Prone
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
vi) Indicate
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
vii) Inadvertently
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
viii) Mutual
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
ix) Updated
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................
x) Issues
..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................

11.5 WRITING AND SPEAKING: SPEECH ON BODY

LANGUAGE
You have been asked to give a speech to a group of young trainees in your
community library on “Body language”. Using the points given below, write a
speech which you would deliver to the trainees. Then deliver it to the students at
your study centre.
• Importance of body language in communication.
• Examples of a positive body language.
• Examples of a negative body language.
• What type of body language you should exhibit while talking to the public
who come to the library.
• Some general advice to the group on body language.
You may use some of the tips given below:
• Look straight into the eyes of the other person, but don’t stare.
• Nod when others are speaking to show that you are listening, but don’t
overdo it.
55
Workplace Skills • Do not slouch but sit up straight, keeping your body erect but in a relaxed
manner. This shows that you are professional in your attitude.
• Don’t sit or stand too close to anyone, keep enough space around you.
• Take care of your arms and legs, don’t cross them.
• Present a smiling face, laughing gently if the situation warrants.
• Keep control of your fingers, don’t fiddle with them.
• Dress appropriately, but don’t over dress.

11.6 LISTENING: PRESENTATION ON BODY

LANGUAGE
Self Check Exercise
Note: i) Write your answers at the space given below the questions.
ii) Check your answers with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
1) Listen to the audio recording ‘Presentation on Body Language’ carefully
and fill in the blank spaces in the exercise with appropriate words/phrases.
You may play the CD provided and listen to the audio as many times as you
require. Please note that the text of the audio has been provided in the answers
section.
i) People who are emotionally upset will at once jump to the conclusion
that they are a ________, thus increasing their tension.
ii) One way of learning body language is to _______the sound of your
television. You will notice that what people _________ is not always
what their body language________.
iii) The ability to read others’ __________makes it easier to know whether
the person you are talking to is happy or sad or ________.
iv) Understanding your own body language will ________for you to
________others body language.
v) Hidden _________ and intentions can be known by observing people.
vi) Pushing your hair behind your ear or rolling your _________ could
mean that you are _________.
vii) A person who sits with his legs stretched out before him expresses
________.
viii) A person waiting for a job interview would be observed to be sitting on
the _______ of the chair because he is _________.
ix) A smile can be considered genuine only if it extends to the _______as
well.

11.7 GRAMMAR: PHRASES AND CLAUSES

Study the following sentences from the text:
1) a) In a difficult situation, we fold our arms across our body.
b) When we face a difficult situation, we fold our arms across our body.
56
2) a) Success at the interview also comes from paying attention to the body Body Language
language of the people interviewing you.
b) Success at the interview also comes from paying attention to the body
language of the people who are interviewing you.

These are phrases

In a difficult situation …
… of the people interviewing you.

These are clauses

When we face a difficult situation…
…of the people who are interviewing you.

The following table will show you the difference between clauses and phrases.

Phrases Clauses
A meaningful group of words A meaningful group of words
Has no predicate Has a subject and a predicate
Has no finite verb Has a finite verb
Dependent on another part of the Dependent on another part of
sentence for completing meaning the sentence for complete
meaning
Forms part of a sentence Forms part of a sentence

A sentence has all the features of a clause but can stand alone as an independent
sentence e.g. Rohan hit a number of boundaries

Self Check Exercise

Note: i) Write your answers at the space given below the questions.
ii) Check your answers with the answers given at the end of this Unit.
2) Say whether the underlined parts of the following sentence are phrases or
clauses.
i) The librarian ordered the books from the e-book sites.
ii) The books in the store room were covered with dust.
iii) He has a bookshelf which is made of rosewood.
iv) The librarian was sure that the child had lost the book.
v) He finished his work and went home to sleep.
vi) We all ran into the reference section when we heard a bang.
vii) I will meet you very soon in the canteen.
viii) She came back early from work because she was not feeling well.

57
Workplace Skills 3) Separate the phrases and the sentences in this poster.

Children’s Day Book Carnival

At the Central Municipal Park
On Friday, 14th November
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Attractions
Lots of Books and CDs
Lots of Food and lots to Drink
On the spot competitions – story telling, quiz, recitation
On the spot prizes to be won.
The Chief guest, Mr. Sanat Kumar, well-known children’s writer will
distribute the prizes at 4 p.m.
Entry by tickets only
Children below 12 years must be accompanied by adults.

......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
......................................................................................................................
4) Complete the following sentences with phrases or clauses as indicated in
the brackets.
i) Mithu has a talking book ________________. (clause)
ii) ______________ Rajni, stopped at Mr. Kumar’s shop to give him the
good news. (phrase)
iii) I showed her the library ___________. (clause)
iv) They returned ________________. (phrase)
v) We cannot go to college________________. (clause)
vi) __________ we are playing against the Chennai team. (phrase)
vii) _______________________ his mother gave him some fruit to eat.
(clause)
viii) I will meet you ________________. (phrase)
ix) The sun rises __________________. (phrase)
x) I don’t know __________________. (clause)

11.8 SUMMARY
Remember that oral communication needs to be complemented with body
language to make communication complete. People watch you more than they
listen to you. So give as much importance as you can to your body language
while attending interviews, at group discussions, while making presentations,
58
etc. It is not difficult to change your body language style, though it takes time Body Language
since it is more a habit. Observe others, learn from others, accept weaknesses of
your body language, and practice the new styles regularly: you will be able to
overcome your weaknesses.

