{"id":65744,"date":"2022-11-29T12:39:22","date_gmt":"2022-11-29T04:39:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/?p=65744"},"modified":"2025-09-29T11:47:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T10:47:57","slug":"body-language-workplace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindvalley.com\/blog\/body-language-workplace\/","title":{"rendered":"Body language in the workplace: 5 mistakes to avoid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Like animals at the local watering hole, humans, too, have different attributes they put on display amongst their co-workers. But which venery we vibe with mainly depends on the way we use our body language in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because first impressions are everything, right? And with many of us putting a magnanimous emphasis on our professional lives, it only seems logical to know how to verbalize nonverbally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While mistakes are a part of life (so don\u2019t sweat too much over it), it\u2019s always in our best interest to try and improve. And our body language is the best place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is body language important in the workplace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your body gestures speak volumes\u201455%, as a matter of fact (38% is tonality, and only 7% is verbal). And the way you carry yourself in public, especially in an office environment, can be the reason you make it or break it professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, a head tilt during a presentation is positive body language<\/a> in the workplace. It expresses that you\u2019re interested. (A negative one, though, would be if you\u2019re slumped in your chair during a one-on-one meeting. This indicates that you\u2019re bored or uninterested.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, \u201cwork from home\u201d allows us to slump a little\u2014click-clacking on our laptops in bed, doing reports while scanning the latest Netflix release, or giving out a loud yawn during virtual meetings, allowing the \u201csocially awkward<\/a>\u201d persona in us to be on Cloud Nine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Face-to-face interactions, however, allow you to use your workplace body language to support or negate without having to utter a single word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 common mistakes when it comes to body language in the workplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many of us aren\u2019t aware of how we speak with our bodies. And when we try to use gestures to show we\u2019re empaths<\/a>, pumped, uncomfortable, and whatever else, we sometimes throw out the wrong signals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave you ever met someone for the first time and quickly realized they don\u2019t warm to you?<\/em>\u201d asks Barbara Pease<\/strong>, co-trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Mastering Body Language: Truth, Lies, Love & Power<\/em> Quest. \u201cWhat signals are your body language sending?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at the smudge on our shoe can be interpreted as \u201ccome hither.\u201d Or the blasting of cold air from the vents forces us to cross our arms, but it\u2019s taken as negative body language in the workplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is no bueno<\/em>. So what workplace body language mistakes are commonly made? Here are five that Barbara and her husband, Allan, highlight in their Quest on Mindvalley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mistake 1: Not understanding the body language in different cultures<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before diving into the topic at hand, it\u2019s important to note that different cultures have different ways of communicating. And with the magic of the internet, we all now have the opportunity to be connected to each other\u2014work-wise as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One example Allan Pease<\/strong>, \u201cMr. Body Language\u201d himself, gives in the Quest is how people answer \u201cyes.\u201d A head nod is sufficient in many places. However, in India, it\u2019s a head wobble. And in Bulgaria, it\u2019s a head shake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So in the professional realm, you can get an up if you make a note of the way different cultures use body language, especially if you have clients or co-workers who are from various parts of the world. It shows effort, respect, and honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mistake 2: Holding eye contact for far too long<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Eye contact is key in body language; it\u2019s even one of the signs of attraction<\/a>. But can maintaining eye contact be a bad thing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt depends on the country you\u2019re in,<\/em>\u201d according to Allan. For example, in South America and Japan, people will look away 80% of the time and look back 20% of the time. Allan adds, \u201cLooking in the eyes in those places is seen as being offensive or aggressive.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you might not go to those regions of the world or interact with people from there on a daily basis, the question still remains: what\u2019s the appropriate amount of time for eye contact?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science has the answer. A 2016 study<\/a> measured the pupil dilation of 500 volunteers to see how long they could make eye contact before it started to feel uncomfortable. The time: 3.3 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mistake 3: Crossing arms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This gesture is often people\u2019s go-to when there\u2019s a dislike or disdain. However, it isn\u2019t at all effective when you\u2019re learning how to resolve workplace conflict with body language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cArm crossing is one of the biggest no-no\u2019s,<\/em>\u201d says Allan. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to use it, you don\u2019t want to have it in your repertoire. In fact, get rid of it altogether.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several types he highlights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n