This document discusses how nonverbal communication such as body language, facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, and posture can significantly impact and supplement verbal messages. It notes that nonverbal cues act as powerful additions to what is said and can accurately reflect emotions. The document provides examples of various nonverbal cues like eye contact, head movements, hand gestures, and personal space and how their meanings can differ across cultures. It emphasizes the importance of being aware that people communicate on many levels and that nonverbal signals should be verified through conversation to avoid incorrect assumptions.

1. Actions
Speak
LOUDER
Than Words

2. Communicating via Nonverbal Cues
Body language impacts a great deal of
how we communicate and can reflect
quite accurately how we feel
Nonverbal cues act as powerful
supplements to verbal messages
How body language adds to what we say:
 Shows emotions
 Illustrates verbal points
 Replaces verbal messages
 Signals changes in conversation
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3. 3
So, How Does The Body Speak?
 Like any spoken
language, body language
has words, sentences and
punctuation
 Each gesture is like a
single word and one word
may have several
different meanings
 Additionally, the tone of
voice, the rate of speech
and the pitch of the voice
all add to the words that
are being used

4. Types of Non-verbal Communication
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5. The Face vs. The Body
Facial expressions
 Offer the most nonverbal information
 Clearly indicate emotions and feelings
 Show how people react in response to information,
conversation or other actions
Body Actions and Posture
 Orientation
 Position
 Posture
 Gestures
 Head Movements
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6. Do you know what you are
saying?

7. People react to what you say and do
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8. What do our actions say about us?
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9. What do our actions say? (continued)
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10. Your words should match your actions
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11. Eyes
Eye contact
 Encouraged in America, Canada, Europe
 Considered rude in some Asian/African countries
Raising eyebrows
 Means “Yes” in Thailand and some Asian countries
 Means “Hello” in the Philippines
Winking eye
 Signals sharing secrets or a joke in America and Europe
 Considered a flirtatious gesture in other countries
Closed eyes
 Signals boredom or sleepiness in America
 “I’m listening and concentrating” in Japan, Thailand, China

12. Head Movements
 Tossing the head backward is “Yes” in Thailand, the Philippines,
India, Laos
 Rocking head slowly, back and forth is “Yes, I’m listening” in
most Asian cultures
 Nodding the head is “Yes” in most societies but means “No” in
some parts of Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Turkey
Note: Nodding can have more than one meaning

13. Body Positioning
Body orientation = angle at which speaker’s
body turns toward/away from a listener
Open Positions
 Elbows away from the body
 Hands apart
 Legs crossed
Closed Positions
 Crossed arms or legs
Leaning
 Forward, backward or sideways tilt of a person to
another person
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14. Posture
Positioning of the upper body
 Relaxed posture has slightly drooping shoulders
and an arched back
 A neutral posture has a straight back
 A rigid posture has an unnaturally straight back
with the shoulders back
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15. Arms
 Some cultures use their arms freely
 For others, it is considered impolite to gesticulate with broad
movements of the arms
 Folded arms commonly interpreted as a form of excluding
yourself
● “I am taking a defensive posture”
● “I disagree with what I am hearing”
 Arms akimbo stance signals aggression, resistance, impatience
or even anger
 Arms behind back and hands grasped interpreted as sign of ease
and control
 Arms in front and hands grasped viewed as a sign of mutual
respect in some Asian countries

16. Hands
Of all the body parts, the hands are probably
used most for communicating non-verbally
 Hand waves are used for greetings, beckoning, or
farewells
 The Italian “good-bye” wave can be interpreted by Americans
as the gesture of “come here”
 The American “good-bye” wave can be interpreted in many
parts of Europe and Latin America as the signal for “no”
 Handshaking is a form of greeting in most Western
cultures
 In the Middle East, a gentle grip is appropriate
 In some Asian cultures, a gentle grip and an avoidance of
direct eye contact is appropriate

