Noticing body language:
Your mission is to norm at least three completely different "types" of people. Look for at least one of each of the following types: shy, powerful/confident, and arrogant/aggressive.
In a notebook, draw a stick figure of each of the people you are norming. Now use a Head/Shoulders/Knees/Toes model to scan each. Write a one- or two-word observation next to the corresponding areas of the body (such as, "head back, nose slightly up, shoulders slumped forward, hip tilted to the left side, hands on hips, feet two feet apart"). Allow yourself to write with plenty of detail, but limit yourself to two to ten minute of observation for each person.
Once you've done this exercise on paper today, continue throughout the week without writing it down. Practice this exercise often enough and you'll start doing it automatically-which is the goal.
- Janine Driver, You Say More Than You Think
There are two skills necessary for utilizing body language techniques in your work - being able to observe body language and being able to demonstrate positive body language. Today's tip is an activity to help you with the former: you can become successful at observing body language only by practicing it as you would any other skill, and the more you practice, the more adept at it you will be. While you're completing your observations, ask yourself questions about what emotions/traits (as nearly all body language can be showing multiple emotions) each particular piece of body language seems to be showing to you.