(Bk Business) Carol Kinsey Goman Ph.D.-The Nonverbal Advantage_ Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work -Berrett-Koehler Publishers (2008)

52 The Nonverbal Advantage
Business gaze area
Social gaze area
It’s also interesting to note that in group dynamics the
person whose eye level is highest is usually perceived as the
leader. Watch what happens as new people join the group,
and you’ll see newcomers turn to address that person first.
TRY THIS
Test this for yourself. In some professional conversations,
keep your gaze focused in the business area triangle.
In others lower your gaze to the social area. Notice
how that one small gaze shift can create different
responses in the people you are addressing.
Knowledge about the business gaze doesn’t mean that you
should never look in someone’s social area triangle. It can be
highly effective to do so—using direct eye contact only when
you want to emphasize important points. But women, especially,
need to be aware that to be taken seriously in business
interactions, a business gaze has the most impact.