Dr O’Connor is a tall, handsome, and physically fit man. He gives the appear-
ance of being strong and active. When I first saw him I was pleased that my
mother was in his care. However, when we shook hands I had my doubts. His
hand felt limp in mine and I was aware that I was exerting more pressure than
he was. Based on that handshake, I began to doubt how committed a man he
was. After thinking about it later that day, however, I recalled how gentle his
touch was when taking my mother’s blood pressure and listening to her
heart, and how he lightly rested his hand on my mother’s shoulder as he
encouraged her to take her medications. Because his hands are vital for his
work, he must protect them, and use them gently.Practice Makes Perfect: Improving Your Reading....................................
Wanting to read body language accurately is the first step. Paying attention to
the signs is the second. Finally, in order to improve, as in any other endeav-
our, you have to practise. Give yourself 15 minutes a day to observe other
people’s gestures and see if you can make sense of what their bodies are
saying. Choose a good place to practise, where lots of people are busy with
their own lives. Train stations, airports, and restaurants afford the opportu-
nity to observe people without being obvious.Watch television with the sound turned off. See if you can figure out what’s
going on by observing how the people on the screen are interacting. After a
few minutes, turn the sound on and check how closely you came to interpret-
ing their attitudes correctly.262 Part IV: Putting the Body into Social and Business Context
The New Zealand haka
The Maori haka, an action chant with hand ges-
tures and foot stamping, is traditionally per-
formed by the New Zealand rugby team, the All
Blacks, before an international test match.
Originally acted out by warriors before battle,
the haka proclaimed the soldiers strength and
prowess and served as a verbal challenge to
the opposition. The most famous haka ‘Ka Mate’
tells of the wily ruse that a Maori chief used to
outwit his enemies and is interpreted as a cele-
bration of the triumph of life over death.On August 28, 2005 before a match against
South Africa, the All Blacks unexpectedly intro-
duced a new haka, ‘Kapa o Pango’. The climax
of this new haka is particularly aggressive as
each player, staring at the opposing team, per-
forms a throat-slitting action. Answering alle-
gations that the gesture was offensive, the New
Zealanders explained that in Maori culture and
haka traditions the throat-slitting gesture signi-
fies the drawing of vital energy into the heart
and lungs. The All Blacks went on to win the
match 31 to 27.