The Persimmon Group

Communication is one of the most important aspects of the workplace. Whether communicating internally or with a client, it’s vital to understand that there is more to communicating than what comes out of your mouth. In fact, the most powerful form of communication doesn’t include words at all.

Nonverbal communication includes all the unspoken messages sent to people on a daily basis, whether it’s telling someone about yourself by how you wear your hair or clothing or sharing your feelings through the rolling of eyes or the nodding of the head.

We are constantly communicating without ever saying a word. Oftentimes, and what can be most frightening, is that we are not even aware we are doing it.

There are four elements of nonverbal communication that, in the workplace, can be seen as the most important to understand.

Eye Contact: Looking a person in the eyes while they are talking is often considered the ultimate form of respect. Eye contact, or lack thereof, is the first telltale sign of whether you think a person is worthy of your attention. By looking someone in the eyes, you are telling them that what they are saying is important and understood.

Body language: How many of us have ever held a meeting to find the other team members slouching in their chairs with their arms folded? This communicates that the recipients are uninterested and may not be paying attention — even if that is untrue. The folding of arms says that you are not open to what others have to say, and slouching says that you are bored or discouraged.

Tone: This is communicating with your voice when not using words. Through pitch, volume, and inflection, tone of voice provides powerful clues into your true feelings. For example, tone of voice is a quick indicator of sarcasm, confidence, frustration or agreement.

Time: Respecting the time of co-workers could be the most important aspect of nonverbal communication in the workplace. Being on time shows respect for others’ time and contributions. The way a person treats time can show how organized they are or how they regard others.

Whether interviewing for a job, working with a client, or simply interacting with co-workers, being able to understand and use nonverbal cues is a powerful tool to help better understand, express, or reinforce what is being said, while helping build better relationships with all you encounter
Sincerely,

Lindsay Broughton
Associate

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