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3 Essential Elements of Body Language In Non Verbal Communication

Body language is synonymous to communication skills, just as a power point slide is to your presentation. It is a form of non verbal communication and includes bodily gestures, facial expressions, posture and eye movement. More than 90% of communication is non verbal, which is why it impacts others more than what you say.

To master this aspect of communication, you need to understand whether your body language is attracting or turning people away. Here are three important aspects that you need to understand in order to improve your body language:

Making direct eye contact

Eye contact is very important factor in non verbal communication. The eyes are certainly windows to the soul, with which others can see whether you are happy, sad, angry, excited or tensed. Ensure that you make direct eye contact while you communicate. Avoid staring. Shifty eyes indicate dishonesty, disinterest and avoidance.

Eye contact is a direct measure of your self esteem. This is especially true in business communication. You have to be self confident and honest in order to get this first aspect of body language right.

Having a warm and genuine smile:

The second indicator of good body language lies in exuding a warm and genuine smile. This projects openness and leaves a lasting impression upon others. Some people find it difficult to smile because of facial rigidity – practicing a wide smile a couple of times in front of a mirror every morning can help to relax the muscles.

A smile helps you to look more pleasant and approachable. This is important in communication, since it encourages the other person to speak or listen, thereby ensuring free flow of thoughts.

Maintaining the correct posture

Correct posture not only aids in your health, but also helps in improving your communication skills. Slouching can portray boredom, disinterest or just bad body language. Either way, it does not reflect confidence and can end up working against you. Performing stretches at regular intervals after sitting for long hours can help flex your body, improve posture and relax muscles.

Eliminating body stiffness will in turn help in making your presence felt. Standing tall, sitting straight and walking with sure and measured steps all go a long way in projecting a strong individual. Body language hence helps to play an important role in enhancing the effectiveness of interpersonal communication. A speaker can incorporate certain hand gestures and maintain the right facial expression to increase the reach of the message to the audience.

In communication, a significant amount of non verbal expression takes place. Almost a testimony to what you speak, it is important to communicate a single thought. More than acting the way you speak, it is important to train yourself to speak the way you act. This means that your body language should be a mere reflection of your thoughts and words. With practice, it is possible to perfect it in a way that will showcase your confidence and honesty – two factors that define lasting success in today’s world.

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This article was authored by Pramila Mathew, M.Ed, MBA, an executive coach who helps individuals, groups, teams and organizations find the right solutions in the workplace. MMM Training Solutions conducts soft skills training and executive coaching anywhere in the world. We guarantee the effectiveness of our training.

You may reprint this article by requesting permission from: pramila.mathew@mmmts.com