BUS3041 WK 3 Project

Nonverbal Communication

Using appropriate body language is important for effective communication. For example, standing up

straight and breathing deeply will remove any hint of nervousness from your voice because good

posture opens your diaphragm, resulting in the strengthening of your voice. Communicating with a

strong voice improves the effectiveness of your message making it easy to hear and believable.

Another example of effective use of body language involves use of gestures. Using gestures effectively

involves emphasizing key points of a message by using hands and facial cues.

Some distracting gestures are:

Gripping the lectern so hard that your knuckles turn white

Playing with your hair, a paper clip, a pen, or note cards

Playing with the change in your pockets

Covering your mouth or face with your hands

Another form of body language is when the speaker is walking and moving around while giving a

presentation. If you have seen Tom Peters, the author of In Search of Excellence, giving a lecture, you

will see the energy with which he speaks on the stage. He paces and moves around and rarely stands at

the lectern. His movements convey his passion and lead the audience to listen intently.

Maintaining eye contact with the audience is a critical form of body language. When a speaker makes

strong eye contact with the audience, this communicates the speaker's interest in each audience member, and it is hard for audience members to tune out of the presentation.

Making strong eye contact may be easier when speakers are addressing one or two people, but strong

eye contact can be maintained even with a large group by frequently scanning the room and creating

the impression with the audience that it's a one-to-one conversation.:

Albert Mehrabian (1972) found in his research that only about 7 percent of a message's emotional

meaning was conveyed through verbal means, while about 55 percent of it was communicated through nonverbal cues, such as facial expression, gestures, and posture, and about 38 percent of the

emotional meaning was conveyed through the vocal quality of the speaker.

Here are some tips for improving nonverbal communications:

Listen carefully to what the speaker says. Look for disconnects between the verbal message and

nonverbal cues.

If you sense inconsistency, ask questions and rephrase to ascertain the true intent of the sender's message.

Observe that all nonverbal cues are consistent. For example, if an individual professes to be

pleased but stands with arms crossed with a frown on his or her face and avoids eye contact.

Consider what you know about the individual. If you know him or her well, you will be able to

understand the nonverbal cues better.

Practice observing and validating nonverbal cues and perceptions. Verify the sender's intent

against your initial impression.

Be more aware of your own nonverbal cues. Do others misunderstand your intentions when you

speak? Do people often ask you, "What's wrong?" Use a mirror, friends, and colleagues to verify your

facial expressions and body language.

Additional Materials

View a Pdf Transcript of Nonverbal Communication (media/week3/SUO_BUS3041_W3_L2.pdf?

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