Can body language be critical factor for project success or project daily operations
saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
I am asking this because have seen some -ve body language people leading a team and thought came to my mind that if its converted to +ve then how much effect it can have on project ? can that be measured ? Saving Changes...
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Kevin ColemanSubject Matter Expert, Author, Speaker and Strategic Advisor| - InsightsPa, United States
It can sure help the project manager !!!! Saving Changes...
saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
Thanks Kevin, however is there a way we can measure the effect of +ve from -ve ? Saving Changes...
Rashmi MohanDar Es Salam, Dar Es Salam, Tanzania, United Republic Of
Hi Saurabh,
Though I am not sure how can we measure this positive effect quantitatively, it can well be measured or better said visualized by the team performance.
A PM with a positive body languange will be able to maintain the motivation level and positive thinking within a team and hence keep the team binded and focused towards achieving their goal. Saving Changes...
Anonymous
I agree that it can be a critical factor. I have a client who is quick to analyze the body language of new people that she meets, which has a direct impact on her reception of that person's proposals/ideas. I agree that it would be difficult to measure this impact, however, because it would be difficult to isolate that factor as the cause of success or failure. It might be a contributing factor, certainly, but I think that the variability of how body language is perceived would make it difficult to standardize via a quantitative measurement. Saving Changes...
Firstly , I don’t think measuring it is viable. I doubt it would provide useful information, that would be extremely hard to gather.
However, PMs need to be really aware of it – both from the point of view of managing their own body language (difficult..) and from observing it of others. It is a very powerful form of communication.
When dealing with team members, suppliers, sponsors and others it can alert a project manager to issues. Non-verbal communication is particularly important when dealing with topics that the subject has an emotional connection to- indeed a classic study by Mehrabian suggested that the message content would be less than 10% of the total communication in those circumstances. In a project, team members often develop emotional connections to things, and senior execs will have emotional connections to their position, the organisation and its strategy. Senior execs can also use body language in situations where they are unable to give a verbal commitment to something. The other masters of body language are sales people, and as a project manager you will, alas, have to deal with more and more of them.
Has anyone found any good online study material on this? I’d think video would be the best medium. I would be particularly interested to learn more about non-verbal communication in different cultures.
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arlene trimbleAssistant IT Director| Local GovernmentAlamo, Ca, United States
Body language is very critical in project management. Non-verbal communication is very powerful and can communicate unsaid messages. Project team members need to approach this topic with caution because body language meanings vary in different cultures. Yes, it is best to have some cultural orientation prior to project meetings for projects with diverse stakeholders and membership. Saving Changes...
Joanna NewmanHead of Innovation and Transformation , Telecoms| VodafoneCholderton, United Kingdom
Looking at EQ, or emotional intelligence, there are ways to measure your success when applying the tools and techniques, especially in critical situations.
