10 Worst Body Language Mistakes to Avoid in the Workplace

How can body language help others to criticize you? Having the right body language will earn you brownie points. Same as that, worst body language will bring you a bad name. 

“Body language is a very powerful tool. We had body language before we had speech, and apparently, 80% of what you understand in a conversation is read through the body, not the words. “- Deborah Bull 

True to the above saying, body language is the first language that we humans spoke centuries before. Even now, body language matters the most in the corporate world. Before you judge an employer, an employer will judge you by your body language.  

People mostly do not concentrate on their body language. Here are the blunders that any ordinary employee will do in the office, not knowing that they are wrong. 

Listed below are the 10 Worst Body Language mistakes you should avoid in the workplace.

 1. Avoiding Eye Contact:

Avoiding eye contact is a notable blunder one can make when you are in a discussion. By avoiding eye contact, you are sending a mixed signal that you dislike talking to that person or you are making him judge you as a liar. So make soft and firm eye contact if you do not want your colleagues to address you as a liar.

 2. Sitting in a slouched position:

Sitting in a slouched posture at the workplace will make your employer think you don’t have an interest in the job. Slouching is also bad for your health. Try to sit in a straight position; this will help you look engaged towards work. 

3. Weak Handshake:

You can question how can a handshake judge a person. Here is where a soft skill does magic. Weak or an over-aggressive handshake is one of the worst body languages should avoid in the workplace. A weak handshake will make you look the least confident. So next time when you shake hands with your colleague, make sure you offer him a firm handshake. 

4. Crossed Hands:

Crossed hands show a lack of confidence and discomfort. In workplace crossed hands may further refer to submissive. When you are in discussion or meeting, stay in open palms showing that you are free to everyone’s idea. 

5. Eyeing the clock.

Constantly checking time is another fault that people do not know that it is one of the worst body languages. If you are talking with a person and the person other side looks at the watch constantly will make you think the other person is not interested to hear. However, some do out of habit. We should avoid this body language in an office.

“Don’t let your body language betray the confidence and sincerity of your words. Be truthful and speak with conviction.”

 ― Akiroq Brost

 6. Physical Isolation:

Some introverts feel shy to join with the team members. But staying away from the team and not interacting with the team will present you as a person with the least confident and not trustworthy. Try to be a person who mingles with all the team members rather than isolating yourself. 

7. Fake/No Smile:

Your employers can easily recognize a fake smile. They will interpret fake smiles or not smiling as not so genuine towards the employer. Always smile at the person you come across in the office. Smiling costs nothing.  

8. Leaning on a surface:

If the meeting or discussion goes too long, ask permission to take a chair and sit. Do not lean on the wall as it presents you as not interested in the topic.  

9. Using phone:

Using a phone in the workplace if your job is not on the phone, then it is the worst body language that you should stop following in your workplace. Using phone during meeting presents you as a person who disrespects the one who is addressing. 

 10. Exaggerated Gestures:

Exaggerated gestures and showing more drama will show you as unprofessional. Wild hand actions and non-verbal behaviour are one of the worst body languages that you should avoid in the workplace. 

If you are a person who follows any of the above body languages, then you should immediately stop the habit. Be confident and presentable always in the workplace. 

Six Strategies to Build a Successful Career

Having a successful career always tops in the bucket list of everyone. Why do people want to be successful in their careers? There are many reasons for that. Striving for a successful career and working towards that makes a person more committed to life.

A person successful in a career is being treated well in society. In this world of social status, people look for the one who is successful in their professional lives. The best thing in building a successful career is, it gives security and satisfaction.

“Your outlook upon life, your estimate of yourself, your estimate of your value are largely coloured by your environment. Your whole career will be modified, shaped, moulded by your surroundings, by the character of the people with whom you come in contact every day.”

–Orison Swett Marden

Here are six strategies that assist you in building a successful career: 

           1. Get to know your skills:

The most essential in building a successful career is to get to know about your qualifications. Speak to yourself, figure out your talents, desires, strengths, and weakness. Know what you certainly need in your career.

Self – assessing is the best technique to learn about oneself and to improvise. No other assessment technique will never produce a better result than self-assessment.

Choose the career path apt for you based on your skills and traits.

       2. Set your goals:

After identifying your attributes and abilities, you must set your goals. Here are some basic guidelines to look into before setting the goals:·       

• Explore all the avenues to achieve your goals.
• Be certain that your goals are attainable.
• Make sure you can measure your goals.

 3. Fabricate a professional resume:

A professional resume speaks better about you. Have it in mind that your resume should be impressive to encourage the interviewer to call you for the interview. Make sure that your resume sketches all your experiences and your selling points.

There are many doors available out there to aid you in developing a professional resume. Depending upon your need, you can have any of these basic resumes:·       

• Reverse Chronological Resume (If you have more experience, this resume layout suits you).     
• Skill Based Resume (For those who lack work experience).
• Combination (Diverse set of skills along with my experience).

Just check out the professional resume makers online and get the best one done for you!

“Whenever you see a successful person, you only see the public glories, never the private sacrifices to reach them.” —

Vaibhav Shah

4. Stand High and Unique:

To be successful in a career, probe for ways to exhibit your uniqueness. Set your standards high. Stand out from the average person. The way you think, your behaviour, and your decision making skill should be a personification of your uniqueness. People successful in their careers never settle for less. Develop inquisitiveness.

5. Be online on social sites:

In this tech world of connections, friend requests, and follow up, it is indispensable to be socially active if you strive to build a successful career. Staying online on social websites will help you know about the latest trends in the world. Construct a social media profile on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These are the best bets to know more people and to build a network with them. Getting with them, learning them will help you jack up your career.

6. Shoulder the responsibility:

Building a successful career requires shouldering responsibilities. A person who fears not for failure is the one who claims the fruit of success. Successful people always take the blame on theirs if they fall short of their target. Taking responsibility will spirit up your confidence level and sculpt you as a good leader.

Other than these, to build a successful career, it demands a lot of patience and sacrifice: sacrifice your time, sacrifice your comfort zone. Be a high flier and committed to your goals.