Nonverbal communication is more crucial than ever to your success. Master it… or be mastered by it!
Research has shown that people with a better understanding of body language are more successful at selling, leading, and getting what they want out of any situation. They are more likely to convince people to trust them and are more likely to be perceived as “charismatic” by others.
Why is nonverbal communication such a tremendous factor for success, and why should you spend extra minutes in your week to master it? Here are three solid reasons why:
1. People lie, but their unconscious actions do not
Sigmund Freud, one of the early believers in the utility of body language, believed, as did many researchers, that although we cannot trust the truth of words, nonverbal behavior often projects the truth. Through gestures and body postures, people express their conscious and subconscious emotions, desires, and attitudes. Body language, therefore, gives us a window into someone’s true intentions, whether they are honest or not.
Intuitively, we can often tell just by looking at someone when they are lying, scared, angry, happy, confident, or upset, but often we come across people we just can’t “read.” A mastery of nonverbal language will give you specific tools to help you identify which gestures, movements, or body parts to focus on when evaluating another person’s honesty and credibility. With this same knowledge, you’ll also know how to use these gestures to communicate honesty, credibility, and trust to the people you’re dealing with.
2. Better communication; better relationships
Did you know that unless we understand non-verbal body language, we are missing up to 50% of the message being communicated? By increasing your knowledge of nonverbal communication, you can read the emotions and attitudes of other people you interact with at home and at work. As a result, you will have a greater awareness of all your interpersonal interactions. This greater relationship and understanding with others leads to greater confidence and productivity.
Studying nonverbal communication can also help improve others’ understanding of you. The better you are able to convey messages so that others receive them as intended, the more effective you will be. Therefore, be very aware of the non-verbal messages you are projecting. You can increase tension and decrease confidence simply by projecting negative body movements or lacking sensitivity when observing the non-verbal communication of others. The “bad vibes” that result can be disastrous for present and future relationships.
3. The language can be mastered
The ability to understand body language is not related to IQ, test-taking ability, or grades one gets in school. Studies show that practice makes perfect. People tested for understanding body language generally score higher on the second and subsequent tests than on their first attempts.
This is perhaps the best reason of all to increase your understanding of nonverbal communication, starting today – you have no excuse not to. Start simply and spend an hour a week reading about body language and/or analyzing the body language that you and others bring to each encounter. In a few months, I guarantee you’ll be consciously shaping your body language to produce the best results!