Non-verbal Communication

There are four major communication skills. Listening, thinking, nonverbal, and speaking. I've focused a lot on the speaking aspect recently, with a brief detour for maps and their influence over the world today.

I want to focus on the nonverbal aspect of communication today. Body language, facial expressions, and gestures all have a very important role to play in how we communicate with other people around us.

Body language conveys a lot about what a person is feeling, even if it's not entirely true. Look at the four women in this photo. While they are all the same woman, each position comes across as a very different emotion. This woman appears to be getting ready for an interview, and as this picture came from an article titled: 7 Body Language Mistakes May be Holding Back Your Career, I think it's safe to say that's what she's doing. The first woman looks bored out of her mind, and doesn't seem to really want the job. The second women's mind seems to be elsewhere and waiting for the weekend or dinner with friends after the interview. The third woman seems far too relaxed for an interview giving out a bad vibe for potential employers. The fourth women looks to be eager to interview, but confident enough to hold her ground. She seems very prepared with her papers in hand and a friendly, welcoming smile on her face. Out of these four women I would hire the woman on the far right because she has the right body language.

Nonverbal communication is not only important for interviews, but for everyday communication. Facial expressions, for example, show what a person is thinking/feeling at any given moment. No sound is needed for me to know that the second row far right picture is disgusted with whatever is happening in front of her. Facial expressions change the way words come across to a listener and can alter the tone of what is being said. What they say is true, "it's not what you say, but how you say it" and facial expressions are a big part of that.

 Gestures are the final common nonverbal communication. Saying something is "over there" means nothing without a gesture. However hand movements show a lot about what else is being said. As an Italian, I experience Italian hand syndrome which looks a little like this:

 Essentially, it's over exaggerated hand movements that has led to me making physical contact with the people around me. I get excited, and when I speak my gestures become part of my speech. It's part of how we communicate and an important part of what makes us tick.

Nonverbal communication can shape the way you view a person or how you're viewed, so it's important to watch not only what you say, but how you say it.