HR Management & Compliance, Talent

Using Body Language to Improve Your Communication

There’s an old adage that 90 percent of communication is nonverbal. In other words, it’s not always what we say but how we say it, that really conveys a message to the person we’re communicating with. This is as important in the workplace as it is anywhere else. When we communicate with our employees, coworkers, or superiors, we need to be cognizant of how our body language might be conveying messages we are unaware of or don’t want to send.
As Boss Magazine points out, our tendency is to put our focus when communicating on what’s coming out of our mouth. “It’s not uncommon to use all your mental energy to concentrate on adequately conveying your words, but what’s also really important is to think simultaneously about what your body is doing,” the article says.
Here are three key elements of body language and how they fit in to your workplace communication.

Posture

Your physical posture says a lot about your mood. If you are slouched and leaning away, for example, it often means you are disinterested and disengaged. When meeting with colleagues or customers, you should lean forward, with shoulders squared facing the other person to demonstrate interest and engagement.

Eye Contact

Making eye contact can be intimidating and uncomfortable for some people, but it’s a good habit to get into, and it gets easier and more natural with practice. Making eye contact shows that you are respectful and engaged with the person you’re communicating with and what they have to say.

Hands

People often don’t think about what their hands are doing when interacting with others, but they say a lot. Whether you are engaged in a one-on-one conversation or speaking to a group, your hands can help articulate a point or act as a sign of insecurity, hostility, or other emotions.

International Perspective

Finally, it’s important to keep cultural differences in mind when it comes to body language. As Pamela Eyring writes for the Association for Talent Development, “Body language is not a universal language; just as words and phrases have different meanings in different cultures, so do different body movements, gestures, and signals.”
Interpersonal communication is essential to a functioning organization. Different personalities and different situations often require that the exact same words be delivered using different nonverbals. Understanding these nuances is key to being an effective communicator within any organization.

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