Make Awkward Conversations Less Confrontational by Standing at an Angle
When you need to have one of those conversations that you know will cause conflict, you can tone down a little with body language. Positioning at an angle rather than face to face may help.
At work or at home, it is best to keep conflicts to a minimum. When you are face to face with someone during such a conversation, it can easily look like a confrontation, which makes the conversation much more difficult. To keep things from getting too hot, Jeff Hayden of Inc. offers easy customization of your body language:
When something you have to say might challenge the other person, move your legs slightly to stand up, or sit at an angle. And if you do encounter, don’t back down. Just switch to this small angle. You will implicitly reduce any perceived confrontation and make the uncomfortable conversation less hostile.
After the tension has been relieved, the conversation can remain polite and correct. It may still be awkward, but it will feel more like a discussion rather than a struggle. Body language plays a huge role in communication , so always use it to your advantage.