Body language at the workplace

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject Communications - Specialized communication, grade: 1,7, niversity of Applied Sciences Oldenburg/Ostfriesland/Wilhelmshaven; Oldenburg, course: Communication and Presentation, language: English, abstract: In the following written assignment we are going to discuss the topic 'Body language at the workplace'. To be able to understand what body language is about, there will be a definition which will afterwards lead to a description of the criteria of selective notice. Body language is also known as nonverbal communication and that is why the importance of nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in our everyday life we cannot control. At this point of the written assignment there should be a better knowledge of body language and therefore the relationship between the spoken and the unspoken words are analysed. This is very important because nonverbal and verbal communication always go hand in hand. As we already experienced and will experience in our career there are many different cultures and with that many different cultural meanings of body language, especially in mimic and gesture. Because of the internationality in the world and the everyday contact to other cultural groups we have to understand the meaning of their body language. We will underscore this with some examples chosen. Our actual topic 'Body language at the workplace' is divided into four chapters beginning with the career interview in which the most important behaviours - we have to pay attention to - are explained. The occupational body language deals with the kind of body language you automatically use according to your job and workplace. Because of our field of studies we will go into the effective use of meetings which might be seen as a little guide to the future. To ensure a good work climate, attitudes to workmates play an important role because in regard to your behaviour you will be either respected or disrespected. And because it is important for business people to know if their opposite is lying we figured out the main aspects to expose the liar. With our last point we are trying to show how easy it is to manipulate your own body language which makes it even harder for others to understand the meaning of it.