section three non-verbal communication

Vocational Education and Training Training Toolbox Series

Student Manual ICA11v1.0 Information, Digital Media & Technology

Cert. 1, 2 & 3 ICA10111, ICA20111, ICA30111

Workplace Communication Section Three

Non-Verbal Communication

Copyright 2011 EdSonic Publications Pty Ltd PO Box 975 COWES VICTORIA 3922 All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the written permission of EdSonic or an authorised representative.

Authored by Robin Lick

PUBLISHED IN AUSTRALIA

INTRODUCTION This manual is designed to be used by the student as further learning materials in conjunction with any classroom presentation and supplemented by the classroom presentation handouts. The materials in this manual is cross referenced in the classroom presentation handouts by page numbers. This allows the student to source additional information to that which was presented in the classroom. Alternatively, the teacher may instruct the student during any presentation to review the materials in this manual by referring the relevant page numbers

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SELF ASSESSMENT

At the end of each section you, the student, will be asked a series of YES and NO questions. If any question is unclear our you have answered NO, then you are encouraged to review the materials in that section again. The Self Assessment section is indicated with an icon.

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NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION Section Learning Objectives Page 6 Section Introduction Page 7 Analysing Non-Verbal Communication Page 8 Types of Body Language Page 9 Parts of the Body Used in Communication Page 18 Gestures Page 10 Personal Space Page 26 Voice Qualities Page 27 Personal Image Page 28 Punctuality Page 29 Environment Page 30 Section Summary Page 31

SECTION 3—NON—VERBAL COMMUNICATION

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6 SECTION 3 – NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION

WHAT OUTCOME CAN YOU EXPECT FROM THIS SECTION? After completing this section you will understand the effectiveness of non-verbal communication and how use appropriate non-verbal communication techniques in the workplace. You will also know how to analyse non-verbal signals used by others when communicating.

SECTION LEARNING OBJECTIVES On completion of this section you will learn:

How to analyse non-verbal communication of both speakers and listeners How to react appropriately to non-verbal communication signals How to use appropriate non-verbal communication in the workplace


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7 SECTION INTRODUCTION

Non-verbal communication supports or enhances the spoken communication and reinforces the message. Non-verbal communication can also describe our personality, moods or feelings. Non-verbal communication includes:

Body movement Physical characteristics Touch Voice qualities Space Accessories Environment

* Non-verbal messages include: Personal type messages – relate to certain personal traits or habits of the person. One person may tap his pencil or click his pen out of habit, while another may tap his foot when anxious. Cultural type messages - are common to a certain group of people and are picked up by others in the group unconsciously. Universal type messages – are used by all persons in one form or another. For example, everyone, no matter who, knows how to show happiness and sadness. Random type messages – are unrelated to the verbal message and usually unintentional and at times distracting from the verbal message. For example, a sales assistant may be saying something very serious about how important it is to be healthy, then suddenly sneeze or cough.

* ‘The Business Communication Handbook’ (Dwyer 6th ed.) pg 24


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8 ANALYSING NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION Non-verbal communication sends messages to others through our actions, facial expressions, gestures, posture and appearance. On page 24 through to page 27 the author of the textbook ‘The Business Communication Handbook’ (Dwyer 6th ed.) outlines the following are the various types of non-verbal communication: BODY MOVEMENT Movement of the hands, feet, head, legs, posture, eyes, and facial expressions. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Body shape, physical appeal, body and breath odours, weight, and hair/skin colour. TOUCH Stroking, hitting, holding or guiding the movements of another person by touching them. VOCAL QUALITIES How something is said, rather than what is actually said. Tone of voice, pitch level and volume control. SPACE Personal space. The non-verbal message is generally how the person reacts about being close to or having someone else within their personal space. This may vary between gender, age, status and cultural background. ACCESSORIES Clothing, clothing accessories, eyeglasses, hairstyle and colour, jewellery, make-up and perfumes. These are used to convey non-verbal messages about self-concept, image, mood, feelings or style. ENVIRONMENT Office layout, training room, surrounding noise, temperature, lighting, colour, furniture and artwork. The environment can greatly affect the communication process. OTHERS Specific sounds, smells, touch and tastes. These are widely used in the retail and hospitality industries.


