Making Eye Contact
I’ve spent the week watching how much eye contact people make when speaking to each other. And what I’ve noticed is a lot of people don’t look me in the eye when talking to me. They scan the room, they look over my shoulder, or they’re busy looking at their Blackberry during a conversation! It’s not just bad manners. More importantly, you give the message that you are not listening. This does not make a good impression and I’m not likely to want to do business with you. When someone is speaking to you, give them your full attention. That is the best way to start building a connection with other people.
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I’ve heard that, in our business culture, we should make eye contact 60 – 80% of the time. I think that’s a good guide.
I find that visual learners (people who need to picture what they’re saying before they say it) spend most of their conversation time looking away, but I think that’s normal for many visual-type people. I know I’m guilty of it, and I’m not trying to be rude. It’s just something I have to do to form a thought sometimes.