Communication Goes Beyond Words
Though the earlier blogs would have refreshed your notion of language mastery to go past the words and symbols as they are repositioned in the broader picture of connecting, speaking confidently remains a conundrum confronting many foreign language speakers. Despite the broad literature supporting the importance of non-verbal communication, it is not very easy to outgrow the attachment to wording the message right. The feeling of anxiety and deficiency may still haunt every so often as we worry about making the words spot-on. This phenomenon still exists within advanced language learners, in both speaking and writing.
A frequently cited study by Albert Mehrabian, UCLA’s Professor Emeritus of Psychology: what we say , compared to our tone of voice and body language accounting for 39% and 55% respectively, in scenarios where we communicate feelings and attitudes. In some communication courses and training resources, a common misinterpretation of Mehrabian’s finding is that over 90% of communication is non-verbal, creating the illusion that non-verbal signals are far more important than words. To debunk Mehrabian’s formula, simply remember that while the non-verbal plays a role in communication, they do not dominate our communication or outweigh words. To put Mehrabian’s finding in the study’s context, in situations where words and non-verbal messages conflict, people tend to believe in the non-verbal.
You would know how important first impressions are. The 7/11 rule illustrates this: on average people will form 11 impressions of you within the initial 7 seconds of meeting, assessing whether you're likable, competent and trustworthy. First impressions are more heavily influenced by nonverbal cues than verbal cues.. A 2011 Forbes article cited studies to show that nonverbal cues are over four times more impactful on the impression you create than what you say. Therefore, it pays dividends to advance your understanding and command of non-verbal languages as they can complement your words which may not be flawless and do you better justice where words fall short. I will briefly introduce