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9 TYPES OF BODY LANGUAGE Body language comes in clusters of signals and postures, depending on the internal emotions and mental states. Recognising a whole cluster is thus far more reliable than trying to interpret individual body movements. Below are the common types of body language clusters:

Aggressive Attentive Bored Closed Deceptive Dominating Evaluating Greeting Open Ready Relaxed

Let’s look at each one in some detail. .


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10 AGGRESSIVE A significant cluster of body movements is used to signal aggression. Much aggression can be shown in the face, from disapproving frowns and pursed lips to sneers and full snarls. The eyes can be used to stare and hold the gaze for long period. They may also squint, preventing the other person seeing where you are looking. Aggressiveness is also shown by clenching of fists and anger signs such as redness of the face. Invading the space of the other person in some way is an act of aggression that is equivalent to one country invading another. When you go inside the comfort zone of others without permission, you are effectively invading their territory. Touching the person is another form of invasion and aggressiveness. Even touching social touch zones such as arm and back can be aggressive. There are many, many gestures that have the primary intent of insulting the other person and hence inciting them to anger. The size of gestures may also be used to signal levels of aggression, from simple finger movements to whole arm sweeps, sometimes even with exaggerated movements of the entire body. ATTENTIVE When you are in conversation or otherwise attending to what others are saying or doing, your body sends signals to the other person as to how interested you really are. Attentive body language sends a strong signal of real and deep interest that is both flattering and likely to result in reciprocal attention. A person who is attentive is first of all listening. This can be of varying intensity though attentive listening is deep and interested. If a person ignores distractions, from telephone calls to other people interrupting, then they send strong signals that say 'I am interested in you'. Leaning slightly towards a person suggests they want to be able to hear everything that is said. An attentive head may be tilted slightly forward. It also may show curiosity when tilted to the side (although this may also indicate uncertainty). An attentive person looks at the other person without taking their gaze away. Concentration may also be shown in the forehead as the eyebrows are brought together as the listener seeks to hear and understand the other person. Nodding shows agreement and also encourages the other person to keep talking. Fast nodding may show impatience, whilst a slower nod indicates understanding and approval.


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11 BORED When a person is bored, they whole body is telling you. A bored person looks anywhere but at the person who is talking to them. They find other things to do, from doodling to talking with others to staring around the room. They may also keep looking at their watch or a wall clock. Bored people often repeat actions such as tapping toes, swinging feet or drumming fingers. The repetition may escalate as they try to signal their boredom. A person who feels that they are unable to act to relieve their boredom may show signs of tiredness. They may yawn and their whole body may sag as they slouch down in their seat, lean against a wall or just sag where they are standing. Their face may also show a distinct lack of interest and appear blank. CLOSED Closed body language is sometimes misinterpreted as indicating defensiveness. In a closed positions one or both arms cross the central line of the body. They may be folded or tightly clasped or holding one another. Lighter arm crossing may include resting an arm on a table or leg, or loosely crossed with wrists crossing. Varying levels of tension may be seen in the arms and shoulders, from a relaxed droop to tight tension and holding on to the body or other arms. Legs likewise can be crossed. Legs may also wrap around convenient other objects, such as chair legs. When legs are crossed but arms are not, it can show deliberate attempts to appear relaxed. This is particularly true when legs are hidden under a table. The head may be inclined away from the person, and particularly may be tucked down. There can be several reasons for closed body language. When we feel threatened, our body language becomes defensive. We use closure to place the barriers of our arms and legs across in front of us to subconsciously defend ourselves. We also may be subconsciously signalling to the other person that we are not a threat to them. Thus the held-in arms show that we are not aggressive and looking away from them removes the aggressive staring. Closing also may serve the purpose of hiding something that we do not want the other person to see. Holding the body still prevents it from betraying our thoughts. Looking away prevents the other person from seeing our expression that may show dislike or lying. And we also cross our arms and legs when we are relaxing. It can just be a comfortable place to put our limbs. We may look away because we are thinking, nothing more.


