CBA National Magazine recently had an article about body language in negotiation and suggested that “knowing how to read others’ body language – while being aware of your own – can give you a huge advantage in negotiations.”

Calgary body language expert, Eliot Hoppe, was interviewed for the piece and indicated that during the first few minutes of meeting someone (while things are still relaxed) the negotiator should observe the other person/people to establish a baseline for their skin tone colour, speech rate, and blink rate.  He says, “when the stakes get higher, it’s the change in physiology, the change in emotion that you’re looking for.”

The article goes on to list a number of signs to look for:

Positive:

• gesturing with loose wrists and fingertips apart singles rapport
• hands are visable
• touching the chest indicates sincerity
• leaning forward shows an interest in what’s being said

Negative:

• touching the face conveys deceit
• touching the lips indicates a lack of agreement
• taking a step backwards or rocking on balls of feet reveals a lie
• interlocking and twisting fingers shows frustration

So next time you’re meeting for a negotiation consider the silent communication of body language… it speaks volumes!

(This article and more on the art of negotiation can be found on the CBA National website.)