Business of Body Language

Are you a gunslinger or a sergeant major? A professor or an undertaker? Whatever job you do, you could be any of these, for this is just how you may look to other people. And that's what matters in business, according to Michael Howard of Talkshop, which offers training in personal communication and performance skills.

Michael offers his presentation skills to everyone from business consultants, lawyers and personnel managers to insurance salesmen and counter clerks. 'In fact anyone involved in face-to-face communication with the public could benefit,' he says. 'You cannot overstate how damaging bad presentation can be for business. A poor performer is embarrassing to watch and just makes people uncomfortable and bored.

He believes most people have a 'natural expressiveness' which can be unlocked by just a little training. His courses aim to turn you into 'an effective communicator, presenting yourself confidently in all situations'.

Michael, 40, set up Talkshop a year ago. He first trained as a quantity surveyor, then gave it up for drama school and an acting career that has taken in stage roles from Shakespeare to children's theatre. 'Talkshop was an ideal way to marry up my skills as a businessman and an actor.

Business 'performers' fall into several categories - examples are shown in the box below. If you can spot your 'type' it often helps to an awareness of the way you present yourself and how you might improve this.

'In fact, her sweeter tones should be seen as a positive asset rather than a problem. A warm, controlled voice conveys much more authority than a macho rant.

'For a woman in a top position there's no point in being a bully. Men will just be dismissive and resentful. Good use of eye contact is the best way of establishing high status.'
People from different cultures and professions also show marked differences in the way they talk and act, but it's important not to look at people as stereotypes.

But there is no one way to present, says Michael. 'It's horses for courses. While a salesperson may need to show that they are relaxed and chatty, a senior partner in a law firm may have to show more distance to create authority.'
The important thing is to get the right message across. 'It's all about releasing natural abilities,' says Michael. 'People coming away from my courses should not only be able to give a good public presentation, but should also positively enjoy it.

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There are also important differences between the way men and women hi business behave when dealing with people. 'A woman's higher, softer voice means she can be shouted down by more aggressive and domineering men,' says Michael. 'This often leads her to clam up in meetings.

How can you convey to an audience that you are a confident, relaxed and authoritative speaker? Talkshop's Michael Howard offers the following tips to get you started: always look straight at your audience, make eye contact and keep it; project your personality by speaking loudly and clearly; don't fidget because too much movement will simply unsettle your audience.

The 'bluff businessman', for example, can turn to jelly when asked to speak to a small group for five minutes. In contrast, his 'shrinking violet' secretary may blossom when she is given the ear of an attentive audience.

You may be offering the best financial advice around or selling the smartest computers, but if your body language is wrong your customers just won't want to know. And that could mean your business losing thousands of pounds. You may be trying to hide your nerves, your boredom or your aggression, but your body language will give you away.

'Drama training gives you a great knowledge of how body language works. You learn not only how your character works, but how the other characters react to that character. But if I hadn't been in the commercial world, I wouldn't have seen how that works in practice.'

Women can learn to display confidence without being aggressive. Unfortunately, many women feel they should ape the male approach. This is a mistake. If anything, it should be the other way round.

"They will lose all trust in the person - and business. No one can afford that in today's competitive world.' Through his workshops Michael teaches relaxation and breathing techniques, how the voice works and - most importantly - body language.

Odpowiedzi : 1)B 2)D 3)E 4)A 5)F 6)C

Natural talents.

In the mere seven million years since we humans separated from chimpanzees, we haven't had time to develop any differences: genetically we're still more than 98 per cent identical to chimps.

That's a large burden to place on a relative handful of genes. It should come as no surprise, then, that modem studies of animal behaviour have been shrinking the list of attributes once considered uniquely human, so that lost differences between us and animals now appear to be only matters of degree.

The earliest art forms may well have been wood carvings or body painting. But if they were, we wouldn't know it, because those materials don't get preserved. Not until the Cro-Magnons, beginning around 35,000 years ago, do we have unequivocal evidence for a distinctly human art, in the form of the famous cave paintings, statues, necklaces and musical instruments.

First, as Oscar Wilde said, "All art is quite useless". The implicit meaning a biologist sees behind this quip is that human art doesn't help us survive or pass on our genes -the evident functions of most animal behaviours. Of course, much human an is utilitarian in the sense that the artist communicates something to fellow humans, bvit transmitting one's thoughts or feelings isn't the same as passing on one's genes. In contrast, birdsong serves the obvious functions of defending a territory or wooing a mate, and thereby transmitting genes. By this criterion human art does seem different.