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12 DECEPTIVE When a person is seeking to trick or deceive you, there are many different body signals they may use. A deceptive body is concerned about being found out and this concern may show. A deceptive person is typically anxious that they might be found out so they may send signals of tension. This may include sweating, sudden movements, minor twitches of muscles (especially around the mouth and eyes), changes in voice tone and speed. In order to avoid being caught, there may be various signs of over-control. For example, there may be signs of attempted friendly body language, such as forced smiles (mouth smiles but eyes do not), jerky movements and clumsiness. There would likely be switching between open body language and defensive body language. The person may also try to hold their body still, to avoid tell-tale signals. For example they may hold their arms in or put their hands in their pockets. A person who is trying to deceive needs to think more about what they are doing, so they may drift off or pause as they think about what to say or hesitate during speech. They may also be distracted by the need to cover up. Thus their natural timing will be off and they may over or under-react to events. Anxiety may be displaced into actions such as fidgeting, moving around the place or paying attention to unusual places. DOMINATING Dominant body language is related to aggressive body language, though with a less emotional content. The body in dominant stances is generally open and hands on hips makes the elbows go wide and make the body seem larger. Also standing upright and erect, with the chin up and the chest thrust out and legs placed apart are used subtly to increase size. A dominant person is likely to invade personal space for example getting too close to them. Other actions include sitting on their assigned chairs, leaning on their cars, putting feet up on their furniture and being over-friendly with their friends or partners. A dominant person may ignore or interrupt another person who is speaking or turn away from them. Much dominance can be shown in the face, from disapproving frowns and pursed lips to sneers and snarls (sometimes disguised as smiles). The eyes can be used to stare and hold the gaze for long period. They may also look anywhere but at the other person, effectively saying that 'you are not even worth looking at'. Faces can also look bored, amused or express other expressions that belittle the other person. Dominant people often smile much less than submissive people. A classic dominant handshake is with the palm down, symbolically being on top. Another form of dominant handshake is to use strength to squeeze the other person and holding the other person's hand for longer than normal.


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13 EVALUATING A cluster of body movements happens when a person is thinking, judging or making some decision. The classic signal of evaluation is the ‘steeple’ hands which are clasped together, either looking like they are praying, with both hands pressed together, or with linked fingers and with index fingers only pointing upwards. The fingers pointing upwards may touch the lips. Another common evaluative movement is stroking, often of the chin but possibly other parts of the face. Other evaluative signals include pursing lips, stroking the side of the nose and (if worn) peering over the top of eye glasses. The body is usually relaxed and open. The person seems to be unafraid or worried. However there is also a level of concentration, perhaps with pursed lips and an intense gaze. The chin may be resting in one or both palms. There can be several reasons for evaluating body language. A person who is evaluating may be making an important decision. If they are buying from you, they may be close to the point of closure. In their decision-making, they may be judging. Perhaps this is you, something you are saying, or something that was presented.


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14 GREETING There are many possible components of greeting as the styles vary significantly across social groups and cultures. Greeting is a ritual that paves the way for other appropriate interaction. Formality is often an important factor, and when you move from a formal greeting to an informal greeting is an important factor in development of a friendship. Too early and it is an insult. Too late and it you may be considered arrogant or distant. The most common greeting in business and many social situations is the handshake.

Handshake variables include: Strength (weak - strong) Temperature (cold - hot) Moisture (damp - dry) Fullness of grip (full - partial) Duration (brief - long) Speed (slow - fast) Complexity (shake - dance) Texture (rough - smooth) Eye contact (prolonged - intermittent - none)

A firm grip shows confidence, whilst a limp grip may indicate timidity, particularly in men (women may be expected to be more gentile). Palm down indicates dominance and a feeling of superiority. Palm sideways indicate equality. Palm up indicates submission. Bowing is also a formal greeting and used in many cultures. Bowing variables include:

Lowering (slight - very low) Pivot (head - waist) Duration (short - long) Gender style (bow - curtsey)

If eye contact is maintained during a bow, it can signify either mistrust or liking. Looking down as you bow indicates submission, although this also can just be a formal action.


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15 The female variant on the bow is the curtsey, which again can be a full sinking to the floor or a slight bob. Similarly to bowing, this puts the person lower than the other person and into a position of greater subtle vulnerability.

