Body language: how to move from modest contribution to visible leadership
Some people don't need to say a word to exert influence. They possess a form of charisma that doesn’t lie in words, but in their presence. Their bodies radiate calm, confidence and comfort. Within a few seconds, they create more impact with their body language than with all the words that follow.
In that very first impression, you can already take a first step towards visible leadership.
This requires subtle but conscious choices that you can make every day. Here are three pieces of advice.
Autor: Alumnus Ashwin Taneja - Body Signals Academy
1. Let your hands do the talking
Traditionally, we trust people more quickly when we can see their palms. This is deeply rooted in our brains: visible hands symbolised safety, hidden hands symbolised a potential concealed weapon. Even today, the sight of hands evokes a sense of honesty and connection. Those who show their hands project confidence. Those who hide them – under the table, in pockets or behind a laptop – appear reserved or insecure, even without saying anything.
Tip: As soon as you take a seat in a meeting or conversation, rest your hands loosely on the table. In addition, use supportive gestures: small, calm movements that give your words strength. An open hand when explaining an idea or a slight movement when naming a result, for example during a presentation, reinforces your message. Keep your gestures compact; movements that are too large appear restless.
2. Eliminate barriers
When we feel tension, our body instinctively tries to protect itself by shielding our trunk and thus vital organs. That age-old mechanism still plays a role in modern situations that your brain registers as stressful, such as a job interview or a presentation. For example, you can slide a laptop closer, hold a coffee cup in front of your chest or cross your arms. These objects and postures send a signal of distance or uncertainty. Your brain says ‘I am protecting myself’, while your body communicates ‘I am not open to contact’.
Tip: If you want to radiate self-confidence, remove that barrier. Keep the space between your torso and the other person clear. Place your mug or notepad to the side, put your pen down when you're listening, and keep your upper body open. An open posture says: ‘I feel comfortable’. And comfort is essential to radiating leadership.
3. Avoid self-soothing gestures
When we feel uncomfortable, our body unconsciously looks for reassurance. We touch our neck, fidget with a ring, play with a pen or rub our arms. These are known as self-soothing gestures: they help to reduce tension briefly, but they also betray that tension (see, for example, Nonverbal Behaviors ‘Speak’ Relational Messages of Dominance, Trust, and Composure). During important moments – a pitch, a presentation or a meeting – such gestures draw attention away from your message. They make you look insecure, even if you know exactly what you want to say. Confident people have those gestures under control. Not because they don't feel anything, but because they recognise and regulate their tension. That starts with awareness.
Tip: Do you notice that you keep fidgeting? See that as a signal. Put your hands calmly on the table and only use your gestures when they add value. Calm, controlled movements show that you are in control of the situation. And that is exactly what others read as leadership.
Leadership is in what you show
True leadership is not seen in volume, but in your non-verbal presence. When you show signals of comfort and self-assurance, influence will follow automatically.
In short: those who understand body language always have a head start.
* See Self-soothing touch and being hugged reduce cortisol responses to stress: A randomized controlled trial on stress, physical touch, and social identity - PMC Or read about it in the book by Joe Navarro: What Every Body Is Saying (2008).
About Ashwin
Ashwin Taneja is the founder and owner of Body Signals Academy. Body Signals was born out of his personal interest in human behaviour and the belief that body language is a powerful tool to connect and communicate more effectively. His interest in human behaviour started years ago at VU Amsterdam, where he obtained his MSc Marketing in 2013. He then gained experience in various commercial roles. Today, he helps professionals make more impact – without saying a word.
W: bodysignals.nl LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashwintaneja/
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