Most people read your body language to decide whether you're likeable, trustworthy, and competent, among other things, within one second of meeting you.

"You may have heard that you only have a few seconds to make a first impression," says Bernard Marr, an author and global enterprise performance expert, in a recent LinkedIn post. But the truth is, the other person's brain has made up its mind (so to speak) about a you "within just milliseconds."

"Until we get to know someone," Marr says, "our brain relies on snap judgments to try to categorize the person, predict what they will do, and anticipate how we should react."

One way to hack this split-second judgment is to be aware of your body language, he says. Whether you're applying for a job, asking for a raise, or meeting with a new client, altering or being mindful of your body language can influence the other person's perception of you, and may change the outcome of the situation.

1. Crossing your arms.

This gesture makes you look defensive, especially when you're answering questions. "Try to keep your arms at your sides," Marr says.

2. Leaning forward.

It can make you appear aggressive. "Aim for a neutral posture," he suggests.

3. Breaking eye contact too soon.

Body language is an aspect of nonverbal communication where physical behavior is used (as opposed to or in addition to words) to convey information.

Body language includes:

facial expressions
posture
gestures
touch
the use of space
eye movement
It’s also known as “kinesics.”

Interpretations of body language vary from country to country, and from culture to culture.

It’s important to practice awareness of how your local culture interprets nonverbal cues so that you can prevent miscommunications from occurring.

Many nonverbal gestures are made up of different parts.

According to Barbara and Allan Pease, authors of The Definitive Book of Body Language, “The shoulder shrug is a universal gesture that expresses confusion. It has three main parts. Exposed palms show nothing is concealed in the hands, hunched shoulders protect the throat from attack, and raised brows serve as a universal, submissive greeting.”

The expression you make when delivering bad news, the posture you take while leading a meeting–these are all manifestations of body language.

We express and interpret these bodily signs without even thinking.

Try watching one of Charlie Chaplin’s silent movies.

See how his eyebrows move, and how his arms flail during particularly tense moments?

His body language pulls us deeper into the narrative–when he frowns, we frown. When he runs off, we lean back in anticipation. When he tilts his head back and laughs, we laugh along with him.

Practicing these nonverbal cues is an important aspect of business etiquette. In order to succeed as an entrepreneur or manager, it’s crucial to communicate effectively, with our words and body language.

What about remote work, where meetings are virtual? Body language still matters. Many of these body language guidelines apply even when you’re not in the same room with someone.

The Power of Body Language
Most presenters focus their preparation time on the words they will say, but research shows that body language accounts for as much as 55 percent of a message’s total impact. Meanwhile, your tone of voice accounts for 38 percent of the impact and your actual words for 7 percent.

This means that most of us are missing a big piece of the communication puzzle.

In her life-changing TED talk below, Amy Cuddy shows just how powerful body language can be. Not only does it change the way people perceive us, it also changes the way we perceive ourselves.

Touching any part of your face or neck is a low-power position (as opposed to the high-power poses mentioned above) and can indicate anxiety, nervousness or a lack of control.

One surefire way to lose your audience’s attention is to turn your back on them. Not only does it seem to send the message that you don’t care about what they think, it is also just plain rude.

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