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

98 The Nonverbal Advantage
Leaning in while placing hands palms down and patting
them a few times on the table or desk (especially if accompanied
by raised eyebrows) is almost always an indication
of satisfaction.
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Nonverbal communication plays a big part in every business
meeting, and because people are often sitting it’s the hand and
arm gestures that are the most noticeable. If you stay alert, you
will notice every kind of gesture—some emblematic, some chosen
for emphasis, and some (often the most interesting) subconscious
signals of people’s reactions to what is going on in the meeting.
Shoulder Positions
The position of the shoulders sends its own messages. There’s
a good reason, for example, that the phrase “He gave me the
cold shoulder” is a metaphor for feeling rejected by someone.
Shoulder muscles are vulnerable to even the slightest emotional
shift, and a subtle change in posture (a dip, a hunch,
or a forward or backward thrust) can give clues to a person’s
inner state. Watch and see if people’s shoulders align with
what they’re verbalizing. Regardless of the words they may
be using, here is what people’s shoulders are telling you:
People at ease have relaxed arms and shoulders—
their shoulders drop forward slightly and their arms
hang loose.
Shoulders that are lifted and pulled back show control
and alertness.
Hunched shoulders may be simply bad posture or a
sign of resignation and defeat.