How to improve nonverbal communication skills?

How to improve nonverbal communication skills?

nonverbal communication

While the key to success in both personal and professional relationships lies in your ability to communicate well, it’s not the words that you use but your nonverbal cues or “body language” that speak the loudest. Body language is the use of physical behavior, expressions, and mannerisms to communicate nonverbally, often done instinctively rather than consciously.

Whether you’re aware of it or not, when you interact with others, you’re continuously giving and receiving wordless signals.

Even when you’re silent, you’re still communicating nonverbally. Since body language is a natural, unconscious language that broadcasts your true feelings and intentions, they’ll likely choose the nonverbal message. Strong communication skills can help you in both your personal and professional life. So, how to improve nonverbal communication skills?

Let's first discuss the nonverbal communication definition:

what is nonverbal communication?

Nonverbal communication, also called manual language, is the process of sending and receiving messages without using words, either spoken or written. Similar to the way that italicizing emphasizes written language, nonverbal behavior may emphasize parts of a verbal message.

how to improve your nonverbal communication skills?

To form a good relationship one needs to have good communication skills. Non-verbal communication is a powerful tool of connecting oneself with others and it helps in expressing what one feels and means. Sometimes our facial expressions, gestures, eye contact, posture, and tone of voice can convey a louder and better message than our words. Nonverbal communication is a very important aspect in the workplace, it shows how you listen, look and reacts while interacting with your co-workers; if one's nonverbal communication is poor it can make your co-workers uncomfortable, it may create tension and confusion. Whereas if one possesses good nonverbal communication; it can help in establishing trust, clarity and a good rapport with your co-workers.

How can you improve your nonverbal communication skills? The following ways to improve nonverbal communication skills can help you learn to read the nonverbal signals of other people and enhance your own ability to communicate effectively.

7 activities to improve nonverbal communication skills:-

1. Pay close attention to what the person says-: Really listening to what the person is telling you is crucial to being a helpful listener. When you reply, it can be helpful to repeat some of what they told you, using the same language. This attention to detail demonstrates that you care. People can communicate information in numerous ways, so pay attention to things like eye contact, gestures, posture, body movements, and tone of voice. All of these signals can convey important information that is not put into words.
   
2. Look for Incongruent Behaviors-: If someone's words do not match their nonverbal behaviors, you should pay careful attention. For example, someone might tell you they are happy while frowning and staring at the ground. Research has shown that when words fail to match up with nonverbal signals, people tend to ignore what has been said and focus instead on unspoken expressions of moods, thoughts, and emotions. So when someone says one thing, but his or her body language seems to suggest something else, it can be useful to pay extra attention to those subtle nonverbal cues.
   
3. Maintain comfortable eye contact-: Don’t avoid eye contact, but do avoid staring. It’s important to meet someone’s gaze. It shows you are interested and that your focus is on them quite literally! Good eye contact is another essential nonverbal communication skill.
   
4. The tone of Voice When Speaking-: Your tone of voice can convey a wealth of information, ranging from enthusiasm to disinterest to anger. For example, if you want to show genuine interest in something, express your enthusiasm by using an animated tone of voice. Such signals not only convey your feelings about a topic; they can also help generate interest in the people listening to you speak. Your tone of voice and the sounds you make can communicate your thoughts to others without even speaking.
   
5. Use Your Facial Expressions-: Your facial expressions convey your emotions. Facial expressions are typically universal, which means they convey the same message globally. A frowning person is usually upset. Offer a smile when talking to someone, as long as it is not inappropriate to the situation. This tells people that you are happy or in a good mood. It also creates an atmosphere with warmth and friendliness, allowing others to feel comfortable. Your face can display a myriad of emotions. When a smile is not called for, be aware of your expression and react accordingly. A look of seriousness when your work is being critiqued or sympathetic response to someone's expression of difficulties can go a long way to conveying your engagement with the situation.
   
6. Ask questions-: If one is about the nonverbal signals of the other person, then it is always better to ask questions, to ensure what he is confused about or not understanding or what and then one can reinterpret what is in his mind.
   
7. Practice, Practice, Practice-: Some people just seem to have a knack for using nonverbal communication effectively and correctly interpreting signals from others. These people are often described as being able to read people. In reality, you can build this skill by paying careful attention to nonverbal behavior and practicing different types of nonverbal communication with others. By noticing nonverbal behavior and practicing your own skills, you can dramatically improve your communication abilities.
   

Conclusion:- 

Communication is an important aspect of human life. It is the way one expresses one's knowledge, emotions, and skills. Nonverbal communication plays an important role in the communication process; it determines how one interprets the information and actions of others. Nonverbal messages can be conveyed through eye contact, gestures, body language, touch, and facial expressions. One needs to be skilled in nonverbal communication and he should also be able to interpret it for the smooth flow of communication in any relationship. When the nonverbal signals do not match the words or actions of the speaker, it leads to misinterpretation, confusion, and mistrust among the audience.

Nonverbal communication skills are essential and can make it easier to convey your point and to read what others are trying to tell you. Some people seem to come by these skills quite naturally, but anyone can improve their nonverbal skills with practice. I hope 💛 you found what you were looking for. I wish you Happy Learning📚!