There is a reason that the most important meetings in any business, government or even family typically take place face to face. While a person’s words and tone can be heard and interpreted in an email or over the phone there is a lot of nonverbal communication that can only be received by being in the same room as another person. Body language can often tell you more about a person’s actual feelings and intentions regarding a particular situation than any words could ever hope to. While it is easy for a person to craft their sentences to mislead you, it is harder to get your eyes, your face and your posture to do the same. This is why understand non-verbal communication is very important to career success.
One to one meeting
Nonverbal communication can be something as simple as a wink or a nod and something as complex as how often someone blinks, or what direction they glance in when they tell you something. When we were kids, we were all told to stand up straight and look our parents in the eye when we were answering their questions. This was because our parents, whether they realized it or not, were giving us early lessons in body language. By looking someone straight in the eye, we are forced to meet their gaze, which makes us more apt to tell the truth. Standing up straight and maintaining good posture also lessens the chance that we will embellish the story we are telling.
Group meeting
If you have ever observed people in a group, at a gathering such as a party, then the odds are you have seen a great deal of nonverbal communication. Looking around the room you probably saw a woman with her arms crossed defensively across her waist, a man with his shoulders slumped and another who keeps checking his watch. You instinctively know that these three individuals would rather be anywhere but where they are. If you were to walk up to the woman with her arms crossed and say something like “Great party, huh?” you would know that she was lying if she said “Yes.” At the same time, you might see a pair of women talking who frequently touch one another on the arm as they talk. These women are enjoying their conversation and are relaxed and at ease.
Nonverbal communication can tell you a lot about how a person truly feels about another person or about any topic. It will let you know is the person is telling the truth or just try to deceive you. Learning what different types of body language tell you can help guide your responses and aid you in becoming a better communicator. And this is a critical skill for your career success.