Non-Verbal is not so verbal!
Non-verbal communication is an art of communication which is inherent in human beings. This is generally expressed through gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, tone of voice, or any other symbol. Stiffening of posture or a welcoming smile or a nod are some gestural ways to send a message. Though non-verbal communication is vast and omnifarious, yet it carries a great deal of meaning. It greatly ameliorates the meaning of verbal messages. Hence, it is important to pay attention to the signs and gestures so that the message is comprehended in a right manner.
There’s a tandem relationship between verbal and non-verbal communication. The wordless messages of signs, cues, and symbols complement the verbal messages. It is like a reaffirmation. How do you decide the appropriate time to approach your Manager for leave or for suggestions? In both the situations, you will go at different times which will depend on the Manager’s temper at the moment. Or, how do you decide if an interviewee is being nervous or excited? You notice the posture, hand movements, eye contact, and the tone. Hence, for the non-verbal communication to be efficacious, both the sender and the coder need to code and decode the messages correctly. These unspoken words help us figure out the implicit references. We use these wordless messages to express emotions, to greet, to accompany speech, and manage interpersonal relations and to project one’s personality.
Non-verbal communication cannot be taught, it can only be learnt and acquired vis-à-vis observations and experiences. Right from our childhood, we start imbibing this skill. We learn to behave and communicate in a certain manner since birth. But as we grow up, we meet different people and start to interpret their ways as well. It can sometimes lead to intercultural miscommunication. Like, the gesture of ‘Thumbs up’ means different things in different countries: In Japan – denotes the number 5, in Nigeria: very offensive. Thus, when it comes to professional intercultural communication, we all need to know these intricacies in order to understand and communicate effectively.