As for human art's third distinction - that it's a learned rather than an instinctive activity - each human group does have distinctive art styles that surely are learned. For example, it's easy to distinguish typical songs being sung today in Tokyo and in Paris. But those stylistic differences aren't wired into the singer's genes. The French and Japanese often visit each other's cities and can learn each other's songs. In contrast, some species of birds inherit the ability to produce the particular song of their species. Each of those birds would sing the right song even if it had never heard the tune. It's as if a French baby adopted by Japanese parents, flown in infancy to Tokyo and educated there, began to sing the French national anthem spontaneously.

Yet even connoisseurs would mistake the identity of two mid-twentieth century artists named Congo and Betsy. If judged only by their works, they would probably be identified as lesser-known abstract expressionists. In fact the painters were chimpanzees. Congo did up to 33 paintings and drawings in one day, apparently for his own satisfaction, and threw a tantrum when his pencil was taken away.

These paintings by our closest relatives, then, do start to blur some distinctions between human art and animal activities. Like human paintings, the ape paintings served no narrow utilitarian functions; they were produced not for material regard but only for the painter's satisfaction. You might object that human art is still different because most human artists intend their art as a means of communication. The apes, on the other hand, were so indifferent to communicating with other apes that they just discarded their paintings. But that objection doesn't strike me as fatal, since even some human art that later became famous was created by artists for their private satisfaction.

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A. Perhaps we can now explain why art as we usually define it - the dazzling explosion of human art since Cro-Magnon times - burst out spontaneously among only one species, even though other species may be capable of producing it. Since chimps do, in fact, paint in captivity, why don't they do so in the wild? I suggest that wild chimps still have their days filled with problems of finding food, surviving, and fending off rivals. If the ancestors of wild chimps had more leisure time, chimps today would be painting. Indeed, some slightly modified chimps - we humans - are.

B. The role of learning in human art is also clear in how quickly our art styles change. Roman authors described geese honking 2,000 years ago, as geese still do today. But humans innovate so rapidly that even a casual museum-goer would recognise almost any twentieth century painting as having been made later than, say, the Mona Lisa. Connoisseurs can do better, of course. When shown a work with wliich they are not familiar, they can often identify not only when it was painted but who painted it.

C. Congo and Betsy were honoured by a two-chimp show of their paintings in 1957 at London's Institute of Contemporary Art. What's more, most of the paintings available at that show sold; plenty of human artists can't make that boast.

D. On this grand evolutionary scale, whatever it is that separates humans from animals is a very recent development. Our biological history implies that our physical capacity for making art (whatever changes were needed in the human physique, brain, and sense organs) and anything else we consider uniquely human must be due to just a tiny fraction of our genes.

E. If we're going to insist that our recent creative burst finally does set us apart, then in what ways do we claim that our art differs from the superficially similar works of animals? Three supposed distinctions are often put forward: human art is non-utilitarian, it's nude for aesthetic pleasure and it's transmitted by learning rather than by genes. Let's scrutinise these claims.

F. For example, tools are used not only by humans but also by wild chimpanzees (which use sticks as eating utensils and weapons), and sea otters (which crack open clams with rocks). As for language, monkeys have a simple one, with separate warning sounds for 'leopard', 'eagle' and 'snake'. These discoveries leave us with few absolute differences, other than art, between ourselves and animals. But if human art sprang from a unique genetic endowment, isn't it strange that our ancestors dispensed with it for at least the first 6.9 million of the 7 million years since they diverged from chimps?

G. The second claim - that only human art is motivated by aesthetic pleasure - also seems plausible. While we can't ask robins whether they enjoy the form or beauty of their songs, it's suspicious that they sing mainly during the breeding season. Hence they're probably not singing just for aesthetic pleasure. Again, by this criterion human art seems unique.

Opowiedzi : 1) D 2)F 3)E 4)G 5)B 6)C

A Consuming Addiction.

Shopping used to be nothing more than a way of obtaining food, clothing and other necessities of life. Today, however, shopping symbolises the materialistic culture of western society and its popularity as a leisure activity reflects the rise of consumerism.

Having more money has meant spending patterns have changed. While traditional models of economic behaviour assume that consumers are rational and weigh up the costs and benefits before making a purchase, anyone who has ever walked into a shop and left five minutes later with a new jacket and Ł80 less in their wallet knows that this theory does not always hold true.

Her research on consumer behaviour identified impulsive buying as an attempt by shoppers to bolster their self-image, particularly for those who suffered from so-called compulsive buying or shopping addiction, a condition that affects 2 to 5 per cent of adults in the West.
The three-year study compared excessive buyers to a similar group of ordinary consumers. Excessive shoppers were more materialistic and believed that buying goods was a pathway to success, happiness and identity. "Excessive buying is a coping strategy to fill the gaps between how shoppers feel about themselves and the person they want to be " Dr Dittmar said.

