How to improve non-verbal gestures?

Relationships are built on effective communication. Good communication will do wonders in both your personal and professional life. Both the verbal and non-verbal communication should be used perfectly to send the right message intended. Unfortunately many don’t recognize the power of non-verbal gestures and how they affect their audiences. The truth is that non-verbal gestures are all people take from a conversation; if they depict a different message than what you say then people will not believe you. If you however master the non-verbal gestures; what message they convey then you will be able to convey and sell in whatever situation to whomever.

  • What is the non-verbal gestures?

Interaction with people is a moss code of many non-verbal gestures. Our bodies unknowingly and unconsciously give off the message of what we may be thinking at that time. It is something beyond our control sometimes but knowing what message your body is trying to convey will do you some favors to help shape your verbal communication to a more believable message.

How we talk, sit, stare is a whole different discussion that tells a lot about what we are thinking or the message intended to be passed on. Many times we try to pass on a message to a superior be it your boss or work supervisor and we totally fail. Despite our good intentions, our body language lets us down conveying totally a different message from what we actually want to. The listener has to choose what message that appeals more to them and most cases sub-consciously they choose the non-verbal gestures.

  • Types of non-verbal gestures and what they are intended to mean

It is a pattern of body parts working in harmony to convey one message. The only way of improving non-verbal gestures is identifying what they are in the first place. The following are the few common gestures that people look out for during communication.

  1. Touch

Touch is quite an important gesture that you can’t afford to misuse. Touch can do a lot to depict compassion, care, trust and understanding. Actions like a squeeze of the shoulder, tap on the wrist, firm handshake and others. Think of what they mean or how your listener might understand them before applying them.

  1. Hand gestures

Our arms do a lot of communicating than we intend sometimes. Different arm locations can send messages like disinterest, disappointment, interest, amusement. Folding arms can come off as a sign of disinterest for example.

  1. Eye contact

There is a saying, “the eyes are the windows to one’s soul”. The saying is practically true, whereas the rest of your body could send entirely unintended messages. The eyes are accurate on what is lingering in your mind. The way you look at a person will tell them exactly what is going through your mind. Messages of interest, attraction, disappointment, disgust and others are often depicted in one’s eyes.

  1. Body positioning and demeanor

Postures like stance, leaning, stance, hands back of the head. The way you move or react around someone when talking to them will send them a message of what you think about them.

  1. Facial gestures

The face tells it all. Feeling of anger, surprise, sadness, fear and disgust all can be seen on the face with a lot more easily unlike the other parts of your body. Facial expressions are the whole skeleton behind any kind of communication. The truth is you could say a lot more with your face than your mouth.




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