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

114 The Nonverbal Advantage
Standing Positions
There are six main standing positions, and each one tells you
something about the attitude of the person assuming that
position.
Standing at attention Junior officers addressing
senior officers or employees talking to the
boss most often assume this respectful, legstogether
stance.
Standing with legs apart Like the seated
legs-apart position, standing with legs apart and
feet firmly planted on the ground is a predominantly
male gesture (the western gunslinger
pose) that signals dominance or determination.
Putting hands on the hips or folding the
arms while in this stance is a masculine gesture
of power that also communicates coldness and
inapproachability.
Standing with weight evenly distributed
When people are comfortable, they usually balance
their weight on both feet. The language that
instinctively reflects this posture/attitude connection
is “well balanced,” “take a firm stand,”
and “knowing where you stand on this.”