clasped in front or palms down on the table. These can indicate concern with the topic or dealing with the other person. Arms folded in front - Creates a barrier; can express resistance to what is being said. Hand on face - A hand over one's mouth is a closed gesture. Leaning on one's elbow with the chin in the hand can communicate boredom. Arms behind head, leaning back - In a well-established relationship this can be a relaxed gesture. In a new relationship, it is often used to express a desire for control or power. Yawning - Boredom, confusion. The other person is talking too much or in too much technical detail. Impatience - Trying to interrupt what the other person is saying, opening one's mouth frequently as if to speak. Distraction - Eyes flicking about, blank stares, flipping through literature without really reading it, looking at others in the office, looking at the person's body or clothing. Leaning away - Avoiding moving closer, even when something is handed to the person, is strongly negative. Negative facial expressions - These include shaking head, eyes narrowed, scowling, frowning. Body language is more meaningful when several expressions take place at the same time. For example, the combination of leaning forward, nodding and smiling is a strong indication of agreement and openness. Most meaningful is a matched set of gestures, which also agrees with what the person is saying. As a rule of thumb, individual body positions or movements are frequently meaningless. Some people's faces form a smile or a frown more naturally than a neutral expression. Some people lean on their hand all the time; others never do it. Some people can't sit in a chair for more than a few minutes without crossing their arms; others sit erect with their hands at their sides. What is meaningful, however, is a transition from one body position to another. If a person spends the entire meeting leaning forward, that may be just comfort. But if the...
