Leadership programs talk a lot about body language and how to use it to create a positive impression and discern the feelings of the other person through the nonverbal signals his body sends.
As meetings move into the virtual space, many are wondering how to read body language from what can be observed on computer screens.
In a report published by the American magazine Forbes, writer Carol Kinsey Gumann said that Zoom meetings rob us of many nonverbal cues, but she still retains some.
Here are 15 body language cues that reveal people's emotions and focus, all within the range of what can be seen on screen.
Head tilt or retract
A head tilt is an indication that the person you are talking to is showing interest and reaction to the topic at hand.
On the other hand, when people hear a message that makes them feel a little uncomfortable, they roll their heads back away from who they are talking to, trying to find some distance between them.
Head bending down
If you hear someone shouting, "Watch out!", your body will usually take a defensive position, with your shoulders raised and your head bowed down for cover.
In the context of business, this situation indicates a disorder or extreme disparity in the ranks of those involved in the dialogue.
As such, this posture can be observed in the employees' meetings with their superiors.
Head raised or lowered
The author touched on the results of an experiment she conducted on a group of students who smoke before an achievement test. She noticed that the students who smoked cigarettes upwards did better on the test, compared to their peers who smoked with their heads down;
Feelings of great confidence lift the head up involuntarily, or vice versa.
head gestures
When people slowly nod, it usually indicates a sustained interest in who is speaking, while a quick nod indicates impatience with the speaker or the listener's desire to take their turn.
face touch
Under stress, people calm themselves in several ways.
Women usually fiddle with their hair, and men touch their beards.
To get a quick feeling of relief from stressful situations, we touch our faces (chin, lips, cheek, nose, forehead) which quickly and simply calm down.
A fake smile is the most common facial expression used to hide other emotions such as resentment or anger (pixels).
wide eyes
The writer said that the widening of the eyes, which indicates positive feelings, is accompanied by a rise in the eyebrows and a slightly open mouth.
A smaller version of this expression can be seen when people talk about what they like.
Pupil dilation
Many physical stimuli can cause the pupils to dilate, but there may be an emotional cause as well.
Studies conducted by psychologist Eckhard Hess showed that the pupil unconsciously dilates when the eye sees something desirable or exciting.
Successful salespeople monitor this sign to see if the customer is interested and ready to buy.
Since the dilation and narrowing of the pupil is not under an individual's control, it therefore provides a very reliable indicator of attention span, attractiveness, and emotional attitude.
blink rate
During conversations, the average number of eyes blinking is 6 to 8 times per minute, and the eyelids close for about a tenth of a second each.
But this rate accelerates when stressed and anxious.
An acceleration of the blinking rate could also indicate an attempt to hide something or simply annoyance with the lighting of the room.
eyes closed
The author explained that the so-called "eye-blocking" is a survival mechanism that evolved to protect the brain from seeing threatening or unwanted images.
This mechanism includes several methods, including closing the eyes, rubbing them, and covering them with hands or something else.
Eye-blocking is an involuntary movement that people use to avoid those in front of them during a conversation.
Tears
In general, the formation of tears is a physical response to allergens, foreign particles in the eye or the feeling of pain, but they also appear due to strong emotional stimuli.
eyebrow lift
When someone lacks confidence in what they have said and whether the other party believes them, you may see eyebrows rise for a moment.
It's like asking, "Is what I've done right?"
or "What do you think of what I said?"
The sign of eyebrow raising usually comes slowly, over a period of a few seconds, along with a head tilt at the end of the sentence as a nonverbal question to see if the listener has understood.
smiles
A fake smile is the most common facial expression used to hide other emotions such as resentment or anger.
It's easy to put on a fake smile, but it's also easy to spot.
Real smiles of joy not only affect the corners of the mouth, but also change the entire face;
The eyes are radiant, the forehead is wrinkled, the cheek muscles are raised, the skin around the eyes and mouth are wrinkled, then the corners of the mouth are raised.
People often use a fake smile in the workplace when they are not feeling emotionally close to those around them.
Make sure to highlight a variety of physical movements to enhance interaction and focus on all parties involved (pixels)
tightly applied lips
The writer mentioned that holding the lips indicates a feeling of anger, frustration or resentment, or even an attempt to hide some information.
This is one of the reasons why full lips are so attractive, as they are unconsciously interpreted as a sign that their owners respond to us in a positive way.
chin protrusion
People stick their chin forward when angry or suspicious.
This can often be seen in young children who do not want to do something.
Your co-workers may display similar behavior when they are angry, feel they have been wronged, or are ready to reprimand someone.
swallow an empty stomach
Swallowing saliva is especially pronounced in males due to the up and down movement of the Adam's apple, the so-called "Adam's apple leap".
This jump is a sign of emotional anxiety, embarrassment, stress, or even a strong rejection of the opposite party's point of view.
The author concluded that nonverbal cues provide insight into our emotional state, making them essential to any human communication process. To achieve the best outcomes and output from your virtual meetings, be sure to highlight many physical movements to enhance interaction and focus on all parties to the meeting.