When you need to have one of those talks that you know will cause conflict, you can take some of the edge off with your body language. Standing at an angle instead of face to face can help.
Picture: Vincent Albanese
Whether you’re at work or at home, keeping conflict down to a minimum is best. When you stand face to face with someone during these types of conversations, it can easily come across as confrontational, making the conversation much more difficult. To keep things from getting too heated, Jeff Haden at Inc suggests a simple adjustment to your body language:
When what you have to say may make another person feel challenged, shift your feet slightly to stand or sit at an angle. And if you’re confronted, don’t back away. Just shift to that slight angle. You’ll implicitly reduce any perceived confrontation and may make an uncomfortable conversation feel less adversarial.
With tensions lowered, the conversation can stay civil and on course. Things might still be uncomfortable, but it will feel more like a discussion and not a fight. Body language plays a huge part in communication, so always use it to your advantage.
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