9: It's in the Palm of Your Hand in Visual Studio .NET

Creator Denso QR Bar Code in Visual Studio .NET 9: It's in the Palm of Your Hand

Watch someone who wants you to come on board with her way of thinking See if she holds both hands in front with her, palms facing her body as if she s embracing another person If you find yourself using this gesture when you speak you may also be attempting to grasp your own suggestion or idea

Turn your hand over with your palm facing downwards and Bingo!, you re projecting power and authority (see Figure 9-3) This position is used for giving orders where no room exists for discussion Gesturing with your palm facing downwards says, I m in control here Do as I say! You have to be careful when using this gesture, especially if your fingers are tightly closed because of its association with dominance and tyranny Think of the Third Reich and the Nazi salute if you re in doubt Hitler purposely selected this gesture He instinctively understood the intimidation it conveyed If you want to calm down a tense situation or ask for quiet, hold out both your palms slightly pointed downwards with your fingers slightly separated and gently beat them up and down Make sure that your fingers are relaxed or you may just be fanning the flames of the fire!

Close your palm into a fist, point your index finger, and look out, world! You ve just created a symbolic club for beating into submission anyone who s listening (see Figure 9-4) Think back to a time when someone a parent, teacher, or boss pointed a finger at you and shook it for all it was worth Don t be surprised if the memory makes you cringe You know just how threatening and aggressive this gesture feels That s because it comes from our primate ancestors who shake their fists before pummelling their opposition into submission with a right over-arm blow Ouch! While you re remembering annoying gestures you d rather forget, what about the one where the speaker beats her pointed finger in time to what she s saying Again, it s as if you re being beaten with a sharp stick It may make you feel like a naughty child being reprimanded The finger wag moves rhythmically sideways, back and forth like a metronome Another annoying gesture, this action is a silent telling off and reminds you of just how badly behaved you are

The finger jab, the wag s closest cousin, is like a stabbing motion Not one of the most conciliatory of gestures, use it at your peril If you habitually point and beat your finger when speaking, make a conscious effort to practise the palm-up and palm-down, fingers-loose positions You find that you can create a positive impact on people and a relaxed atmosphere

Hands Up!

Second only to your face, your hands are your most visually expressive feature and can be equated to your voice because they talk so much They serve as a substitution for words as well as supporting the spoken word by illustrating and amplifying what you re saying For example, when you re giving directions to someone who s lost, you most likely use your hands to get her back on the right path When you re emphasising a point your hands move in time with your words When you re describing a shape or a particular scene your hands create a visual picture of what you re saying These kinds of hand gestures make complicated explanations more comprehensible

When you conceal your hands by putting them behind your back or shoving them in your pockets, it s like keeping your mouth shut What your hands are saying is, I don t want to talk! Take yourself back to your childhood You ve just been caught with your hand in the biscuit tin You quickly pull it out and stick it behind your back while saying, No! Honestly! I didn t take anything! And all the time your hand stays hidden Fast forward to your life now You ve been out on the town with your pals, you arrive home as the sun is rising, and your parent/spouse/partner asks you where you ve been Rather than owning up to whatever minor, or major, indiscretion you may have got into, if you re a man you most likely shove your hands into your pockets or cross your arms with your hands tucked neatly away while coming up with a good excuse If you re a woman you busy your hands with a flurry of activities Either way your palms stay hidden