The Ultimate Body Language Book

palm down, as if to dry them, and you’ve got a cluster signaling that a secret is being covered. If the
feet are pulled under the chair, the message is even more exaggerated. The feet are saying exactly what
the person is thinking, that he or she is closed and withdrawn from the conversation. We should be
watchful of this posture when presenting a controversial opinion to see what degree of disagreement is
present and especially if the posture is held for a significant length of time, particularly by men. When
the ankles cross it is due to a subconscious freeze response due to a threat and the legs are entwined so
as to restrict and restraint movement.
As we saw previously, closing a sale or changing opinions necessitates open minds and since our
bodies and minds are linked should try to open those with the scissor posture when possible. You could
try to have them change positions, as above, by having them stand or relocate to a more comfortable
seating location, or you could take the time to identify and address whatever issue is of concern. This is
important especially if the posture preludes a more intense selling session to follow, since negative
postures early on are a good predictor of the future.
Mixed message – head cocked to the side shows interest coupled with arm and ankle crossing – she’s
uncertain.
In a free-flowing interview or discussion noting the timing of ankle cross’ can prove valuable. With
some research or prodding it might be possible to reveal the true reason for the action. Simply asking
the reason for the reservation can help eliminate this posture as well because it will make the person
feel listened. This is risky, though, because the primary reason for the gesture is to conceal an emotion.
Conversely, giving someone the opportunity to express their thoughts makes people feel heard and
sometimes that is all that is needed to open someone up. The posture after all, is a posture of hidden
disagreement, so it would be hard to hold the posture as one is given the chance to open up. If the
posture returns after some time, it might indicate that the person hasn’t fully disclosed their true
opinion on the matter or that a new issue of contention has been uncovered. Therefore, once again, time
should be taken to address any concerns that might have arisen before moving forward.