The face is used a great deal in sending greeting signals, and accompanies other greeting activity for example saying: Smiling: I am pleased to see you. Frowning: I am angry with you. Raised eyebrows: I am surprised to see you. Eyebrows together: I do not know your name. Looking down: I am inferior to you. Expressionless: I do not care about you.

Eye contact is particularly important in greeting and is usually held for a socially prescribed period. Prolonged eye contact can indicate both affection and dominance. Little or no eye contact can indicate timidity, dislike or dominance.


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16 OPEN Open body language is sometimes misinterpreted as being relaxed. Many times a person will use an open body language and then switch to closed depending how he/she is reacting to the other person’s communication signals. The open stance has arms and legs not crossed in any way. Arms are not crossed, held wide and may be animated and moving in synchronization with what is being said. Palms are also relaxed. Open hands show that nothing is being concealed. Open legs are not crossed. Often they are parallel. They may even be stretched apart. The head may be directed solely towards the other person or may be looking around. Eye contact is likely to be relaxed and prolonged. Clothing is likely to hang loosely and actions to loosen clothing may take place, such as removing a jacket and unbuttoning a collar. READY A ready body is poised for action. Any part of the body may be pointing at where the person is thinking about. This may be another person or the door. This may be as subtle as a foot or as obvious as the whole body leaning. Eyes may also repeatedly flash over in the intended direction. The body is tensed up and ready for action. If sitting, hands may hold onto armrests in readiness to get up. Legs are tensed ready to lift the body. Things in the hand are gripped. Attention is away from everything except the intended direction. Where there is movement, it is in preparation for further movement. Legs uncross. Hands grab bags, straighten clothing, and so on. The whole body leans in the intended direction. There can be several reasons for ready body language. The person may want to leave. Perhaps they have another appointment. Perhaps they are uncomfortable with the situation and just want to get out of there. When a person is ready to buy, then they may send readiness signals. They point at the thing they want to buy.


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17 RELAXED A relaxed body lacks tension. Muscles are relaxed and loose. Movement is fluid and the person seems happy or unconcerned overall. Shoulders are not tensed up and generally hang loosely down. Relaxed limbs hang loosely. Relaxed hands hang loose or are used to enhance what we are saying. They are generally open and may shape ideas in the air. Gestures are open and gentle, not sudden nor tense. Legs when sitting may sit gently on the floor or may be casually flung out. They may move in time to music, with tapping toes. They may be crossed, but are not wound around one another. Breathing is steady and slower. This may make the voice a little lower than usual. The voice sounds relaxed without unusually high pitch and without sudden changes in pitch or speed. The colour of the skin is generally normal, being neither reddened by anger or embarrassment, nor pale with fear. There are no unusual red patches, for example on the neck or cheeks. There are major signs of a relaxed person in their face. The person may smile gently or broadly without any signs of grimacing. Otherwise the mouth is relatively still. When talking, the mouth opens moderately, neither with small movements nor large movement. The eyes smile with the mouth, particularly in the little creases at the side of the eyes. A relaxed gaze will look directly at another person without staring, and with little blinking. Eyebrows are stable or may move with speech. They do not frown. When the head moves, it is smoothly and in time with relaxed talk or other expression.


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18 PARTS OF THE BODY USED IN COMMUNICATION On the previous pages we discussed the types of body language, specifically ‘clusters’ of body movements, meaning various parts of the body being used in unison to communicate. Signals can also be sent using single body parts and over the next few pages we look at some of those parts and the signals they can send. The main parts of the body that communicate are:

Head Arms Torso Legs


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19 HEAD The head comprises of the face, cheek, chin, mouth, lips, teeth, tongue, nose, eyes, eyebrow, forehead, and hair. A lowered head covers the neck with the chin and hence can be a defensive posture. Lowering the head also lowers the eyes and hence can be a sign of submission. Sometimes, lowering the head is just a sign of tiredness. The head is rather heavy and a tired person's head will sag. A single short lowering of the head can be an abbreviated nod. When the head is low, raising it may be a sign of interest as the person moved to looking at the point of interest. This is typically accompanied by other expressions of interest such as raised eyebrows. From a level position, a quick flick upwards can be a sign of query. Raising the head and looking at the ceiling may signal boredom. It may also indicate a visual thinker who is looking at internal images. Another type of raising the head is where a person wants to focus on the sound and is thus averting the eyes in order to concentrate on the sound. Tilting the head sideways can be a sign of interest, which may be in what is said or happening. Tilting can also indicate curiosity, uncertainty or query, the greater the tilt, the greater the uncertainty or the greater the intent to send this signal. A tilted head pulled back tends to indicate suspicion, as the uncertainty of the tilt is combined with a defensive pulling back. Nodding up and down signals agreement in most cultures and may well be accompanied by smiling and other signs of approval. Turning the head from side to side usually indicates disagreement or disapproval. A nod can be used when emphasising a point. The face has around 90 muscles in it, with about 30 of these purely for expressing emotion. It can thus be used to send many non-verbal signals.


