Non-Verbal Communication… Pulling it All Together

Written by Judy W Bell on February 25, 2011. Posted in Effective Communication

We have looked at a number of non-verbal communication techniques in earlier blogs this week. In addition to Paralinguistics, Proxemics, and Haptics, here are four additional non-verbal communication behaviors that often speak more loudly than words:

Facial Expression: This is one of the most important and most easily recognized non-verbal communication. Did your mother ever tell you not to “look at her with that tone of voice” when you rolled your eyes? Or did she catch you “smirking”? What’s a smirk, anyway?

Gestures: This can be rolling the eyes, winking, nodding, or hand movements.

Posture: Arm-crossing can indicate closed-mindedness or defensiveness. Slumped or rounded shoulders can be interpreted as lack of self-confidence, as can hands placed in the fig-leaf position.

Eyes: Lack of eye contact can mean lack of confidence or a lack of truth. The eyes often easily show excitement, boredom, fatigue, attraction, etc.

In order for your communication style to be effective, make certain you study effective communication styles, ask for feedback from your close friends or manager, and practice until you feel comfortable engaging with others. Effective communication is a Success Habit!