Non-Verbal Communication

Managerial Communication – EMBA-1

Presenters: Sameer Ahmed, Sabir Qureshi, Iftikhar Khokhar, Abdullah Latif

1
Contents of Presentation
• What is non-verbal communication?
• Difference between verbal and non-verbal communication
• Importance of non-verbal communication
• Types of non-verbal communication
• Forms of non-verbal communication
• Tips for improving non-verbal communication

2
What is Non-Verbal Communication
• Non-verbal communication has been defined as
communication without words.
• It includes apparent behaviours such as facial expressions,
eyes, touching, and tone of voice, as well as less obvious
messages such as dress, posture and spatial distance between
two or more people.
• A communication where action speaks louder than words.

3
• According to the social anthropologist, Edward
T. Hall, in a normal conversation between two
persons, less than 35% of the social meanings is
actually transmitted by words.
• So, at least 65% of it is conveyed through the
body (non-verbal channel).

• Prof. Albert Mehrabian introduced a new

communication model in which only 7% is
verbal communication, and the remaining 93%
is non-verbal that include 55% body language
and 38% tone of voice (The way you present
your words).
4
Difference between Verbal and Non-Verbal
Communication
• Verbal and non verbal are all types of communication. But the
difference between them is that we use our voice in verbal
communication and we use body signs in non-verbal communication.
• Both verbal and non-verbal communications are mostly interconnected
and they operate together in communication.

5
Imporatance of Non-Verbal
Communications
Non-verbal communication plays a significant role in our lives;
• It can improve a person's ability to relate, engage, and establish
meaningful interactions in everyday life.
• It may lead people to develop stronger relationships with others. It;
• Adds value to verbal communication
• Helps overcome cultural barriers
• Helps communicate with the nonliterate or people with a hearing disability
• Increases workplace efficiency
• Reinforces trust and credibility

6
Types of Non-Verbal Communications
• There are generally two types of non-verbal
communications:
• Intentional non-verbal communication
• Like pointing finger, smiling, clapping etc
• Un-Intentional non-verbal communication
• Like tapping feet, sleepy eyes during lecture etc

7
Forms of Non-Verbal Communications
1. Kinesics – Body Movement
2. Paralanguage or Para Linguistics – Oral aspects of sound
3. Proxemics – Distance between communicator and audience
4. Oculesics – Eye contact
5. Olfactics – Sense of Smell
6. Chronemics – Timing/Use of Time
7. Chromatics – Message through Colours
8. Silence – Message through Silence
9. Sign Language – Predefined symbols/signs
10. Dressing/Outlook
8
Kinesics
• The study of body movements, gestures, facial expressions,
etc., as a means of communication
• Eye Contact
• Facial expressions
• Gesture
• Posture
• Touch

9
Kinesics: Eye Contact
• Staring- challenges
• Glances - socially acceptable timing
• Appraisal- may indicate interest

Eye contact can also establish the nature

of a relationship

10
Kinesics: Facial Expressions
• Facial expressions reflect emotion, feelings and attitudes.
• There are 6 universal emotions
• Surprise
• Fear
• Sadness
• Anger
• Happiness
• Disgust

11
• The silent films of Charlie Chaplin is a good example of
communication by facial expressions and human behaviour.

12
Kinesics: Gestures
• Gestures of a person include attitude or
movements. For example, when a boy is sad he
may droop his head and walk slowly or, if a girl is
happy, she might run and jump or stand up straight
and put her hands in the air.
• Gestures communicate loud and clear! If you fail
to gesture while speaking, you may be perceived as
boring, stiff and unanimated. Gestures such as head
nods indicate that you are listening.
• Gestures do not mean the same thing in all cultures

13
Kinesics: Postures
• You communicate numerous messages by
the way you walk, talk, stand and sit.
• Sitting with your legs crossed and elevated
foot moving in a slight circular motion
indicates boredom or impatience.
• Interest and involvement are usually
projected by sitting on the edge of the chair
and leaning slightly forward.

14
Kinesics: Touch
• Refers to communicating through the use of bodily contact
• When used properly, touch can create feelings of warmth and
trust
• When used improperly, touch can betray trust and cause
annoyance
• Touch can communicate power, empathy, understanding

15
Paralanguage or Para Linguistics
• This type of non-verbal communication includes non word characteristics of language
• Speech behavior such as:
• Pitch
• Stress
• Timing
• Pauses
• Emotional tone of voice
• Accent
• Speech errors (um, err)
• Speed of speech
• Interruptions
• Fast speech often indicates anxiety
• Slow speech is often assumed to mean low levels of intelligence
• Interruptions are usually natural, but can be forced (butting in) and there are gender
differences

16
Proxemics
• Distance individuals maintain between each other
while interacting and its significance
• Intimate-Physical contact/touch to 1.5 feet e.g. with
our family members, closest friends and selected
people
• Personal-18 inches to 4 feet e.g. normal conversations
with close friends, colleagues, associates and visitors
• Social-4 to 12 feet. Used mostly for formal purposes
• Public-12 feet to as far as we can see and hear

17
Oculesics
• Study of eye-contact as a form of non-verbal
communication.
• Eye contact is the most important cue
• Avoiding eye contact considered as insecure,
untrustworthy
• Direct eye contact may be misinterpreted as hostility,
aggressiveness
• Lowering eyes in China and Indonesia-sign of respect.
They prefer indirect eye contact, prolonged eye
contact is seen as sign of bad manners
18
Olfactics
• The study of sense of smell
• Someone’s smell can have a positive or negative effect
on the oral message
• Perceptions of odours/scents
• Good
• Bad
• Yucky!

19
Chronemics
• The study of the use of time in nonverbal
communication.
• The way we perceive time, structure our time and react
to time is a powerful communication tool, and helps
set the stage for the communication process.
• Attitudes toward time vary from culture to culture.

20
Chromatics
• Communication of messages through colours
• It is a scientific movement which explores the physical properties of
colour and the effect of colour on humans
• The connotations colours have may be positive or negative depending
on the culture
• In US common to wear black when mourning, in India people prefer
white
• In Hong Kong red is used for happiness or luck and traditional bridal
dress; in Poland brides wear white

21
Silence
• Another important aspect in communication
• When we are silent, we are also communicating! What we communicate
depends on what kind of silence it is.
• Mostly subject of conversation plays major role in this
• The more emotionally loaded subject is, the more silence we need
• Silence in group conversations are difficult to be handled for lot of people
• The Japanese also like periods of silence and do not like to be hurried. Such
Japanese proverbs as, “Those who know do not speak - those who speak do
not know,” emphasize the value of silence over words in that culture.

22
Sign language
Visual Signs
• Crossed bones under a skull as a danger signal
• Cross over a cigarette as warning against smoking
• Lights-green or red at traffic points, railway stations,
outside operation theatre of hospital, revolving light on
the top of VIP vehicle/ambulance

23
Dress and Grooming
• A general impression of the encoder or decoder is
communicated by his / her dress, makeup and
appearance.
Example:
• If an interviewee is not attired properly fails to
impress the interviewer and may not get the job,
even if he is well-qualified.
• Some organization insists their managerial staff
to wear ties, while on duty in office.

24
Improving Non-verbal Communication
Skills
• When sending messages
• Be conscious of nonverbal behavior
• Be purposeful in use of non-verbals
• Make sure non-verbals are not distracting
• Match verbal and nonverbal communication
• Adapt to the situation
• When receiving messages
• Don’t automatically assume
• Consider gender, culture and individual differences
• Pay attention to all aspects of nonverbal communication
• Use perception checking
25
Thank you!

26