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20 Below is a chart describing some facial features and the signals they can send.


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21 ARMS The arm is comprised of the elbow, hand and fingers. Arms held still is often the first place the deceiver starts when trying to control body language and at times they may even hold one arm with the other to keep them both still. Arms are often subconsciously used as expanding devices that can make us bigger or smaller, reaching out without having to move the rest of our body. Arms are used to describe sizing by literally showing other people how big or small the a thing is. When we are excited or confident, we may wave our arms about and when we are less confident, we hold them closer to the body. A typical two-arm-raising gesture shows frustration, and coupled with a shrug it indicates confusion. Arms when they are crossed, form a ‘closed’ body stance, subtly blocking out others. Crossed arms also indicate anxiety which is either driven by a lack of trust in the other person or an internal discomfort and sense of vulnerability. When arms are not crossed the person, is signifying openness and comfort that often indicates trust. When seated, putting elbows on the table may indicate a relaxed state. The head may thus be propped up by cupped hands.


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22 After the face, hands probably are the richest source of body language. It is very important to note that gestures with the hands vary significantly across cultures and an 'innocent' hand signal can get you arrested in another country. (We look at gestures later in this section) A hand signal may be small, perhaps mirroring subconscious thinking. It may also be exaggerated or done with both hands to emphasise the point. Cupped hands can symbolise delicacy or hold a fragile idea. Gripping can show possessiveness, ownership and desire (the tighter the fist, the stronger the feeling). Hands may also hold the self, such as when people hold their own hands, typically for comfort. Wringing the hands indicates more extreme nervousness. Fist shapes and movements are often symbols of inner aggression. When moved towards a person, even a small amount, they signal aggression towards that person. A shaking fist signifies a strong desire to strike someone. Punching the air indicates triumphal excitement. Holding imaginary objects as they are talked about can show importance. Hands can carve the air, shaping what the person is talking about or meaning. They can thus create visual metaphors out of literally nothing. A hand with palm down may figuratively hold or restrain the other person. This can be an authoritative action ('Stop that now') or may be a request ('Please calm down'). This also appears in the dominant hand-on-top handshake. A palm facing outward towards others fends them off or pushes them away in a more obvious way than the palms-down signal. Hands are often used in greetings. The most common form of greeting is shaking hands, of which there are many different forms. Hands can hide things. When people do not want to hear something, they put hands to ears. When they do not want to look, they cover their eyes. When they want to say something but feel restrained, they put their hands to their mouth. A hand may also cover an open mouth, which may be opened in such as surprise or a yawn. Rubbing the hands together can mean that the person is cold. It also means the person is feeling particularly gleeful about something. Hands wrapped around the cheeks with elbows on the table indicate a heavy head and the person may be sleepy or bored.


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23 Fingers are very flexible and allow for subtle gestures. A pointing finger indicates direction. The thumb may be used to point to something behind as it is jerked over the shoulder. People who are angry tend to point more, including at themselves and at those who they feel are to blame. Drumming or tapping the fingers can indicate frustration; it may also mean that the person drumming wants to leave. Creating shapes with fingers can be misinterpreted as being rude. Later in this section we look at some finger gestures and what they mean in some countries.


