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

Chapter 5: Talking with Your Hands
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Here are some examples you’ll recognize in any North American
organization:
The thumbs-up sign is
commonly understood to
mean “good job,” “okay,”
or “everything’s fine.”
Hand rocking—where
the palm faces down, the
fingers spread out, and
the hand rocks left and
right—means “so-so”
or “maybe.”
A double thumbs-up for
a really good job
The two-fingered V-sign (also used as a “peace sign”)
communicates a victory.
A shoulder shrug, especially when accompanied with
a palms-up gesture, means the person
doesn’t know, doesn’t understand, or
doesn’t care.
What did you say?
A hand cupping the ear says, “I can’t
hear you.”
Slapping the forehead is a way to communicate,
“Oh
no, I completely
forgot!” or “How
stupid of me!”
Holding the thumb straight
down means “bad idea” or “no.”
A classic sign of rejection