The Body Language Self-Awareness Questionnaire:
Answer each question “True” or “False” and score yourself 1 point for each True answer and 0 points for each False answer.
- I am aware of how I am seated during the course of a business meeting.
- I am conscious of what I do with my hands when I get into a spirited discussion.
- When I’m interviewing people, I focus on their body language as much as what they say.
- I can tell when someone is bluffing.
- I can tell when someone is lying to me.
- I know, when I’m in a meeting with my boss, when she has decided to end the meeting before she says anything about it.
- When I’m negotiating, I pay more attention to the opposite party’s body language than I do their counter-offers.
- I can tell when my co-workers are displeased before they say anything.
- I usually get my way in team meetings.
- When I speak, I have no trouble getting everyone else to listen to me.
- I often know what people are going to say before they say it.
- My voice carries easily so that everyone can hear me, even in a room with 50 people.
- My intuition is strong; I often am able to read others without thinking about it.
- When I walk into a meeting, I have no trouble sensing the mood of the people already there.
- I can easily establish rapport with new people I meet.
How do you rate? Here’s a quick scoring analysis
1-5 You need to up your body language awareness
6-10 You have average body language awareness
11-15 You are ready for the World Series of Poker! You have above-average body language awareness.
I’m trying out this new questionnaire as part of my upcoming book, Power Cues. Please take the test and give me your feedback for how well it captures your level of body language awareness.
Hi Nick
Good questions. Another aspect of body language for presenters is the ability to be at ease with your body, posture, appearance …and the ability to transcend being distracted by your own body when engaging with a group . So while its important to be aware of your gestures and body language, it is also important to be able to transcend that at the same time.
Can’t craft a question for that this am but suggest the concept for your consideration.
Betty
Hi, Betty —
Great comment and point, thanks! You want to be in the moment but not of the moment — in other words, there, but able to watch what you’re doing with a part of your brain. To your point, you don’t want to be distracted by that. Not everyone is able to pull this off! But with practice almost everyone can get better at it.
Fascinating questions thanks Nick. The key challenge is how to establish a personal practise which really changes habits which do not serve us – its like practising an instrument. Would love to read your views on this.
Adam — thanks for your comment. What you call for is Chapter 6 of the new book! Stay tuned…..
Thanks Nick – very interesting. I think that reading body language fits very closely to someones emotional intelligence levels as well. I have been in meetings when as you say, “the meeting has finished” yet someone still thinks it’s continuing! It’s a gut thing isn’t it? Can we learn the signals? Some people seem to me to be blind and deaf when reading and listening to non-verbal clues. It will be interesting to see how you develop these ideas further. Very thought provoking. Thanks
Thanks, Peter — for your comment and insight. I’m working right now on finishing the book that develops these ideas further, and it’s due out in early 2014. So please stay tuned!
My dear Nick,I must confess I find most fascination your article and sincerely find a fit complement to our works on Emotions Mastery.Ahead of your publication,both an encouragent and endorsement,myself and company wish to register interest as buyer of the book.We shall also be desirous of exclusively
handle sale n marketing here in Nigeria.