5 Tips To Improve Nonverbal Communication Skills
Tips To Improve Nonverbal Communication Skills ‘The most important thing in communication is hearing what hasn’t been said.’ – Peter Drucker I am sure you have experienced this as well before: Someone enters the room and you already know this means trouble, even though not a word has been spoken. But how do we know? The studies from Dr. Mehrabian describe how the mind determines meaning. He concluded that the interpretation of a message is 7% verbal (the actual spoken word), 38% vocal (how it was said) and 55% visual (body-language). His conclusion was that 93% of communication is “nonverbal” in nature. Even though these percentages were wildly criticized, scientists agree that nonverbal communication involving body language, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, tone of voice, and personal space, play an important role in our communication. Use it wisely and you can harbour their power, but fail to use it effectively and you could give the wrong impression, offend people or even damage your reputation. Here are 5 tips to improve your nonverbal communication skills. Look For Unspoken Signs Whenever you speak to someone, whether it’s a relative, partner, or colleague at work, pay attention to their body language, eye contact, and gestures. Nonverbal communication can reveal a lot about how a person feels, their intentions, and whether they’re being honest or twisting the truth. While you’re not trying to act as a human lie-detector, being aware of unspoken signs and signals will help you understand situations and dissect conversations better.
