Nonverbal Communication & Effective Communication

Effective communication can enhance the relationships within your life. A cornerstone of effective communication is the successful use of nonverbal signals. Appropriate nonverbal communication will allow you to communicate more effectively. People will be able to gain a more in-depth understanding of what you are saying and you will better interpret others' communication.

Significance

According to Stella Ting-Toomey, writing in Communicating Across Cultures, nonverbal communication can be used in conjunction with verbal communication or alone. Nonverbal signals can help you relate to someone on a deeper level than verbal communication is able to do on its own. Using nonverbal communication allows you to complement, emphasize, substitute and contradict the meaning behind your verbal communication, reports Ting-Toomey. Nonverbal signals can be powerful tools to increasing your successful communication skills, thus making your communication more effective.

Types

There are various types of nonverbal communication. They include eye contact, sounds of speech, touch, facial expressions, body posture, space and gestures, reports Help Guide. When you use these types of nonverbal communication techniques together you are able to relay information, feelings and significance.

Misconceptions

Many people believe that we are naturally inclined to understand nonverbal cues and to always use them correctly, but nonverbal signals are learned behaviors and some people are more successful at using them than others. Your cultural background can affect how you use and understand nonverbal signals. According to Ting-Toomey, the types of cultural background influencing your nonverbal usage includes your gender, your socioeconomic status, the country you grew up in, relational distance, your personality and the situation. You learn your nonverbal communication skills from those around you by modeling what they do and adapting based on how others react to you. Therefore, the effectiveness of nonverbal communication can be impeded by differences in cultural background.

Benefits

Successfully communicating through nonverbal techniques will enhance the quality of your relationships because your communication will become more effective. According to Help Guide, effective nonverbal communication will allow you to read the emotions and feelings others are not expressing verbally. It will help enhance others' trust in you because of the transparency nonverbal signals create. Also, effective communication through nonverbal cues demonstrates your interest in the topic and makes others know you care.

Considerations

It is important to remember that if you are not sending the correct nonverbal signals you may be sending confusing and contradictory messages. You may be sending nonverbal signals that say something very different than what you are saying verbally, thus creating the potential for mistrust and confusion, reports Help Guide. Verbal communication can never occur without some form of nonverbal cues, and these nonverbal cues can occur intentionally or unintentionally, suggests Ting-Toomey. Nonverbal messages help you to interpret what others are saying, therefore potentially increasing the effectiveness of your verbal communication, suggests Ting-Toomey.
According to Help Guide, the majority of your communication occurs through nonverbal signals, but using verbal communication effectively is also important. This can be accomplished through the use of "I" statements, through parapharasing and providing verbal acknowledgement of what was communicated.