Howdoes thatwork for you?Withall your experience,
areyoualways consciousof yourmovements?
Molcho:
No, I don’t need tobe. I just perceivesignals faster
perhaps. I amopen, engagedandat thesame timeacceptingof
thewishesof other people. If Imakemyself awareof thesignals
and thusof theneeds, then I can respond to them. Beingable to
recognise thesignsof body language, beingable to interpret
andapply themmakesevery formof communicationeasier. This
isnot ahuge learningprocess. Becausebody language isnot
like thevirtuosityof adancerwhomust studyandpractisehis
movements. Youdon’t have tobeable to twineyour arms likea
snake.
Thewayyouholdyour hand is, for example, avery important
meansof nonverbal communication. For instance: I ampointing
at thissheet, thebackofmyhand isupwards,my index finger is
stretchedout (page7, top left image).Asyour superioror
colleague, Iwould likeyou todo this task. It’s likeanorder. I am
not expectinganydialogueor anyanswer. Right now I am
reducingyou toyour professional functionand I amnot
perceivingyouasaperson. Youmust do thisnow in theway
shown. If Iwant thesame fromyouand I point to itwithanopen
handmovement, then thismeans that thishand can takeand
give (page7, bottom left image). That is, I amalsoprepared to
receive information. I am thus recognisingyouasaperson. It’sa
smallmovementwithahugeeffect. Youdon’t need topractise
for it. If you take this into consideration, it canquicklyhavea
verypositive impact on theworkingenvironment.
Inoneof your booksyouwrote that engagingwithbody
language isanexperience for everyone.
Molcho:
That’s true. Someonewhohardlymovesat all and
suddenlyhasastrong feeling that he cannot suppresshasavery
differentexperienceofhimself. If youhaveneverallowed intense
emotions inyour body, thenyouhavenever reallyexperienced
it properly. Body languagehasnothing todowithacting. It has
todowitha certainextensionof behaviour andalsowith the
opportunity togivemorespace toothers. Toooftenwe think
“what do Iwant”andnotwhat theother personwould like.
But anencounter is the fusionof bothpointsof view.What do
youneedandwhat do I have tooffer?
Around80per cent of our responsesanddecisionsare triggered
bynonverbal communication. For example, I cansee frombody
signalswhensomeone is closingup,whenhe isafraid,whenhe
suddenlyshutsdown.He raiseshis foota little, heputs thebrakes
onso tospeak. The lipspress together, he isblocking theother
personout,maybenot acceptingwhat isbeingsaid. Beingable
toperceive thesesignalsgivesaperson theopportunity tooffer
somethinga littledifferent. Inorder toawakenneedsor fulfil them,
wemust create contactwithothers.Weneed reasons tomove,
motivations, and thesestemonly fromour feelings, ouremotions.
If youwant tomotivatepeople, speak to their emotions!
“Around80per cent of our responsesanddecisions
are triggeredbynonverbal communication.”
SamyMolcho
This interviewwithSamyMolcho
tookplaceon9September2014
inVienna,Austria.
Photography:PeterMayr
Issue27
trends inautomation
Inspiration
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