11.9 ANSWERS TO SELF CHECK EXERCISES

Text: Presentation on Body Language

Body language is noticed by everybody but is not always given enough
attention. We sometimes ignore it and try to hide behind words, but we
should never forget that we cannot fool everyone.
Children react to body language because they experience the world through
intuition. The same can be true for adults when feelings are involved. People
who are in bad shape emotionally place great importance to it. In fact, they
often pick up the smallest hint of a pause in attention in the person they are
speaking to. And they frequently jump to the conclusion that they are boring
or a nuisance-thus compounding their sense of depression or poor self esteem.
A way to learn body language is to watch television with the sound turned
off and try to interpret what is being said simply from reading the stance
and body gestures. You will experience that humans say a lot with their
mouth which is contradicted by their body, gestures and other channels of
communication.
If we develop increased sensitivity to our own body language, our ability to
read others’ body language is increased.
This makes it easier to tell whether a person you are talking to is happy, sad
sullen or irritated. Or whether he or she is lying to you, or is impatient, or
bored. You should also be able to register whether the person appears to like
you, agrees or disagrees with you, is aggressive to you, or is suspicious,
angry or worried.
Increased attention to body language will allow you to observe hidden
feelings, prejudices and sexual intentions.
Body language also includes the movement of arms and legs, body posture,
the manner in which you sit, facial expression, gait, eye movements and
regular gestures such as stroking your hair, touching your nose etc.
Perhaps you hold your hands close to your face when you talk generally.
This is a sign of insecurity. The same is true if you pull a beard or roll a
moustache with your hands or fix your hair, perhaps pushing or curling it
behind an ear.
When you try to interpret body language, you must try to interpret it in
relation to what is being said with words; otherwise misunderstandings can
easily arise. It must be judged as a whole. Several elements must be in
accordance if you are to draw any firm conclusions about a person.
In order to reach your conclusion you must also pay attention to facial
expression, the mouth’s position, eye movements and pupil dilation and
retraction.
59
Workplace Skills
Research has shown that the speaker’s face is the most reliable source of
information about the mood of a person. It is through visual experiences
that happiness, surprise, anger or contempt is communicated while auditory
experiences communicate fear. In order to ascertain the mood of the speaker
you must observe facial muscles. How they are tightened and loosened,
how the lines around the mouth are softened, how the wrinkles around the
eyes can made them shine with happiness when that is the feeling the face
has to express.
The same features express anger and contempt, while softer features are
taken to express kindness and friendliness-but note, only if the feelings also
extend to the eyes. A mouth that smiles without the eyes smiling as well,
sends signals of falseness and unreliability.

1) i) nuisance
ii) turn off, say, suggests
iii) practice
vi) make it easier, understand
v) feelings
vi) moustache, insecure
vii) indifference
viii) edge, nervous
ix) eyes

2) i) The librarian ordered the books from the e-book sites. Phrase
ii) The books in the store room were covered with dust. Clause
iii) He has a bookshelf which is made of rosewood. Clause
iv) The librarian was sure that the child had lost the book. Clause
v) He finished his work and went home to sleep. Phrase
vi) We all ran into the reference section when we heard a bang. Clause
vii) I will meet you very soon in the canteen. Phrase
viii) She came back early from work because she was not feeling well. Clause
3) Children’s Day Book Carnival Phrase
At the Central Municipal Park Phrase
Lots of Books and CDs Phrase
Lots of Food and lots to Drink Phrase
On the spot competitions – story telling, quiz, recitation Phrase
On the spot prizes to be won. Phrase
The Chief guest, Mr. Sanat Kumar, well-known
children’s writer will distribute the prizes at 4 p.m. Sentence
Entry by tickets only. Sentence
Children below 12 years must be accompanied by adults. Sentence
60
4) i) Mithu has a talking book which is very informative. (clause) Body Language

ii) The excited girl Rajni, stopped at Mr. Kumar’s shop to give him the
good news. (phrase)
iii) I showed her the library which was at the end of the corridor. (clause)
iv) They returned at 9’o clock. (phrase)
v) We cannot go to college as there is a strike by Students’ Union. (clause)
vi) Luckily we are playing against the Chennai team. (phrase)
vii) Because he was hungry his mother gave him some fruit to eat. (clause)
viii) I will meet you in the evening. (phrase)
ix) The sun rises in the East. (phrase)
x) I don’t know where do he lives. (clause)

11.10 ANSWERS TO ACTIVITIES

1) Look straight into the eyes of the other person, but don’t stare, keep your
body straight but in /a relaxed manner, present a smiling face, laughing gently
if the situation warrants
2) i) Confidence, Superiority.
ii) Trust, Sincerity, Innocence.
iii) Interest.
iv) In the process of taking a decision.
3) i) Whether you are insecure.
ii) Whether you are speaking the truth.
iii) Whether you are prone to stress.
iv) Whether you are enthusiastic.
v) Whether you have a sense of humour.
4) i) Have your back against the chair.
ii) Don’t slouch on the chair.
iii) Don’t sit on the edge of the chair.
iv) Change sitting postures to ensure you face all interviewers.
5) i) Too many movements of the hands.
ii) Shuffling of the feet.
iii) Kicking the table.
iv) Drumming your fingers.
6) i) His letter does not convey his true feeling about the incident.
ii) We can use a radio to transmit messages.
iii) His style of living makes it difficult to assess his status.
iv) His way of walking indicates that he is a self-assured person.
v) She is always prone to accidents, so I am not surprised.
61
Workplace Skills vi) All the symptoms indicate that Ravi has dengue fever.
vii) The secret just slipped out inadvertently.
viii) The love between the two families is mutual.
ix) This letter will keep you updated about the events.
x) I have no issues to settle with you, so please be relaxed.

11.11 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

Allan, and Barbara Pease. The Definitive Book of Body Language. Australia:
McPherson’s Printing Group, 2004. Print.

Beattie, G. Visible Thought the New Psychology of Body Language. Routledge,

2003. Print.

62