(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
97
Gestures of anger Gripping the hands behind the back
often indicates anger or frustration.
Finger pointing Finger
pointing and finger wagging
are parental gestures
of scolding, and I’ve often
seen politicians and executives
use this gesture in
meetings, negotiations, or
interviews for emphasis or
to show dominance. The
problem is that rather than
being a sign of authority,
aggressive finger pointing
(with one or four fingers)
suggests that the person is
A favorite gesture
of the office bully
losing control of the situation,
and it smacks of playground bullying.
Gestures of interest Of course, not all gestures are negative.
Genuine interest is shown when the hand lightly rests
on the cheek and is not used for head support.
Chin stroking is a signal that the listener is evaluating
what’s been said. You need to look for the gesture that immediately
follows the chin stroke. If
the person leans forward, “steeples”
his hands, or gives any other
positive signal, the decision has
most likely gone in your favor. If,
however, he leans back and crosses
his arms, you may be in trouble.
He’s evaluating what you
said, but his raised eyebrow
says he’s still skeptical.