The term 'body language' is so ubiquitous today that it seems it's been around for as long as its two component words. However, Robert Phipps - body-language expert and author of this study - tells us that this 'science' has only been around for about 25 years. As a result, it is a relatively new area of study. And it's also a crucial one for job-hunters.
In this direct connection, Phipps tells us how his interest in body language started: He was busted for lying during a job interview. It wasn't a whopper, more of a little fib. But it was transparent enough for the interviewer to call him on it. After explaining himself with rather more candour, Phipps then asked the interviewer how he had known. And the reply was: 'Your body language gave it away.'
In just over the past couple of decades, we have learned just how revealing body language really is. And there's now a whole army of body-language experts writing books on the topic, appearing on TV, and giving presentations. Phipps is one of the most acclaimed of this lot because of his simple and accessible style, one that characterises this easy-to-read, breezy, and highly 'infotaining' book.
Phipps is now something of a brand, appearing on a British TV show as the 'Human Lie Detector'. He's also a consultant to a slew of large companies, such as Apple and Hewlett-Packard. And, on the evidence of the many YouTube clips that have been uploaded, he's an eminently telegenic guy, with an Estuary-English accent (mixed with a trace of Jamie Oliver-style 'Mockney') and an evangelical zeal for his mission: teaching viewers and readers all about a complex patois called body language.
Body language will affect your chances of securing the job you want (or even any kind of job), prising a pay rise out of your employer, closing a deal, managing people at work, resolving a fight with your partner - indeed, every conceivable interactive situation you can imagine.
However, Body Language largely restricts itself to body language in the work place (or approaching the workplace, if you're a job-seeker).
