Nonverbal Communication

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Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication encompasses numerous modes of expression. Physical examples include posture, gestures, eye contact, touch, physiological responses (such as clammy hands or a sweaty brow) and manner of movement. Clothing and adornment choices can also be a form of nonverbal communication. Because business often involves frequent human interaction, understanding the elements of nonverbal communication can be an enormous benefit in terms of working with colleagues, competitors, clients and potential clients.

Supplementing or Repeating Verbal Communication¹

Using gestures when speaking helps to clarify an intended meaning in communication and really drive home a point. For example, if you point in a direction while telling someone to turn left, or if you nod your head while saying “yes” you are repeating your verbal action with a non-verbal.

Regulating Interaction

Non-Verbal communication will help to regulate when another person may speak in a conversation. For example, if you move your hands a lot when you speak, you will subconsciously stop moving your hands, indicating to the other person that it is their turn to speak.

Establishing Relationship-Level Meanings

Relationship-Level meanings are broken down further into three categories: responsiveness, liking, and power.

• Responsiveness: This includes non-verbal cues like eye-contact and body posture.
• Liking: This includes cues like standing close to another or warmth in a tone.
• Power: Cues like moving to the side when passed by an authority figure (like a police officer) or standing a few steps away from your boss indicate that you are giving the power over to another person. It can also manifest in other forms like touch. Using touch in a violent manner can express someone’s power over another, most notable in the forms of violence.

Reflects and Expressing Cultural Value

The meanings behind non-verbal communications can vary in different parts of the world. A great example of this difference is eye-contact. In America, we associate eye contact with good manners, and if someone fails to make eye-contact with us we think that they are not paying attention to us. In Asian countries, eye-contact is considered abrasive and disrespectful. The same rules for non-verbal communication do not apply for all places in the world.

Improve Your Non-Verbal Communication

Be aware of your own non-verbal messages. What kind of messages are you sending with your nonverbal cues? If you’re frowning, why is that? If your arms are crossed why do you feel unreceptive to the message being presented?
Remember that nonverbal messages coming from others are ambiguous and one set of cues will not mean the same thing for everyone.

Don’t jump to conclusions based on your own cultural normal cues. Depending on where you are in the world, non-verbal gestures can have different sets of meanings from place to place. Study up on the culture before you travel so that you are less likely to be offended, as well as offend.

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