non verbal skills

1. NON-VERBAL BUSINESS
COMMUNICATIONFebruary 2013

2. AGENDA
2
- Importance of Non-Verbal
Communication
- Physical Aspects
- Audio Considerations
- Common Examples
- Active Listening
- Review

3. 3
IMPORTANCE
NON-VERBAL COMMUNIATION

4. IMPORTANCE
4
- 75%+ of all communication is non-verbal
- Takes 2 people to communicate: one to express, other to perceive
- Actions speak louder than words

5. 5
PHYSICAL ASPECTS
NON-VERBAL COMMUNIATION

6. 1. ‘Personal Curbside Appeal’
2. Firm Handshake
3. Maintain Eye Contact
4. Watch Facial Expressions
5. Stand Up, Walk in Presentation
6. Natural Arm + Hand Movements
7. Maintain Appropriate Space
8. Upright Posture
6
PHYSICAL ASPECTS

7. ‘PERSONAL CURBSIDE APPEAL’
7
- Neat + tidy
- Dress like they look

8. HANDSHAKE
8
- Firm, but easy grip
- Don’t let this happen to you:
- Limp hand
- Too tight
- Twisting wrist
- Practice!

9. EYE CONTACT
9
- Direct eye contact
- Options when presenting
- (1) Scan audience
- (2) Focus on particular audience areas
- (3) Look at individuals, 4-5 sec

10. Anger
- Lower
eyebrow
- Stare
intensely
10
FACIAL EXPRESSIONS
Fear
- Round eyes
- Open mouth
Disgust
- Wrinkled nose
- Lowered
eyelids
Surprise
- Raised
eyebrows
- Wide eyes
- Open mouth
Happiness
- Round eyes
- Smile, raised
cheeks

11. MOVEMENT
11
- Eyes are drawn to movement
- Think: TV
- Don’t stand in one place

12. ARM + HAND MOVEMENTS
12
- Be natural
- Crossed arms = closed off
- Avoid excessive gestures

13. SPACE
13
- Typically dictated by culture
- Being too close could be viewed as aggressive
- Intimate: 0 – 18 inches
- Personal: 18 inches – 4 feet
- Social: 4 feel – 12 feet
- Public: 12 feet+

14. POSTURE
14
- Openness, confidence:
- Open hands
- Leaning forward
- Standing straight
- Indifference, closed off:
- Legs crossed
- Yawning
- Fidgeting

15. 15
AUDIO CONSIDERATIONS
NON-VERBAL COMMUNIATION

16. 1. Projection = Confidence
2. Maintain Tone, Limit Extraneous Sounds
3. Speak Slowly
16
AUDIO CONSIDERATIONS

17. VOLUME
17
- Projection = confidence
- Adjust volume accordingly

18. TONES + SOUNDS
18
- Showing frustration
- Sighing

19. SPEED
19
- Slow down
- Faster speed typically signifies
nervousness
- Have room for pauses, silence

20. 20
COMMON EXAMPLES
NON-VERBAL COMMUNIATION

21. DEFENSIVE
21
- Small gestures, close to the body
- Minimal facial expressions
- Physically turned away from speaker
- Crossed arms
- Little eye contact or downcast

22. DISENGAGED
22
- Heads are down
- Glazed eyes or looking away
- Fidgeting
- Writing or doodling
- Slumped in chair

23. REFLECTION
23
- Eyes look away and then recontact
when answering
- Hand to cheek
- Head tilted with eyes looking up

24. LYING
24
- No eye contact or rapid eye movements
- Hand/fingers in front of mouth when speaking
- Physically turned away from speaker
- Increased breathing rate
- Complexion changes (red in face/neck)
- Sweating
- Voice changes i.e. pitch, stammering, throat clearing

25. 25
ACTIVE LISTENING
NON-VERBAL COMMUNIATION

26. 1. Pay Attention
2. Show That You’re Listening
3. Provide Feedback
4. Defer Judgment
26
ACTIVE LISTENING

27. PAY ATTENTION
27
- Look at speaker
- Don’t mentally prepare rebuttal
- Pick up on speaker’s body
language

28. SHOW THAT YOU’RE LISTENING
28
- Nod occasionally
- Verbal acknowledgements
- Smile
- Open posture

29. PROVIDE FEEDBACK
29
- Questions for clarifications
- Summarize points back to speaker

30. DEFER JUDGMENT
30
- Let speaker finish point
- Don’t interrupt with counter
arguments

31. 31
RECAP
NON-VERBAL COMMUNIATION

32. Importance
1. 75% of Communication is Non-Verbal
Physical Aspects
1. ‘Personal Curbside Appeal’
2. Firm Handshake
3. Maintain Eye Contact
4. Watch Facial Expressions
5. Stand Up, Walk in Presentation
6. Natural Arm + Hand Movements
7. Maintain Appropriate Space
8. Upright Posture
32
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION BEST PRACTICES
Audio Considerations
1. Projection = Confidence
2. Maintain Tone, Limit Extraneous Sounds
3. Speak Slowly
Active Listening
1. Pay Attention
2. Show That You’re Listening
3. Provide Feedback
4. Defer Judgment

33. REMEMBER: PRACTICES MAKES PERFECT!
33
- 10,000 hour rule

34. 34
- Active Listening – Hear What People are Really Saying:
http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/ActiveListening.htm
- Body Language – Understanding Non-Verbal Communication:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/Body_Language.htm
- Nonverbal Communication:
http://www.slideshare.net/akashabsl/non-verbala
- Secrets of Nonverbal Communication:
http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/11/body-language-nonverbal-
leadership-careers-communication.html
- Techniques for Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills in the
Workplace:
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/techniques-improving-nonverbal-
communication-skills-workplace-21411.html
SOURCES

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