The Language of Allan Pease

In this member sourced issue, AIM Fellow and world leading communication expert Allan Pease, unlocks the keys to body language in the workplace.

The way we communicate in business in 2011 is dramatically different from the way it was 100, 50, 20 years - or even two months ago! With technology moving at such a rapid rate, it is hard to keep up with the newest communication tool on the market. But while technology may have advanced, the oldest form of human communication, body language, has changed very little.

Allan and Barbara Pease have created a global industry out of studying body language and educating others on the meaning behind how we communicate subconsciously through it. By understanding body language, you can influence and even change the outcome of your business and personal situations.

Over the past 20 years, Allan and Barbara have sold over 25 million books translated into 51 languages, and Allan lectures on the topic in over 30 countries. Their latest book Body Language in the Workplace is a must have book for anyone who has a job, wants a job, can't get a job, or who interviews candidates for jobs! It's written for anyone who goes to face-to-face encounters with others where they need to persuade, convince or sell. It reveals the hidden language that can show you exactly when to ask a closing question or when to shut up!

Studies show that individuals form up to 90% of their opinion about a new person in the first four minutes of meeting. After that, it is hard to recover from a poor first impression. You need to make sure that you get it right the first time if you want to get the nod. This includes dealing with hardwired brain responses, and even if you can't articulate it, you know instantly if you like someone or not.

Some of the key Do's and Don'ts of when you first front up at an interview include:

• Use the interviewer's name twice in the first 15 seconds. Not only does it make the person feel important, you will remember their name through this repetition.
• Use power words, particularly in phone interviews. Research shows that six of the most powerful persuasion words are discovery, guarantee, love, health, easy and you.
• Don't overfill your briefcase or folder. Overstuffed briefcases and bags are carried by people who are perceived as having little authority and they make you look disorganised.
• Walk into your interview at a constant speed. People who lack confidence change gears when they walk or they will do a small shuffle.
• Don't talk for long periods. High-status individuals communicate effectively in short, clear sentences, so don't talk endlessly.
• Don't shake hands directly across a desk. Step to the left of a desk as you approach to avoid being given a palm down handshake, which puts you in a "one-down" position.
• Sit at a 45 degree angle from the other person. Conversations in this position are friendlier and achieve better results. Never sit facing a person you want to persuade.

Allan has been known internationally as Mr. Body Language since his Definitive Book of Body Language became a multi‑million seller and the communication bible for organisations worldwide.

For over three decades he has shown others how to succeed. Allan passes on his skills and techniques in a way that participants never forget.