Chapter 8
Arming Yourself
In This Chapter
Shutting people out
Letting someone in
Disguising anxiety
Sending signals through bodily contact
Whether you’re crossing your arms as a protective shield or opening them as a sign of welcome, the way you position your arms tells an astute observer how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking.
Certain postures elicit certain moods. Crossed arms hold your feelings in and keep other people’s out. They show that you’ve set up roadblocks beyond which no person dares travel. Stay with this position for too long and you find yourself feeling shut off and negative. Unless, of course, you’re cold, in which case holding your arms across your chest keeping the warmth in and the cold out makes perfect sense.
As for contact, touching can be a great tonic as long as you know who, when, where and how. Get touching right and the person with whom you make bodily contact feels engaged and connected; get it wrong and prepare yourself for a sharp smack.
This chapter shows you how you can read arm signals, appear self-controlled and increase your influence through ...