Your workplace is a rich environment for reading body language, Here are some thoughts on how you can do it.

On a number of occasions, I’ve watched as a good communicator or negotiator did his or her thing and came away with the desired result, whether that was making a sale, changing employee behavior, or getting investment capital.

Research indicates those who have this ability are very good at reading body language. They are good are understanding body language, or interpreting body language, so they have a sense of how others are responding to what’s being heard by others. This means they can adjust their messages and get the responses they want.

If you practice public speaking, for example, you will learn to read the audience. If you see more than a few people with arms crossed on their chests, you know they’ve tuned out, and it’s up to you to regain their attention. This you would do by raising or lowering your voice, moving from place to place on the stage (when possible), or asking a question (provocative, if possible). With a bit of practice, you can become skilled at reading body language and changing your speech on the fly to keep the attention of the audience.

Reading body language is a useful communication skill in the workplace, too. It all starts by learning to interpret or understand what you’re seeing. Develop your observation skills by working on one technique at time, until each one becomes second nature. For example, if you’re sitting in a meeting, make these checks:

• are others around the table sitting forward or slumped back?
• how do their bodies respond when different people have the floor?
• what are they doing with their arms and hands as they listen?
• is anyone’s voice getting higher (indicating tension)?
• where does each speaker look when speaking?
• do the movements of any two or more people seem synchronized?

By watching for these and other signs as you sit through your meeting, you may discover a whole new layer of meaning you didn’t know about before. You’ll also have a better sense of what you should say and do, as a result.

And, once you’ve had some practice in watching for and reading body language when others speak, start observing the reactions that come out when you speak. You’ll soon become more proficient at getting your point across.