Understanding Body Language in Business

Understanding the body language of the person, you are talking to is extremely important in business. May the person is saying something and may not really mean what he is saying. His gestures like twirling his thumb, pulling his hair, rubbing his own hand may give you invaluable insight to understand what he is thinking. Learning to read the body language should give you enormous advantage to understand and respond to a particular situation.
If you are making a sales pitch, you should be able to tell how well your client is responding or he is getting, restive and bored. At the first sign of his getting restive, you should know how to respond. If you are asking for raise you should know the moods of your boss and then put forth you demand.
If a person looks away and loses your eye contact or looks at his watch, it is sure sign of his losing interest in what you are saying. It is possible that a person who is genuinely interested in your business proposal may lose interest, if you continuously keep ranting away. This might require you to shorten your talking on the subject but still get the necessary result. If the person whom you are talking to, is avoiding to look into your eyes, he might be trying to hide some thing or being dishonest.
If a person leans forward towards you when you are talking, it shows that he is interested in what you are saying. His nodding would show that he agrees with you. If he is gesturing with his hand, it shows his involvement in the conversation. If a person is clutching his hand or any other object tightly, it shows his anxiety. If a person is considering what is being said he might put his hand on his cheeks.
Body language is said to account for 90% of a conversation. It always better to meet as a person, face to face when you want to have an important conversation. You emotions and your body language will be able convince anyone, much better than talking over the phone. If a person is pulling up his trousers, it does not mean they are falling off. It just means he is readying himself to face a task. If your shoulders are drooping, it shows that you have given up the situation as hopeless.