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24 TORSO The torso is comprised of the neck, shoulder, chest, and the back. The shoulders, although they have limited movement when compared with other parts of the body, can be used to convey various signals. Holding the shoulders in a raised position is common if the person is aroused in some way. Shoulders hunched up can be a sign of tension, often from anxiety or fear. Curving the shoulders forward happens naturally when arms are folded. When curled forward with the hands down this reduces the width of the body and can thus be a defensive posture or a subconscious ‘closed’ position. The classic shrug, with one-off raising and lowering of shoulders usually means 'I don't know!' and may be accompanied with raised eyebrows, down-turned mouth, and hands held to the side, with palms upwards or forwards. A small and quick shrug may send the same signal but be performed subconsciously and thus can indicate uncertainty or lack of understanding. We often carry tension in the shoulders and a person who is truly relaxed will have their shoulders held low, with arms that can move naturally, without jerkiness and swinging free. Turning shoulders is a key part of turning away. If a person turns their shoulders whilst still looking at you, it probably means they want to leave. Pushing the shoulders back forces the chest which is a posture is used when the person wants to demonstrate strength or power. The chest can also send a few non-verbal body language signals. The chest expands and contracts with breath. When the person is breathing deeply, then the chest moves more. We also breathe deeply when we are experiencing intense emotions or when the body is held rigid, then breathing is more difficult and short breaths are more likely and may indicate tension. The neck can be rotated, both horizontally and vertically, thus giving our head several degrees of freedom and the ability to look in many directions. Rotating the neck is useful for extending the range of vision. It can also be used deliberately to send a signal that the person is giving or removing attention. There are also major muscles at the side and back of the neck and rubbing these indicates tension, which may well be anxiety. The back, which includes the spine and the rear of the torso, sends out very little non-verbal body language and is probably the 'least communicative' part of the body. Turning fully around thus sends the loudest possible non-verbal signal from the back, basically meaning that there is no desire to communicate.


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25 LEGS Legs can say a lot without us really realising. In particular when a person is trying to control their body language, they typically concentrate on the upper body. The legs may thus tell what they are thinking. If the legs and upper body are in conflict, then there is a possibility of deliberate control. Legs, which are held apart when standing, provide a stable base for the person. Standing with feet about the width of the shoulders is a normal, relaxed pose. Slightly wider indicates that the person feels grounded and confident and may be a signal of power and dominance. Sitting with slightly open legs is a relaxed position, showing the person is comfortable. One or both legs may be flopped down sideways as far as they can go. When the person is standing with feet together (or less that a relaxed shoulder-width) then this may display anxiety. A fully-closed standing position has knees touching. Increased ‘closed’ position may be indicated by the person turning slightly to the side, leaning forwards a little or pulling the hips back. When sitting, a closed position has the knees held gently or tightly together, depending on the anxiety level. As with arms, crossing legs can be a sign of uncertainty and being negative, shielding the person from other people and their ideas. Tension may be seen in crossed legs and greater anxiety leads to legs held more rigidly and which move more jerkily. Crossing legs when standing can be an indication of shyness and may be accompanied with hands held behind the back and a lowered head. Crossing legs is much easier when sitting and can take several different forms. Crossing ankles is a minimal cross and can be fairly relaxed, especially when the legs are stretched forward and the person is leaning back. An ankle cross with legs tucked under the chair can indicate concealed anxiety. The anxiety may be more obvious if the person is leaning forward. Crossing knees may indicate greater anxiety or defensiveness, particularly if the legs appear tense and even more so if one leg is wrapped firmly around the other. A crossed leg may bounce up and down or a knee waving sideways can indicate impatience.


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26 GESTURES Gestures are often used to illustrate a message or used to add emphasis to a message. The meaning of some gestures can vary according to different cultures.

Some people use hand gestures used to substitute words or phrases, including stop, come here, no, yes, or OK.

Hand and arm gestures can further illustrate spoken words like tiny, large, or over there.

Emotional messages are expressed through gestures. Folding of the arms usually illustrates someone defensive or rude, while many people will open their eyes or mouth in surprise, or shake their head in disbelief.

Gestures provide feedback to verbal communication. For example, a nod of the head shows that the listener understands

and/or agrees, while shaking of the head usually indicates disagreement.

Automatic gestures are sometimes evident in more stressful situations. For example, many people, when confronted with fear, will place a hand over in mouth to cover a scream, others will wave the arms to gain attention in an emergency, and again many people will cover their head with their arms when anguished.


