Consider what happened to a mediator I'll call Michael. Michael's proposal was rated highly enough to earn an interview. Michael's proposal had caught the interest of state officials who were confronting a nasty conflict and were eager to convene a mediated process. But within 10 minutes he was eliminated from contention. He also looked too relaxed, leaning back in his chair, eyes upward, pulling on his beard, waving his arms in the air or clasping his hands behind his neck, his tweed jacket with the leather elbow patches there for everyone to see.
Nervous mannerisms can be a detriment.
I watched a mediator undermine her two-person team with her unconscious, nervous habits. Her posture was closed, her eyes moved up and down or scanned the room, and her hands kept playing nervously with a pencil. When she tired of the pencil, she began flicking her nails, apparently unaware she was doing it. Moreover, while she had a solid presentation, her delivery was hesitant and tentative-sounding. This bothered officials.