Her research also reveals that certain types of goods are more likely to be bought on impulse than others. Those most frequently reported -clothes, jewellery, ornaments - are closely related to self-image and appearance. This finding is contrary to usual theories about impulse shopping, which explain it as a short-term gratification winning out over longer-term concerns such as debt.

In other words, shoppers were more willing to wait for "low impulse" goods such as kitchenware, than they were for clothes or other "high impulse" items. However, it was found that some of the 60 consumers asked to maintain a shopping diary for the study often regretted their impulsive purchases. Dr Dittmar said, "When people had explicitly bought for self-image reasons, regret was more likely to occur."

The conclusions drawn by Dr Dittmar about the treatment of compulsive shoppers are that prescribing anti-depressant drugs might solve the problem but only as long as sufferers continue to take them. Instead, they needed therapeutic help to address the underlying causes such as poor self-image.

"In no sense do these people directly force anyone to buy anything. But they are very sophisticated, making advertisements and shopping environments very seductive and playing on the idea that if you buy product X you will be much more attractive."

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A. Dr Dittmar said that the idea that consumers' impulsiveness differed, depending on the type of goods, was also supported by the finding that shoppers were less willing to delay gratification for items bought on impulse.

B. But there are pitfalls, such as debt and addiction to buying. Addicts shop for shopping's sake rather than to buy what they need.

C. Helga Dittmar. senior lecturer in psychology at Sussex University, has found that consumer goods are the material symbols of who a person is and who they would like to be.

D. Her research also raises questions over the methods used to attract shoppers and encourage them to buy. Although advertisers and retailers increasingly appeal to consumers' self-image, Dr Dittmar said it was very difficult to argue that these factors were responsible for compulsive shopping.

E. Although there were other ways of dealing with poor self-image, such as over-exercising or alcoholism, she said that shopping had become one of the most important strategies. This was especially true for women, who were three times more likely to be compulsive shoppers than men, as shopping was a socially approved activity, and allowed those who do not go out to work to get out of the house, Dr Dittmar said.

F. But this finding was ambiguous because shopping addicts were more motivated by self-image than ordinary shoppers and were more likely to regret their actions. "It's not quite clear which way round this relationship goes, but there is a link between s being very concerned with self-image goods and regretting impulse buying."

G. This has been made possible by the 75 per cent increase in disposable income in the past 20 years. The number of credit cards in use has more than quadrupled, and the amount of outstanding consumer debt has almost tripled in the same period.

Odpowiedzi : 1)G 2)C 3)E 4)A 5)F 6)D

Putting classroom before catwalk.

Britain's newest supermodel is resisting the bright lights of New York's catwalks to study for her A levels, despite landing a six-figure cosmetics contract. Sarah Thomas, aged 16, caught the fashion world's attention in October, where she collected 6,500 pounds a day in her half-term break.

This six-figure deal is a coveted step on the route to full supermodel status: other top models who have performed the role in the past include Helena Christensen and Rachel Hunter.

Two days after taking the last one, she was whisked off to Paris for a month to work for the Ford model agency. To begin with, she almost wished she hadn't come. "I met so many girls who'd been out there for a month and hadn't worked. I thought 'This isn't for me'."

Now following A-level courses in maths, physics and design technology, she insists on staying to complete these and take the exams. The cosmetics contract will involve 15 days' work, mostly in the US. Some of it can be fitted into school holidays, but there is an inevitable clash of interests.

Does she regret having had to do this? It seems not. "I want to get good qualifications; I enjoy school and being with my friends, just being normal. If I modelled full-time, every day I'd be with people I don't know. I know I'm nearly 17, but it just isn't for me at the moment."

What do her parents feel about these choices? Her father. Peter Thomas, who runs a garage near Norwich, was initially keen for his daughter to leave school and start modelling full-time. Both parents have been very supportive of Sarah's modelling opportunities, and usually one or other of them has accompanied her on trips abroad.'

Maybe not, although it clearly does have its attractions -Sarah's next trip will take her to Miami, then back to New York. "I do like New York," she said. "There are so many shops." Thank goodness, the girl is human!

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A. However, after a few days, she was selected to do the Chanel catwalk show, and was on her way. At the same time, she knew that school was an unfinished chapter in her life, to which she wanted to return.

