Have you thought about how your body language can be your best friend… or worst enemy?
Don’t believe it? The research speaks for itself. Putting it into percentages, 100% being the whole of your personal communication, research reveals that 55% of what is being received by others corresponds to your body language and physical appearance, 38% to your “paraverbal” communication, which is the tone, pitch and pace at which you are speaking, and a mere 7% is accorded to your actual spoken words.
If these numbers aren’t convincing, let’s think about an example. Who, for instance, appears to be expressing him or herself more sincerely- a person who says to another, “I love you”, while looking to the side or, a person who gazes lovingly at his or her partner?
When we talk about body language, we are referring to posture, gestures and other signals. These include, but are not limited to:
1- facial expressions
2- hand movements
3- the position of your head
4- the placement of your feet
5- gestures and signals with your arms
6- the way you are sitting
7- amount of personal space commanded/needed
Basically, it is your body language that speaks to other people about how you are feeling, what you think of them, what your intentions are, your opinions… all this, without the need to say even a single word. Your body language is essentially a snapshot of your mood and emotions at any given point in time. This has the problem of being a double-edged sword, given that we don’t always want to show others the emotions we are experiencing.
Not surprisingly then, your body language plays a fundamental role in personal communication and has a direct impact on the success or failure in your communication with others. Nevertheless, and despite having such a powerful impact, people are often unaware of their body language and can, in fact, be dominated by it. This is not surprising, given that from the time we are kids, we are taught to speak well, to work on our vocabulary and to conjugate verbs correctly. Basically, the emphasis is on grammar and articulation. Clearly, these aspects of communication are very important for expressing ourselves effectively. What is fundamentally lacking, however, is education in non-verbal communication. Without learning about non-verbal education, we essentially receive an incomplete education which, if not recognized, can impact our professional and personal life experiences.
That said, would you like to learn how to control your body language and how to interpret that of others? If you are wondering….yes! You CAN control your body language; it is simply a matter of learning the significance of your body language so that later you may use it in a conscious manner and according to your objectives in communicating.
Learning more about body language can also deliver immediate physical benefits. For instance, people with low self-esteem need only straighten their posture and lift their chins to instantly give others the impression of having confidence. Remarkably, research shows that they themselves actually feel more confident!
These are just a few reasons why non-verbal communication can be your best friend. Learn to control your body language and use it as a conscious communication tool.
It’s up to you to use your body language to your advantage!
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Marina Fernández, Personal Communication and Image Consultant, Madrid.Founder of PRUEBATE (Personal Image Consultants). Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Master’s in Image Consulting, Master’s in P.N.L., bilingual in Spanish and English, learning Chinese.A bit about me: After working as a consultant in marketing, I decided to start my own business with the goal of taking one of my passions, non-verbal communication, and using my knowledge to help people and businesses improve their personal and professional communication methods. |
| Web: | http://www.pruebate.es/ |
| Linkedin: | http://es.linkedin.com/pub/marina-fernández/19/41b/3b9 |
| Facebook: | https://www.facebook.com/Pruebate |
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Related courses:
Effective Interpersonal Skills
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