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Understanding body language can help property managers project confidence and counteract rejections.
Body language expert David Alssema told RPM that smiling and holding eye contact play major roles in projecting confidence.
“The more room you take up, the more confident you’ll seem,” he explained.
“People that have their arms a little more spread and have a wider-legged stance appear more confident than someone who has a huddled kind of look.”
Mr Alssema said that when a person levels their head it can also help convey confidence.
“People who have their head held high generally come across as highly confident or even arrogant,” he said.
“Having a head levelled is generally associated with assertiveness, while having a lowered head is normally associated with submissiveness and lower confidence.”
According to Mr Alssema, people who are getting along and understand one another often mirror each other’s body language.
“When they take a different stance or different position to you then that may say that they’re in disagreement or you’re on the wrong track,” he said.
“Asking the person to take a seat, go for a walk or even to hold something may stop them from crossing their arms or being negative towards you, so use your environment as well.”
Mr Alssema said it comes down to keeping the other person interested while maintaining positive body language.
“Whether your head’s toward them, whether you’re listening to them and how you smile; these sorts of things show the other person that you’re interested in them and they’ll often mirror you in a positive response.”
[Related: Getting the low-down on listening]
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