Excerpted from the Executive Report: 70 Ways to Hold Fewer, Shorter, But More Productive Meetings
One way to gauge the effectiveness of a meeting while it's taking place is by reading the body language of those around you. Here's what to look for:
- Open palms: Sincerity and openness.
- Leaning in toward the table: Interest, comfort.
- Leaning away from the table: Lack of interest or discomfort with what is being said.
- Nodding: For a man, this signals agreement. For a woman, it says, "I hear you; keep going." It's a woman's way of encouraging the speaker to continue.
- Crossed arms: Resistance, defensiveness.
- Gesturing with hands: Interest in the discussion.
- Hand to cheek: Thinking, evaluating.
- Clasped hands behind the back: Frustration.
- Clasped hands behind head: Superiority.
- Drumming the fingers: Restlessness.
- Holding fingers in steeple position: Forming a barrier between the individual and the rest of the group.
- Hand over mouth: Disapproval or withdrawal from the discussion.
- Tightly holding pen or pencil: Nervousness.
DIGGING DEEPER
One of the secrets of great managers is what they accomplish in meetings. Find out how to do a better job by reading the Executive Report: 70 Ways to Hold Fewer, Shorter, But More Productive Meetings
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