What is nonverbal communication?

[Nonverbal communication] is the transfer of information through the use of body language including eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, and more.

Professor and body language researcher Albert Mehrabian first broke down the components of face-to-face conversation in 1967, discovering that:

1. Communication was found to be 55% nonverbal, 38% vocal, and 7% words only.

2. In face to face conversations, nonverbal cues have a much more significant impact on how others interpret the words and whether or not they respond positively to what the speaker is saying.

3. The 3 elements of communication (verbal, nonverbal, and vocal) have to be congruent in order for the listener to respond well.

According to an article on helpguide.org, Some common nonverbal cues are:

• Facial expressions.

• Gestures.

• Body movement and posture.

• Eye contact.

• Touch.

• Space.

• Voice.

On the other side, nonverbal communication gone awry may look like:

• Intense eye contact, hand shake that is too firm.

• Raised eyebrows, tense shoulders, stiff body.

• Interrupting, lack of eye contact, hands in pockets, staring out the window.

Getting better at nonverbal communication

To get better at nonverbal communication, try:

1. Improving your emotional intelligence skills.

2. Improving your listening skills.

3. Matching your nonverbal communication to the situation you’re in.

To better understand others’ nonverbal communication:

1. Pay attention to inconsistencies.

2. Look at nonverbal communication signals as a group.

3. Trust your instincts.