10 NONVERBAL SKILLS TO KNOW
by: Remie Longbrake | published: January 29, 2023
Nonverbal communication is when a person expresses their thoughts, feelings, and mood through visual rather than verbally.
These visual signals include;
- Facial expressions
- Eye contact
- Tone of voice
- Touch
- Posture
- Personal space
These physical signals are essential, especially if you are looking to impress an employer with your interpersonal skills.
If you think about it, it makes sense why people are reliant on and trusting of nonverbal communication. Long before being able to talk, you would have spent your early years making sense of your world through nonverbal communication. Most babies (up to two years of age) exclusively rely on facial expressions and gestures to communicate their needs.
It is not surprising that many researchers claim nonverbal communication accounts for anywhere between 70% to over 90% of all adult communication. Without getting too technical, nonverbal communication involves both conscious, semiconscious and unconscious elements:
- Conscious: For example, stand up to shake hands
- Semiconscious: Illustrative gestures and other movements that help you articulate an idea, but you use them automatically, without conscoious thought
- Unconscious: Nonverbal cues that are so subtle and momentary that you are entirely unaware of them. These can be anything from posture and positioning to micro facial movements and fleeting eye contact
Much of what we communicate nonverbally is received unconsciously by other people in the room.
These are great nonverbal communication skills to use
1. Eye contact
How many times have you heard your eyes ‘speak the truth’ or that they are ‘the window to the soul’? This is because the eyes convey a message from the emotional part of the brain, near the neocortex.
Eyes (and eyebrows) are the primary nonverbal cues you will consciously or unconsciously use to communicate with others.
If you think about it, most people will connect with their eyes first before talking at a
business networking event.
Having good eye contact in an interview is essential. It shows your interest in the role,
your character and your credibility.
2. Good posture
From our shoulders to our toes, how we position ourselves is far more critical than you
may think in nonverbal communication. When you stand up tall and push your shoulders forward, you send out a message of self-confidence and authority. The same applies if you are seated at an interview.
It would be best if you sat up straight. Your gaze should be at eye level with the interviewer and your weight should feel balanced with your feet on the floor.
3. Firm handshake
Touch is incredibly important when communicating, and a handshake is often the only appropriate form of physical contact in business, so it is best to have a good one.
The handshake conveys a lot as a nonverbal cue. It should be firm and not too limp. A strong handshake is one that involves complete palm to palm contact.
If nerves have got the better of you before an interview and you have clammy palms, you
can visit the restroom or make sure you have a tissue to wipe them discreetly. Keeping your hands open rather than clasped will also help and show that you are relaxed.
4. Listening
When your words and nonverbal cues match up and mirror the person in front of you, you convey that you are sincere and interested. If you are not listening, this is almost impossible to do.
You will want to pay attention to what the interviewer or your coworker has to say and take time to digest it before moving on to the next point. This is called active listening, where you concentrate on the detail of what is being said rather than just passively hearing words.
People who are good at active listening in an interview will blend the skill with other senses. While acutely listening to the words of the interviewer, they nod in all the right places, maintain eye contact and ask relevant questions.
5. Show that you’re interested
Using nonverbal communication to show your interest will positively reinforce that you are engaged in the conversation.
When a person is engrossed in something that genuinely interests them, they will unconsciously lean in. Lean forwards just a fraction so that you provide a nonverbal cue that you are listening.
It is not just the upper body that can be used as a nonverbal sign, though. If more than one person is interviewing you, it is a good idea to slightly rotate your body to face them when they are speaking.
Although it is good to know that you are not overrunning, it is best not to keep checking the clock. Likewise, try not to yawn or rub your eyes. These indicate a restless mind and can come across as being uninterested.
6. Positive facial expressions
Facial expressions are a compelling way to communicate with someone visually.
According to body language expert and author Patti Wood, a person can swap more than 10,000 nonverbal cues in under a minute. Think about how many that is in a one-hour interview. Even the slightest relaxation of the jaw, flicker of an eyebrow or nod of the head will show positive engagement.
7. Vocal tone
Keep an even tone to your voice within the workplace unless you are delivering a presentation or sales pitch where you will want to be more animated. Remember, too loud and you will appear overbearing, too quiet and you will come across as shy or not a good communicator. If you are unsure how you sound, practice with a friend or family member.
8. Use your body
Gestures help us to clearly articulate what we have to communicate. Most often made by the hands and face, they help crystallize our thoughts.
Most of us subconsciously use our right hand to show that we are providing information and our left hand to show we have received information. Unless you are left-handed, in which case the reverse may be true.
9. Maintain personal space
While this may seem like a strange one to include, how we converse with people is primarily defined by personal space. It is one of the most important types of nonverbal communication to master.
Some people are tactile and enjoy sitting close to their colleagues, where others are horrified at the thought of contact. After all, we are all different.
When speaking with a colleague or meeting your potential employer for the first time, it is best to keep outside of their personal space. As a rule, intimate space is up to 18 inches and personal space up to 4 feet.
10. Professional appearance
How you present yourself in the workplace is an important aspect of nonverbal communication. It reflects on you as an individual and also the company as a whole. If you are dressed too casually, it can suggest that you do not care about rules and expectations or do not take your responsibilities seriously.
If you are going for an interview, it is always best to dress formally. At work, dress according to the corporate culture; usually, this is business casual, but some industries require much more formal attire.
In closing
The best advice is to be the best version of yourself. If you feel confident and are in a good mental space, your body will convey this. With this in mind, try not to overthink the types of nonverbal communication you use. It is great to be self-aware, but you will want to keep things natural.
Best of luck!