Bahraini companies could be losing business because they are shunning the importance of body language, according to a top management expert.

Many senior officials have no knowledge of the concept and their bad habits may cost them lucrative deals, pointed out author Allan Pease, who has been rated among the world's top management and communication gurus.

"In Bahrain the awareness of body language and the impact of face to face encounters is almost unknown to the extent that I have met guys in really senior positions and they don't even have the concept of what it really is and how it works," said the Australian-based expert, who has been educating people about the topic for 30 years.

"Whereas in the Western world it has been part of standard training in sales, management and marketing for around 20 years now," he stated.

"First I would like to leave Bahrain with a very clear awareness of the power body language is in terms of making a good first impression and that you can influence an environment in which a person feels positive to make a decision. If people like you then they are likely to buy whatever goes with you."

Pease, is the author of 17 body language books, 10 of which have been bestsellers and has appeared on radio and television around the world.

He said people's skills were fundamental as logic and mutual benefit were not enough to succeed in business.

"If for some reason during a deal you don't hit it off, whatever that reason is, you will struggle all the way through and you will come away thinking I didn't leave with what I wanted and the chances are you are right," he said.

"It is the same with everything you have got to sell yourself first before they buy what you are," he added.-TradeArabia News Service