There are countless important topics to cover when it comes to operating your own chiropractic practice: marketing, staffing, billing, and so much more. But what about body language and how does it effect your business? Body language helps you to appropriately convey messages to your patients, staff, and colleagues. Here are our tips:
1) Breathe through your mouth before an important meeting or speech.
Immediately before you enter the conference or meeting room, inhale deeply and exhale through your mouth. If no one is around, add in a soft “ahh” sound. This releases any tension in your jaw, neck, and shoulders that can make you appear rigid or aggressive.
2) Giving a presentation? Move, then pause.
As humans, we are drawn to movement. If you move when you speak, you hold the attention of the audience. It can be even more effective to move toward the audience when making a key point, and away when you want to convey a change of subject or break. It is important to have balance - you don’t want to move too much and appear fidgety. Also avoid moving when you are making a crucial comment, as you have the most impact when you combine physical pauses with movement in which you remain still to highlight key points.
3) Widen your stance to sound dynamic.
Your voice comes from your whole body, not just your mouth. When your feet are planted firmly on the floor at about hips-width apart, your body helps you become a more dynamic speaker. A broad stance also helps keep your nervous system calm and allows you to breathe with ease while amplifying your voice.
4) Back up to keep control
Radboud University in the Netherlands conducted research that found backward motion is a powerful way to enhance cognitive control. The study showed that when people enter a challenging situation, getting them to literally step back improved their ability to cope.
5) Keep your body language open and create increased team productivity
Employees are constantly looking to their leaders for emotional cues. If your body language is closed off or appears angry or depressed, your posture will be picked up and mimicked by your team, whether intentional or not. The same is true for if you maintain a relaxed posture. By carrying yourself as open and inclusive with your body posture, your team will respond accordingly and you will find a more positive, productive, and cohesive work place.
These tips may seem small, but they are powerful! To learn more about how to carry yourself as an entrepreneur, contact us for a complimentary coaching call.