- [Presenter] Welcome to the "Body Language Battle" where non-verbal cues speak louder than words. If you wanna effectively support your spoken message with the right body language, you'll first have to master three categories: Posture, Gestures and Facial Expressions. With this winning combination, you'll appear confident and impress your audience. Let's see how well our two competitors score.

- [Announcer] Category One: Perfect Posture.

- [Presenter] Posture is one of the first things someone will notice about your body language. So it's important to get it right, if you wanna make a good first impression. You'll wanna look relaxed, but not too relaxed. Don't slouch or bury your hands in your pockets. Otherwise, you'll look lazy and disinterested, especially if you're not facing your audience. Putting hands on hips is a "no-no." You might come across as aggressive or angry. And folding them in front of you can make you appear defensive or bored. Closed body language like this won't go down well with your audience. To score highly in this category, you'll need to stand up straight and face your audience. Keep your hands loosely by your side or resting on the surface in front of you. A calm, but attentive posture will show that you're not confrontational and will make your audience feel relaxed too. For bonus points, tilt your head up slightly to convey confidence and receptiveness. Open body language like this tells your audience that you're interested and approachable, top marks.

- [Announcer] Category Two: Grand Gestures.

- [Presenter] Action, speak louder than words, right? So feel free to use some hand gestures to help you demonstrate your meaning. As you speak, spread your hands apart in front of you with your palms facing slightly toward your audience. This indicates a willingness to communicate and share ideas. But avoid going over the top, this isn't a pantomime. And remember that positive gestures in one culture can be negative in others. So don't make any that could cause offense.

- [Announcer] Category Three: Fitting Facial Expressions.

- [Presenter] Facial expressions can trigger in your audience the same emotion you're feeling yourself. A relaxed smile will put your audience at ease and help set a relaxed atmosphere. But a tense facial expression, like frowning, can unsettle your audience and create a tense atmosphere. You won't score highly with your audience if you look grumpy. Mastering body language doesn't need to be tricky. It just takes practice and self-awareness. Once you perfect each category you'll be well on your way to becoming a body language boss. © 2022 Mind Tools by Emerald Works Limited.