17. Fingers
The “O.K.” signal means:
 “Fine,” or “O.K.” in most cultures
 “Zero” or “worthless” in some parts of Europe
 “Money” in Japan
 Considered an insult in Greece, Brazil, Italy, Turkey, Russia and some
other countries
“Thumb-up” means:
 “O.K.” “good job” or “fine” in most cultures
 “Up yours!” in Australia
 “Five” in Japan; “One” in Germany
 Avoid a thumb-up in these countries: Australia, New Zealand,
Greece, Turkey, Iran, Russia, and most African countries

18. Fingers (continued)
Pointing
 Pointing with the index
finger is common in North
America and Europe
 But it is considered impolite
in Japan and China where
they favor using the whole
open hand
 Malaysians prefer pointing
with the thumb

19. Legs and Feet
In Asia and some European countries, putting feet up
on a desk or any other piece of furniture is very
disrespectful
Sitting cross-legged, while common in North
America and some European countries, is very
impolite in other parts of the world
In most Asian countries, a solid and balanced sitting
posture is the prevailing custom and sitting cross-
legged shows the sign of disrespect
In the Middle East and most parts of Asia, resting
the ankle over the other knee risks pointing the sole
of your shoe at another person, which is considered
a rude gesture

20. How Close is Too Close?
Intimate
 Touching
 6”-18”
Personal
 Close: 1½ to 2½ feet
 Far: 2½ to 4 ½ feet
Social
 Close: 4-7 feet
 Far: 7-12 feet
Public
 Close: 12-25 feet
 Far: 25 feet or greater

21. What happens when you invade
someone’s space?
Reactions to an
invasion of
personal space
can vary
 Feel troubled
 Get defensive
 Become aggressive
 Retaliate

22. Effective Nonverbal Communication
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Maintain direct eye contact
 Direct eye contact shows openness and interest and
makes you look honest and trustworthy
Use appropriate facial expressions for the
subject matter you are discussing
Have good posture and stance
Use appropriate gestures but don’t overdo it
Make sure that the tone of your voice is
appropriate for the conversation
Give acknowledgment responses to show
attentiveness and interest

23. Positive Nonverbal Indicators
Meaning of
Nonverbal
Indicators
Examples
Openness, Confidence Opening hands with palms up,
unbuttoning jacket, maintaining eye
contact, smiling and leaning forward
Cooperation,
Eagerness
Smiling, maintaining eye contact,
rubbing palms together, standing with
hands on hips
Professionalism Sitting up straight, maintaining eye
contact, leaning forward, taking notes
Evaluation, Interest Placing hand on cheek, stroking chin,
leaning forward, tilting head slightly to
one side, arching eyebrows
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24. Reading Nonverbal Cues
Recognize that people communicate on many
levels
 Become accustomed to watching body language and your
ability to read nonverbal cues will grow with practice
 Every gesture, facial expression, hand/feet and body
movement communicates something
 If a person’s words say one thing and their body language says
another, you are apt to listen to the nonverbal communication
– and that is usually the correct decision
Body language may vary between individuals,
and between different cultures and nationalities
 It is essential to verify and confirm signals you are reading
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25. Don’t Assume – You could be wrong
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26. Resources
 Skillsoft Skillbrief, Types of Nonverbal Cues (accessed via
http://www.Skillport.com on 04/06/2011)
 Body Language: Guide to Reading Body Language Signals (accessed via
http://www.businessballs.com on 04/13/2011)
 Skillsoft Skillbrief, Verbal and Nonverbal Communication with a Positive
Attitude, Communication Skills for Successful Management (accessed via
http://www.Skillport.com on 04/06/2011)
 Skillsoft Skillbrief, Cultural Differences in Nonverbal Communication
(accessed via http://www.Skillport.com on 04/06/2011)
 Rugsaken, Kris, The Body Speaks: The Importance of Body Language,
National Academic Advising Association Conference (2005)
 Murugan, Seema, Non-verbal Communication (accessed via
http://www.hss.iitb.ac.in/courses/n-v.pdf on 04/13/2011)
 Tyler, V. Lynn, Intercultural Interacting (1987)
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