If you are giving Job interviews, media interviews,
attending business meetings or talking to friends and families over Skype you
can improve the quality of the interaction and body language by changing
where you sit and how the camera is placed. It is important if you are
using a camera on your laptop or desk top on the small computer screen of Skype
that you sit back from the camera so people can see more of your body.
The more body windows they see such as the honest window at the palms of your
hands and the more gestures they see the better they will understand your
message and the more they will feel comfortable with you and like you. You
don’t just want to be a big ole’ bopping head.
I did a Skype interview with the Wall Street Journal two
weeks ago about the last presidential debate. I was in a hotel room in
Greensboro, North Carolina that day so I only had my laptop. I was so pleased
that the producer and tech person liked that I had pushed back my chair from
the desk where my lap top was sitting and that they suggested that I put the
laptop on top of several books and aim the camera down to get a great full
sitting body view. The change in view is tremendously advantageous. You
now are able to give more body language cues to others and can create a richer
feedback loop so there is more clarity; you know not only what people are
saying with their words but also what they feel.
View My Skype Interview from Greensboro for the Wall Street Journal Below!
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.
