The Hidden “Body Gossip Tells” That are Sabotaging your Communication.

Author: Gillian Maddigan

March 2025

Understanding the Power of Non-Verbal Communication

Every time you interact with an audience and every interaction has an audience—whether on stage, on camera, or even in a one-on-one conversation—two conversations happen simultaneously. The first is what you say, and the second is what your body communicates. The latter often speaks louder than words, as 90% of communication is non-verbal(Albert Mehrabian).

You can have the perfect speech, an ideal script, or an engaging sales pitch, but if your body language contradicts your words, your message can be undermined before you even begin.

The Reality of Unconscious Body Language

Most people assume they are in control of their body language, but the truth is that stress, nerves, history triggers, and external disruptions reveal unconscious behaviors. When you're under pressure, your default body language emerges, which might not always work in your favor.

Have you ever observed others' body language, noting crossed arms, shifting weight, or a nervous tic? While you're reading them, they are reading you too. And if there's any misalignment between your message and your body language, your audience will sense it immediately.

The Key to Mastering Your Body Language

The good news is that once you recognise your personal "body gossip tell," you can take conscious control of your subconscious movements. Still, the unconscious patterns relate to hidden stories with a purpose that you may no longer remember, identify with or have become redundant. These unconscious patterns need a third party to be the observer to identify them. Then, identification and self-awareness with choice become available to rewrite your body gossip into body mind communication, aligning your body language with your communication and message and increasing your impact, influence, and conversions.

Since 1994 I have studied psychosomatic communication—the secret art of body language—analysing thousands of faces and bodies to decode subconscious habits and redundant patterns. Through this, I have helped speakers, authors, coaches, and entrepreneurs refine their presence and maximise their potential in their business and personal lives.

A Real-Life Transformation: Tanya Targett Camacho

Take Tanya Targett Camacho, a former investigative journalist and seasoned speaker. Despite her experience, her conversion rate from the stage remained at 30%. By addressing her "gun-slinging," "arm-folding," and "chin-jutting" tendencies, she boosted her earnings from $12,500 to $78,000 per event, with an audience as small as 12 to 21 people. Later, she applied these strategies to her online video content, placing in the top 10 of Jeff Walker’s global launch competition.

This shift wasn’t about learning generic body language tricks but about uncovering the root cause of her body language tendencies and transforming them into assets rather than liabilities.

Why Generic Body Language Advice Falls Short

Many body language guides teach you what to do but don’t explain why you do it. Without understanding the "why" behind your default physical habits, overriding them under stress is nearly impossible, it can turn you into a jerky robot with corrupted data.

Body language is a byproduct of personality, past experiences, and successful outcomes that may be based on unhappy situations and unconscious fears. It is a pattern that, unless actively addressed, remains unchanged. If you merely mimic confident body language without addressing underlying issues, your facade will crumble the moment you experience stress.

The Audience's Subconscious Reaction

When something feels "off" about a speaker or communicator, the audience immediately starts looking for inconsistencies as their primordial safety system engages unconsciously. Their physiological responses vary depending on their dominant sensory processing mode:

• Auditory learners will tilt their heads, squint, and listen more closely for subtle inconsistencies.
• Visual learners will focus intensely, scanning for mismatched gestures.
• Analytical thinkers will lean in and scrutinise the message for logical inconsistencies.
• Kinesthetic learners will adjust their posture, moving from relaxed to alert.

If the disconnect continues, the audience will either tune out, disengage, or mentally scrutinise you rather than absorb your message. This can severely impact conversions and connections.

Steps to Identify and Fix Your "Tell"

Step 1: Watch Yourself on Video

Record yourself speaking, then watch it twice—once with sound and once without. Pay close attention to your posture, gestures, facial expressions, and repetitive movements. View with an audience lens.

Step 2: Analyze Your Engagement

Review past speaking engagements or video content. Who connected with you? What feedback did you receive? Were people engaging with your message or just your personality? This helps determine whether your body language enhances or hinders your message.

Step 3: Identify Your Personal Insecurities

Write down specific insecurities about how you present yourself on stage or on camera. This helps you recognise unconscious habits that might be influencing your body language.

Mastering the Art of Aligned Communication

By aligning your body language with your words, you remove subconscious barriers between you and your audience. The key is not to "fake" confidence but to understand and refine your natural movements for better connection and impact.

When you transform unconscious habits into intentional actions, you enhance your presentations and communication, boost your confidence, increase conversions and connections, and unlock new opportunities. Master your body language, and you master your message.