B. Sarah quite definitely plans some sort of career in modelling, though. "If I model full-time for a couple of years I can earn enough money to go to university. I'm not sure what I want to study yet. I'm interested in design, but not fashion - architectural design, perhaps, and technical drawing."

C. After seeing her in action, talent scouts from the American cosmetics company Cover Girl invited her for an interview. She did a screen test in London and got the job.

D. It was this brief exposure to the fashion business that caused an about-turn in Sarah's father. "I've seen what the life is like: there's a lot of drugs. They've got a lot of time off and a lot of money. It's not the life for someone of 16.

.E Sarah was discovered at 14 by model agent Sarah Reynolds, who spotted her at a local cricket match. Ms Reynolds signed her up straight away, but for these first two years, Sarah couldn't devote much time to her new career, as she was too busy studying for 9 GCSE exams.

F. Not all the work involves foreign travel, though. One recent task was to model local football team Norwich City's new strip, designed by Bruce Oldfield.

G. In fact, her head has given Sarah the necessary time off to fulfil her engagements, without hesitation. Sarah is known to be the strictest disciplinarian when it comes to catching up with assignments. "It's a bit difficult," she said. "I've just been given a load of design technology coursework, and the phone hasn't stopped ringing all day. I've already had to turn down some offers because of the exams."

Odpowiedzi : 1)C 2)E 3)A 4)G 5)B 6)D

An Overshadowed Childhood.

I can still recall the pain and intensity of the flare-ups in most of my joints during the early stages of my arthritis from the age of two onwards. I would call for my bewildered parents during the night to "unlock my legs". They used a rota system to look after me, and their patience was endless.

I constantly complained when any walking was to be done. My mother would regularly march me round to our doctor, looking for reassurance. That always ended up with a smack because of Mum's frustration at being told there was nothing wrong with me other than I was a spoilt, miserable child.

I was in hospital for a month. My brother and sister were not allowed to visit me, which made me fretful and unsettled. I was diagnosed with what was then known as Still's disease.

Much of my play was solitary and hospital-inspired. 1 would give my mother strict orders to collect any spare wax left over when it was peeled from my joints. Mum would then boil up the wax when we arrived home. I would lay all my dolls out and wax their joints, putting them through what I had to endure every day. I also used to pretend to take blood from my dolls' ears and make them yelp just like I did.

I hated to be seen in the chair, and if I saw anyone I recognized I used to turn my hat back to front to hide my face. I forgot about my little stick legs, which gave me away. I wanted my knee-length boots to fit snugly around my calves like those of other girls, but there was so much spare room. I painstakingly lined the insides of my boots with foam draught excluder to make them fit snugly.

I eventually attended secondary school full-time from 11 to 16. It was quite a tough inner-city girls' school. Many of the children had very serious social problems but I never experienced any discrimination.

I was not unhappy at school, as I was always surrounded by caring friends, but I could never lose the feeling of being different.

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A. I went to junior school part-time from the age of eight to eleven. I went to school in the mornings and then the hospital in the afternoon.

B. I cannot remember objecting to the endless blood tests, X-rays, hot salt baths, wax baths, sunlight treatment and intensive physiotherapy but I recall absolutely dreading the scales coming out each week, not because I minded being weighed, but because we were all weighed in the same room, naked. I felt so humiliated even at four-and-a-half.

C. There wasn't much I could do about the diagnosis so I decided I would have to teach myself to walk again. It was a long and painful process.

D. I never returned to my infant school. I had a teacher who came to my house for two hours a week and set me basic maths and English work. My mum was my main teacher. She would push me, in a renovated wheelchair, to the local hospital, each afternoon, for physiotherapy. My three-year-old brother would pedal alongside on his bicycle.

E. Some of the really 'hard cases' were protective of me. They would fight over whose turn it was to carry my bag or bring me a chair to sit on. I was always asked to keep the score for netball and rounders while sitting at the edge of the pitch looking on.

F. Once during PE at infant school we were told to skip to the music. As I couldn't move my hips enough to skip properly, I skipped in my own fashion. The teacher corrected me and then proceeded to take my hand and make me skip, slapping my bottom in time to the music. Each slap was meant to make me lift my leg and hop. Tears were streaming down my face. Eventually I could not take any more and I was sent home from school and my mother, no longer willing to accept the opinion of our doctor, demanded that I see a specialist immediately. I was admitted to hospital the same day.

G. I can remember when my aunt used to swing me by the arms - making me fly like an aeroplane just as she had done for my brother and sister. Not wanting to be left out, I wanted to do the same - but I screamed rather than laughed like the other two.

Odpowiedzi : 1)G 2)F 3)B 4)D 5)A 6)E