BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION – CHAPTER 3

NEHA MUNGAL
 CHAPTER OUTCOMES
AFTER WORKING THROUGH THIS CHAPTER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO:

• Determine the importance of non-verbal communication in relation to

business practice.
• Effectively outline the advantages and disadvantages of verbal
communication.
• Effectively differentiate between the various nonverbal cues.
• Successfully explain the relationship between nonverbal communication
and culture within a business.
 INTRODUCTION
• Non-verbal communication refers to the transmission of information by means
other than language. It is the basis of all interpersonal communication. Most
people are unaware or not sensitive to non-verbal cues. However, it is important
to become aware of the importance of these cues.
It is necessary to be aware of non-verbal cues for the following reasons:

• In a new situation, it is generally the first impression about someone that helps
people make up their minds about strangers. People do make judgements from
all sorts of superficial cues, for example, assuming that a person wearing glasses
is very intelligent. We may use things like facial expressions, eye-contact, voice,
the way they are dressed etc. Non-verbal stereotypes are also used to judge
people. Using these stereotypes when communicating can cause conflict or
trouble.
 IMPORTANCE OF NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION

• Expression of the Speaker’s Attitude

These include physical movements, facial expression, a way of expression etc. play an important
role in expressing the inner meaning of the messages in face-to-face conversation and interview.
For example, the facial expression of the speaker indicates his attitude, determination depth of
knowledge etc.

• Providing Information Regarding the Sender of The Written Message

The format, neatness, language and the appearance of the envelope used in a written message
send a non-verbal message regarding the writer’s tests, choice, level of education etc.

• Expressing the Attitude of the Listener and Receiver

Sometimes the appearance of the listeners and receivers conveys their attitudes, feelings, and
thoughts regarding the messages they have read or heard.
 IMPORTANCE - CONTINUED
• Gaining Knowledge about a Class of People
Clothing, hairstyle, neatness, jewellery, cosmetics, and stature of people convey impressions
regarding their occupation, age, nationality, social or economic level, job status etc.
For instance, students, policemen, nurses etc. can easily be identified through their dress.

• Gaining Knowledge about the Status of a Person

Non-verbal cues also help determine the relative status of persons working in an organisation.
For example, room size, location, furnishings, decorations, lightings etc. indicate the position of a
person in the organisation.

• Communicating Common Message to All People

In some cases, non-verbal cues can effectively express many true messages more accurately than
those of any other method of communication.
For example, the use of red, yellow and green lights and the use of various signs in controlling
vehicles on the roads.

• Communicating with the Disabled

Non-verbal cues of communication greatly help in communicating with disabled people.
For example, the language of communication with the auditory-impaired depends on the
movements of the hands, fingers, and eyeballs.
 TYPES OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
SILENCE
Silence is a powerful tool for communication. It may have a positive or negative meaning. In a classroom,
silence indicates that students are listening carefully and attentively. In the same way, through silence one can
communicate his lack of interest or a failure to understand. For example, silence often indicates that a person
receiving instruction does not understand the action required or sometimes silence indicates consent.

PARA-LANGUAGE

▪ Tone - is a vocal sound; a particular quality, way of sounding, modulation, or intonation of the voice as
expressive of some meaning, feeling, spirit, etc. style or manner of expression in speaking or writing.

▪ Pitch - position of a single sound in the complete range of sound. Sounds are higher or lower in pitch
according to the frequency of vibration of the sound waves producing them.

▪ Rhythm - strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.

▪ Timbre - the characteristic quality of a sound, independent of pitch and loudness, from which its source or
manner of production can be inferred.

▪ Loudness - strongly audible; having exceptional volume or intensity.

▪ Inflection - modulation of the voice; change in pitch or tone of voice.

 KINESICS
Refers to our body movements during our interactions with other people. It covers the way
we walk and sit, how we stand in relation to others, and our arm and hand movements.

For instance, entering a room with an upright posture, and looking people in the eye
would give the impression that you are ready to talk and work with others, whereas if you
entered stiffly, avoiding looking at people, they would assume that perhaps you are
having a bad day and do not want to interact with them, or that you are shy or insecure.

