Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1093:
When NOT to be Alpha





















United States President Barack Obama is pictured here with the First Lady, the President of South Korea - Lee Myung-bak and his wife, Kim Yoon-ok. Michelle Obama is displaying a low conventional steeple with her hands. With the exception of television reporters, who are ubiquitously (an erroneously) taught to use this this Body Language signal constantly, the steeple is a signal of very high confidence and should be used very briefly and sparingly, lest it convey arrogance and condescending feelings.

Self-touching normally signals a high anxiety, low confidence emotional state - however the conventional steeple is a relatively rare exception to this Body Language rule.

See also: Secret # 901: The Over-used Steeple - Backfire in Berlin

See also: Secret # 277: The Conventional Steeple - Use it on Rare Occasions - and in Small Doses


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