How to Improve your Non-verbal Communication Skills

Have you ever wondered why someone can communicate well and connect with their audience? Or are you trying to find ways to improve or maximize your communication skills? Being able to express your thoughts and opinions through speaking is essential. As an audience, people don't just listen to what you are saying but also see your actions and body language.

Non-verbal communication or body language is a part of communication, but rather than saying words. We use physical behaviors, facial expressions, and mannerisms to communicate. Non-verbal communication is something that we do instinctively, whether we do it consciously or unconsciously. Usually, our body language and facial expressions will convey what we are thinking, like smiling when we are happy or raising the tone of our voice when we are excited or angry. We continuously communicate nonverbally through our bodies, even when we are silent. Since non-verbal communication is something that we do unconsciously, body language can tell us the truth about what the speaker is trying to say. It is also why detectives or investigators analyze body language to look for clues.

Our body language can serve as a way to connect more with your listener. Our body language reflects our thoughts. It cab show if we are truthful, whether we care or not, or how well we are listening.

Good non-verbal communication helps build trust, which helps build connection and understanding with the listener. If your non-verbal cues don't correlate with your words, it can lead to mistrust, tension, and confusion.

Therefore being good with words is equally important as knowing and acting with good non-verbal cues. Although body language is something that we do instinctively, there are ways to improve our non-verbal communication skills.

Firstly we have to understand the different types of non-verbal communication:

1. Facial expressions

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Facial expressions like happiness, sadness, or anger are the same all across the world. Our facial expressions are very hard to control consciously. Our faces itself can convey different emotions nonverbally.

2. Body movement and postures

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The way we stand, sit, or subtle movements that we make can give a lot of information about us. The way we carry ourselves affects how the audience perceives us.

3. Gestures

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We sometimes make gestures unconsciously when talking, when we are explaining, or on an argument. Hand gestures or movements of our heads can give out many signals to the person we are communicating.

4. Eye contact

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Eye contact is a crucial part of non-verbal communication. Eye contact only can convey many things to the person we are communicating, such as interest or even hostility. Eye contact can also determine the intensity of the speaker's feelings.

5. Touch

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Physical contact can have different meanings. A handshake or a hug can suggest warmth and friendliness but beware of it being misinterpreted as dominance or sexual interest.

6. Space

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It is important to respect everyone's personal space. Space can measure the level of intimacy between the speaker and the listener. Personal space also varies in different cultures.

7. Voice

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The tone of your voice and how you convey something is also a part of non-verbal communication. We need to pay attention to how we are saying things, like volume and intonation, the tone of our voice can express feelings of the speaker like happiness, anger, nervousness, and confidence.

Now we know what are the different types of non-verbal communication we can now learn different ways to improve non-verbal communication.

How to improve non-verbal communication:

1. Learn to manage stress in the moment

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When we are stressed, we tend to panic and make many mistakes as many things are going through our heads. Our judgment is likely to be clouded, and we can make rash decisions if we are not careful. Emotions are contagious; if you feel upset, it is most likely that other people will be upset.

First, you need to calm yourself before you start talking again. Take some time to pause and start talking again when you are calm. If you are relaxed, you will feel much more comfortable and assess the situation much better.

2. Develop emotional awareness

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To become a pro at non-verbal communication, you must first be aware of your own emotions and other people's emotions. When you are aware of the emotions surrounding you, you will be able to read the situation at that moment accurately. You will also be able to create a connection with your listener and respond in a way that shows that you genuinely care and listen.

In conclusion, non-verbal communication is an integral part of communication. We give out non-verbal signals every time we talk unconsciously. Our audience perceives us not only from our words but also from our body language. This is where we should be mindful of the non-verbal cues that we give out that affect our communication with others.

Author: Niken K.

Sources

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Iz, V. (2020, January 17). 6 Ways to improve your eye contact skills. Aksent. https://www.aksent.org.in/blog/6-ways-to-improve-eye-contact-skills/

James, C. (2020, March 4). How To Find Your 6ft Voice. Master Public Speaking & Presentation Skills | CJM Training. https://www.colinjamesmethod.com.au/how-to-find- your-6ft-voice/

Lansley, J. (2019, February 25). Facial Expressions. The Emotional Intelligence Academy. https://www.eiagroup.com/knowledge/facial-expressions/

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