10 Body Language Tips For Video Meetings With An Interpreter
Humans have words to express themselves. But no one only uses the spoken word to express whatever they are feeling. Sometimes, the words don’t even express the true meaning. By observing the speaker, one can understand what they are feeling or what they want to express. This observation depends on various factors. Some people like to gesture with their hands while talking, which can help the listener in understanding their thought process. But it is body language tips that can help us in dissecting someone’s thought process completely. Even if someone does not want you to know what they are thinking about, their body language can betray them.
10 Body Language Tips for Video Meetings with an Interpreter:
The internet has made it possible for people to get anything they need to be delivered to their doorstep. They can also book services online and get in touch with experts from the comfort of their homes. As more and more people use the internet to connect, they need help getting over the linguistic barrier. Technology has made it possible for people to connect with interpreters through the internet. However, the rules for video meetings are slightly different than real life. This is why an expert must know which body language signs are essential.
Here are some body language tips that can be useful for everyone in a video meeting, including the video interpreting:
What are the tips for body language?
Here are some tips to keep your entire body language perfect during meetings and video conferences:
Maintain a relaxed posture, but avoid slouching. You don’t want to end up with back pain. Maintain good eye contact. Hold each person’s gaze for a few seconds while delivering your speech. Don’t touch or cover your face in any way. It makes people uncomfortable when others try to hide their faces. Remember to sit up straight, place both feet on the floor, and then take a deep breath and exhale through your mouth to relax your neck and throat during a video conference. It’s especially essential to be aware of other people’s negative body language since it may assist you in picking up on unspoken problems.
What is the most influential body language skill?
In meetings, the most powerful body language skill is touch. A firm handshake can tell people a lot about you. Touching someone on the shoulder or arm for a nanosecond can instantly create a bond with them. In video conferences, smiling and attentively listening to the speakers is the most influential body language skill.
What are the four types of body language?
- The four types of body language are:Light and bouncy, which emits light and animated energy from you, soft and fluid, which makes people comfortable around you, dynamic and determined, which makes people notice you even if you are walking around precise and bold, which is the ultimate formal posture and makes you seem authoritative
What are the seven elements of body language?
- Here are the seven elements of body language:Facial expressions, show your interest gesture, add character to your speechEye contact, let people know that you notice the posture and movements, exude confidence and authority, form a bond with people space, make everyone feel comfortable once, to make them listen to you. You need to be able to pick up on specific nonverbal cues and mannerisms in the workplace for effective communication.
- Don’t Forget to Smile:
In a video meeting, you can’t shake hands with the participant, so you will have to choose another way of making them feel welcomed. A smile is not only going to tell the participants that you are happy to be with them, but it will also let the interpreter know that you are comfortable. If you shake hands with them, they will experience the tremendous power of our oldest and most rudimentary nonverbal signal. Communication is about connection, and people can read the difference between a genuine smile and a fake one,” says Lapaquette.
- Get Serious When It Is Time:
Although you will give everyone a warm welcome, you must get serious when it is time to discuss important issues. You don’t have to frown to prove that you are serious about the discussion. You have to be attentive.
- Pay Attention:
Just because it is not your turn to speak does not mean you don’t have to pay attention. If you start showing a lack of interest, it will make the interpreter feel like they are not doing a good enough job. It will also discourage other participants. Above all, it is unprofessional to act uninterested when someone else is speaking in a meeting. If you must do something during the meeting, you can take notes while listening to the speaker.
- Eye Contact with the Speaker:
You should not be engaging the interpreter in conversation during the meeting. It would help if you tried to maintain eye contact with the speaker. It is essential for the linguistic expert, too, that you remain focused on the speaker.
- Cultural Aspects:
A linguistic expert must not only be familiar with the cultural aspects that affect languages but also with the ones that affect body language. An “Okay” sign in the US might mean a completely different thing in Japan. Knowing these differences will help the interpreter during their job. Sometimes participants may express their approval with just a gesture. It will be up to the linguistic expert to interpret the gestures accurately. From lax dress codes to office cultures that encourage networking, the modern workplace may be highly informal.
- Avoid Aggressive Expressions:
Some people start frowning unintentionally when they are thinking, while others sneer. It is essential to avoid such expressions, leaving a wrong impression on others. Even if you don’t understand something or wish to look like you are thinking about their ideas, you can keep your eyebrows slightly raised instead of frowning.
- Put Away Obstacles:
During video meetings, it is essential not to have any obstacles in your way. For instance, if you are drinking coffee, make sure you are not holding it near your body. You can take a sip and put it down or keep it away from the camera. Not only will obstacles make the speaker feel uncomfortable, but they will also make it difficult for the interpreter to hear you once you start talking.
- Keep Your Voice Steady:
It is essential to speak in a pitch that is neither too low nor too high. If it is too high, it will make the listeners think that you are not considerate of them, and if the voice is too low, the interpreter will have trouble understanding you. If you sound balanced and calm, it will help both the listeners and the linguistic expert.
- Don’t be Stiff:
If you sit in a stiff position/head tilt, it will convey to the participants that you are uncomfortable in the meeting. It will also affect the message you are conveying to the interpreter. So, relax your posture. Maintaining proper posture is an essential aspect of cultivating a more polished virtual presence. Maintain a relaxed posture with your shoulders back.
- Lean Towards the Camera:
It leaves a very positive impression on the speaker when you lean toward them, but since you can’t do that in a video meeting, you can lean towards the camera instead. Sit straight and lean towards the camera so you appear to be attentive while listening to them. It will also help you make sure that the interpreter can hear you properly when you speak. Head movements are one of the most accessible nonverbal signs to grasp since they carry a lot of information.
Interpreting is just as complicated as translation, maybe even more than that. But there are things that experts learn over time that help them accomplish their tasks properly. When they know what to look for and which gesture to pay attention to, they will be able to interpret the speakers easily.
Everyone expresses their body language in four ways: light and bouncy movements, soft and flowing movements, dynamic and decisive movements, or precise and bold movements. Each of these motions has a particular meaning and corresponds to one of the four Energy Types.
Body language refers to nonverbal signs that you might employ to express your emotions and intentions. Your posture, facial emotions, and hand movements are examples of these. Your ability to read and analyze the body language of others might assist you in detecting unsaid concerns or sentiments.
Body language is required to read the genuine sentiments and intentions of another. It allows you to connect with them and form stronger bonds. It is beneficial to observe the participants’ reactions in a meeting setting: a facial expression might disclose a point of view before a word is said.
Avoid frowning, gazing, or other facial expressions that might affect the dialogue or the person you’re speaking with when participating in virtual meetings. Instead, keep a tiny smile on your face and slightly lift your brows to indicate interest and passion throughout the talk.
