People all over the world communicate each and every day. But 93% of communication is nonverbal. That only leaves 7% of communication as actual words. It's important to recognize that it's our nonverbal communication—our facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice—that speak the loudest.
When we interact with others, we are continuously giving and receiving wordless signals. All of our nonverbal behaviors—the gestures we make, the way we sit, how fast or how loud we talk, how much eye contact we make—send strong messages.
These messages don't stop when you stop speaking either. Even when you're silent, you're still communicating nonverbally.
Oftentimes, what comes out of our mouths and what we communicate through our body language are two totally different things.
When faced with these mixed signals, the listener has to choose whether to believe your verbal or nonverbal message, and, in most cases, they're going to choose the nonverbal because it's a natural, unconscious language that broadcasts our true feelings in any given moment.
The way you listen, look, move, and react tells the other person whether or not you care. When your nonverbal signals match up with the words you’re saying, they increase trust and clarity. When they don’t, they generate tension, mistrust, and confusion.
TIPS
Pay Attention to Nonverbal Signals- these signals can convey important information that isn't put into words. By paying closer attention to other people's unspoken behaviors, you will improve your own ability to communicate nonverbally.
Concentrate on Your Tone of Voice When Speaking- Your tone of voice can convey a wealth of information, ranging from enthusiasm to disinterest to anger. Start noticing how your tone of voice affects how others respond to you and try using tone of voice to emphasize ideas that you want to communicate.
Use Good