Posture when delivering a speech or talking to a group can be more subtle and give
negative messages. If your manager crosses his/her arms and stands up to conduct a
meeting, it gives the impression that he is putting up a barrier and asserting his authority.

Hand movements also make the audience feel more involved in what the speaker is
saying. Here are some gestures to watch out for :
• Body language
• Facial Expression
• Eye contact
• Touch
• Space
• Personal Appearance
 • GESTURES

Gestures are movements of the arms, legs, hands, and head. For example: Alike facial expressions,
interpretations of some gestures also differ across cultures. In Europe, for instance, raising thumb is used
to convey that someone has done something excellent while in Bangladesh the same gesture means
something idiotic.

• POSTURE AND BODY ORIENTATION

You communicate numerous messages by the way you walk, talk, stand and sit. Standing straight, but not
rigid, and leaning slightly forward communicates to others that you are approachable, receptive and
friendly. Furthermore, interpersonal closeness results when you and your audience face each other.
Speaking with your back turned or looking at the floor or ceiling should be avoided; it communicates
disinterest.

• BODY LANGUAGE

Body movements can convey meanings and messages. Body language may take two forms of
unconscious movements and consciously controlled movements.

For example: When a person is bored, he may gaze around the room rather than look at the speaker
or he may shift positions frequently. When a person is nervous, he may bite his nails or mash hair. These
are usually made unconsciously. On the other hand, leaning forward toward the speaker to express
interest is the case of conscious body movements.
 • FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

It expresses the type of emotions or feelings such as joy, love, interest, sorrow, anger,
annoyance, confusion, enthusiasm, fear, hatred surprise, and uncertainty.

Facial expressions are indicated through the mouth (open, wide or closed), eyelids (raised or
lowered), nose (wrinkled or relaxed), cheeks (drawn up or back) and the forehead (lowered
or raised). Within the facial area, eyes are especially effective for indicating attention and
interest. However, interpretations of facial expressions differ from culture to culture.

SMILING IS A POWERFUL CUE THAT TRANSMITS: Happiness, Friendliness, Warmth, Liking, Affiliation

Thus, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable, friendly, warm and
approachable. Smiling is often contagious, and the audience is likely to react favourably and
be attentive.

• EYE CONTACT

Eye contact, an important channel of interpersonal communication, helps regulate the flow of
communication and it signals interest in others. Furthermore, eye contact with audiences
increases the speaker’s credibility. Speakers who make eye contact open the flow of
communication and convey interest, concern, warmth, and credibility.
 • TOUCH
Touch is a widely used form of non-verbal communication tool. The kind of touch referred to
here can convey various messages, for example, aggression, sympathy, love etc. Touching
while communicating varies according to culture. But generally, we would not touch a stranger
while communicating with him/her. Some people may be habitual ‘touchers’ when engaging in
a conversation, which may be irritating if taken to an extreme level.
Touching a person on the elbow or shoulder to gain attention or to interrupt is seen as
acceptable. Touches to the cheeks and head are very personal as they are strong signals of
affection. By touching, one can express a wide range of emotions. However, the accepted
modes of touch vary depending on the gender, age, relative status, intimacy and cultural
background of the persons.
• PROXIMITY
The principle of proximity is the tendency for people to form social relationships with
individuals who are physically closer to them. Proximity means how physically close an object
or person is to you. People who are around each other more are more likely to develop a
social relationship. Cultural norms dictate a comfortable distance for interaction with
individuals.
You should look for signals of discomfort caused by invading someone’s space. Some of these
are: Rocking, Leg swinging, Tapping, Gaze aversion
Increasing proximity enables you to make better eye contact and increases the opportunities
for communication.
 • DISTANCE OR PROXEMICS
Distance is a communication tool that expresses the degree of intimacy and individual
acceptance. Also known as proxemics, it is where people differentiate, personal, intimate
and social spaces.
Proxemics is the study of the amount of space or the distance we maintain between
others and ourselves while communicating. Proxemics studies people’s use of space and
how they react to space around them.

