George was leisurely driving along a narrow country lane when from behind a
speeding BMW came careering around a corner and almost rear-ended him.
Experiencing a combination of fear, anger, and moral outrage George stopped
his car, forcing the other driver to brake hard to avoid running into him. The
driver leapt out of his car and approached George who wisely stayed in his.
In a flash, George noticed that the other man’s face was red with anger, his
fists were clenched in front of him, and his head was jutting forward from his
shoulders, neck sinews extended, jaw tight, lip snarled, and teeth clenched.
Wisely George recognised the signs of extreme aggression, kept his windows
up, locked the doors, and called 999.Showing disapproval............................................................................
Remember when you were called into the head teacher’s office and you
knew it wasn’t because you had won the citizenship prize? Or, perhaps more
recently when your boss summoned you to inquire why you hadn’t met your
monthly target? Or that time your tennis partner threw you a look after you
hit the ball into the net to lose the final point in the club tennis tournament?
We’ve all been at the receiving end of the disapproving look. My children
assure me that often I’m the one giving the look, too.As with all gestures, the disapproving look involves several actions. In terms
of where you place your head, it’s positioned with the forehead slanting for-
ward and the head lowered, as shown in Figure 3-2.The other head position for showing disapproval is with the head held firmly
upright over a straight body. The arms are folded, legs crossed, and the eyes
probably looking at you with an icy stare.If you want to indicate that you’re disappointed, critical, or disapproving,
adopt a still posture with your head firmly positioned in an upright angle
looking the other person squarely in the eye as if to say, ‘There’s no room for
argument or excuses here.’ Another position you can assume is to lower your
head, stare at the floor, and pick at your clothes with your thumb and index
finger as if removing an invisible bit of fluff. These positions reveal that
you’re harbouring unspoken objections.To read body language accurately you must observe all the gestures a person
is making. The full message lies in the combination of actions, not in a single
movement.48 Part II: Starting at the Top