In the past we have written about the importance of body language, but the topic came to my attention again during the eighth Republican presidential debate, and the subsequent analysis of that debate, when Mitt Romney and Rick Perry got into a heated exchange.

Ann Gerhart with the Washington Post wrote a wonderful article about the situation and the implications of touching, asserting control and body language. Entitled, “Unwritten rules of debate: No hands,” it is an excellent reminder to those working to “win over” an audience.

After reading the article, I was again reminded how much body language conveys about emotion. Here are a few of the key reminders I took away from the article:

• Body language provides us with valuable insight into what a person is thinking or feeling. Consider Gerhart’s description of the situation in her article: “Peery had accused Romney of knowingly employing ‘illegals’ to trim his lawn, Romney was trying to respond, Perry kept talking, and Romney frustrated, reached over and laid his larger paw on the shoulder of the shorter man. Perry’s eyes blazed with anger; he jabbed his finger at Romney and continued talking.” If you have not seen this interaction, I’d encourage you to watch the clip and draw your own conclusions. 

•  Think carefully about your intentions – especially during emotionally-charged moments. What was Romney trying to do? In Gerhart’s article, Georgette Mosbacher asserts Romney was trying to calm Perry, while others interpret Romney’s move as one avowing dominance. We’ll never know for certain what Romney intended and I’d be willing to bet that the conflict escalated so fast that Romney himself wasn’t clear on this. Before taking action (verbal or physical), it’s probably best to pause and think about your intentions and whether your actions are going to help you achieve them. 

•  Listen to your coaches. In her article, Gerhart shares an example from a debate between Al Gore and George W. Bush. Against the advice of his coaches Gore invaded Bush’s personal space during one of their debates and it apparently backfired. Coaches are not always correct, but before one disregards their input, it probably makes sense to think long and hard about it and have a very good reason for taking the risk. 

•  Likeability is the name of the game. When you have two qualified candidates the one that typically gets the job is the one that is more likable. This is true in hiring, political arenas, and business development. And, even though journalists try to be impartial, likeability impacts how an individual is treated by the media.

 The article contains many more interesting points, I highly recommend reading it, and the next time you’re working to win over an audience, please keep these tips in mind. In the dramatic moments of a personal attack, pause and take a deep breath, think about what you’re trying to achieve and respond carefully. Remember, if you escalate the situation (intentionally or not), it is likely to hurt your likability rating with your audience and likability is often the name of the game.