The Unspoken Truth

By: Billy Van Moolenbroek (Task 8)

Non-verbal communication plays a vital role in successful communication as it directly affects the delivery of the message.  Non-verbal communication refers to the non-spoken elements such as body language, gestures and appearance.  Communicators need to be aware of how their non-verbal communication impacts presentations as only a small percentage of the human brain can process verbal communication.  As a result, the wrong message can be delivered if the communicator’s body language does not match the message (John, Nagarajan, & Arthi, 2017, p. 97).  For example, a business leader would not conduct a meeting while wearing a Hawaiian shirt, or slouching in their chair, as the audience will be less acceptant.  Therefore, if the speaker demonstrates effective and appropriate non-verbal communication, the audience is more likely to be receptive to the speaker’s message.  Today’s interconnected business landscape means non-verbal communication methods are a necessary skill in all working environments

Communication Coach Alex Lyon (2017) released a video on his YouTube channel explaining his three key points to non-verbal communication: Eye contact and smile, posture and gestures, and pause and nod after key ideas.  There are a variety of situations where making eye contact and smiling are necessary non-verbal elements to facilitate successful communication.  For example:

• Eye contact is important when delivering presentations as it lets the audience know you are confidently speaking to them, not simply reading from a script which makes them more interested and engaged with the topic (Schulz, 2012).
• Through everyday conversations with colleagues, eye contact and smiling is important as it promotes a mutual feeling of trust between both parties and can enhance the culture and team collaboration in the workplace. For example, if a person refuses to make and maintain direct eye contact, it can be seen as suspicious (Schulz, 2012).
• For those in sale positions, maintaining proper eye contact and smiling can help the customer feel at ease and more inclined to make a purchase (Business Queensland, 2017).
• Non-verbal communication directly affects employability as approximately 99% of employers base their hiring decisions on the applicant’s proficiency (Olszewski, Panorska, & Gillam, 2017, pp. 206-207).