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27 PERSONAL SPACE

One’s personal space can affect how a verbal conversation takes place, and often plays a part in the willingness of the parties to participate in a conversation. In simple terms, personal space refers to how close each person is to the other when carrying on a conversation. The use of personal space or the acceptance of a person in their space depends on a person’s relationship with the other, the mood the person is in, or the environment in which the conversation may be taking place. If the relationship is intimate, then there will be closeness. Conversely, if the relationship is professional or businesslike, there will be more space between the participants. Some environmental factors can determine the amount of space used, for example, counters or desks can separate those having a conversation, while a crowded room or office will leave participants with no other option but to be close.


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28 VOICE QUALITIES How a person says something can have as big an impact on the listener as what is said. A voice can vary in:

Volume Clarity Emphasis on words Speech habits (filler words) Tone (can often illustrate emotion)


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29 PERSONAL IMAGE How an employee looks in the workplace is also a very important component of non-verbal communication. Personal image is more than just the clothes you wear. It includes:

The type/size of the clothes (and whether or not they fit) The cleanliness/neatness of the clothes The suitability of accessories and jewellery Personal hygiene Posture Grooming

Different workplace environments require different standards of dress and personal presentation. Some businesses provide uniforms or protective work wear (coveralls, embossed shirts, jackets, boots etc.). These need to be kept clean and ironed. Others have set policies on attire and grooming. It is important that employees are familiar with any policies that the employer may have regarding attire, uniforms and grooming. Not only is the employee’s image at stake, but also the employer’s image. Special care and attention to personal image will benefit a person in many ways, including job promotions, respect from customers, good referrals, and their own self-esteem.


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30 PUNCTUALITY All employers expect employees to be at work on time. If a person is invited to a meeting or has appointments with customers, it is important that they arrive on time. Those who are constantly late for work or appointments create a bad impression of themselves and lose the confidence of their employer or customers. Conversely, being on time, or ahead of time, shows enthusiasm and motivation, which is a much better impression to strive for.


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31 ENVIRONMENT How an office or workplace is laid out has a strong message to send to a customer or visitor. Company’s spend often a substantial amount funds on their corporate image, using location, office design, logos and marketing collateral to enhance their image. All these are non-verbal communicators More importantly it how you keep your work area that sends a non-verbal message. A clean desk and a tidy office or work area bring up the appearance of a person that has things organised smoothly. This is a benefit when you have people coming in your office or work area, your boss, your subordinates or whomever. It sends a positive non-verbal message.


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32 SECTION SUMMARY You will have learnt the meaning of non-verbal communication and what non-verbal communication comprises of. The use of non-verbal communication in the workplace is important and plays a large role in the communication process. Non-verbal communication plays a big role in your image as well. Attention to speaking habits, personal appearance and punctuality are major factors in creating a positive image for yourself.


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SECTION THREE ANALYSING NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION Can you recall some of the types of non-verbal communication? What a person wears expresses non-verbal messages about themselves. Do you know what some of these accessories would be? TYPES OF BODY LANGUAGE Do you know how to identify the clusters of the following types of body language:

Attentive? Closed? Dominating? Greeting? Ready?

PARTS OF THE BODY USED IN COMMUNICATION Can you describe how the following parts of the body can communicate by sending signals:

Head? Arms? Torso? Legs?

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DID YOU LEARN? THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ARE YES AND NO QUESTIONS. IF YOU CANNOT ANSWER YES TO EACH QUESTION IT IS SUGGESTED YOU REVIEW THE MATERIAL AGAIN.


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DID YOU LEARN? THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ARE YES AND NO QUESTIONS. IF YOU CANNOT ANSWER YES TO EACH QUESTION IT IS SUGGESTED YOU REVIEW THE MATERIAL AGAIN.

GESTURES Gestures provide feedback to verbal communication. Can you recall other expressions and why they’re used? PERSONAL SPACE Do you understand how ones personal space can express many different relationships etc? STATUS Can you give an example of how a persons status can be conveyed in an office in a non-verbal manner? PERSONAL IMAGE A personal image is expressed in more than just the clothes worn. Can you recall some of these? PUNCTUALITY Do you understand the reasons why a person must be punctual in the workplace? ENVIRONMENT Can you remember some of the factors that should be considered in the layout of a store?

section three non-verbal communication

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