• SPACE OR TERRITORIALITY
Space and distance are significant non-verbal tools in the case of organisational
communication. A spacious and well-decorated room indicates a person’s position in the
organisation’s hierarchy and external people get a message about his/her importance
and authority only by visiting his/her room.
As humans, we have developed our own form of this ‘marking’ by defining our spaces
with personal possessions. We may try to expand our personal space by surrounding
ourselves with books or bags.
In an open plan office for example, we define ‘our’ space by the furniture that we use.
An employee who has his/her own office would regard the office as his/her space and
would be upset if anyone invaded his/her space unannounced or without invitation. It is
therefore important to be sensitive to other people’s territories.
 • HUMOUR
The use of humour is often overlooked as a communication tool, and it is too often not
encouraged due to the possibility of improper use. Laughter is known to release stress
and tension for both parties involved in the communication process one should develop
the ability to laugh at oneself and encourage others to do the same. It fosters a friendly
environment that facilitates communication.
• ENVIRONMENTAL APPEARANCE
The appearance of the physical environment in which we work can affect us positively
or negatively. Things like the colour of the walls, paintings, plants, office furniture, and
carpets all contribute to the ‘feel’ or energy of the room.
• PERSONAL APPEARANCE
Appearance includes dress, hair, jewellery, makeup and so on. Appearance indicates the
degree of importance or interest a person conveys to an occasion. Through uniform, we
can identify a student, a doctor, a lawyer, a police officer etc.
In an organisation, one’s dress is observed to see whether it conforms to accepted
standards of appearance. As an example, workers may wear different clothes when
they are on strike than they do when they are working.
 • SYMBOL
The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may
be a symbol for “Stop”.
On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for
numbers. Personal names are symbols representing individuals. A red rose symbolises
love and compassion.
• VISUAL COMMUNICATION
When communication occurs using visual aids, it is known as visual communication.
Thus, communication that occurs through facial expression, personal appearance,
gesture, posture, printed picture, sign, signal, symbol, map, poster, slide, chart, diagram,
graph etc. is called visual communication.
For example, to indicate ‘Danger’, we use red sign; to mean ‘Dangerous’, we use a skull
placed between two pieces of bone put in crosswise fashion; to indicate ‘No smoking’,
we use an image showing a lighted cigarette with a cross mark on it.
 • DANCE
Dancing is an art of performing various movements using body parts to convey a story
or message non-verbally. Dance forms can be both traditional and modern.
Some classical dance forms give us messages about history through repetitions of
movements. At the same time, modern dance can convey various social issues happening
globally at present or give us a romantic appeal.
• CHRONEMICS
Chronemics is the study of the use of time in nonverbal communication. The way that an
individual would perceive and value time, structure our time and react to time is a
powerful communication tool, and helps set the stage for the communication process.
“Chronemics includes time orientation, understanding and organization; use of and
reaction to time pressures; learned awareness of time; wearing or not wearing a watch;
arriving, starting, and ending late or on time.”
The way someone values and perceives time plays a considerable role on his or her
communication process. The use of time can affect lifestyles, personal relationships, and
work life. Across cultures, people usually have different time perceptions, and this can
result in conflicts between individuals. Time perceptions include punctuality, interactions,
and willingness to wait. Three main types of time are used in chronemics: interactive,
conceptual, and social.
 ADVANTAGES
• Complementary - Non-verbal cues complement a verbal message by adding to its
meaning. You can pat someone you offended at the back as you say sorry to him
or her.
• Easy presentation - Information can be easily presented in non-verbal
communication by using visual, audio-visual and silent means of non-verbal
communication.

• Substituting - Non-verbal message may substitute for the verbal message

especially if it is blocked by noise, interruption, long distance etc. for instance,
gestures -finger to lips to indicate need for quite, facial expressions - a nod instead
of a yes.
• Repeat - Used to repeat the verbal message (e.g. point in a direction while stating
directions)
• Reducing wastage of time - The message of non-verbal communication reaches the
receiver quickly. For this reason, it reduces the wastage of valuable time of the
communicator.
 ADVANTAGES - CONTINUED
• Help to illiterate people - This type of communication use gestures, facial expressions,
eye contact, proximity, touching etc. and without using any spoken or written word.
So, it is most helpful for illiterate people.

• Help to disabled people - Non-verbal cues of communication greatly help disabled

people especially those who are deaf. They people exchange message through the
movements of hands, fingers, eyeball etc.

• Attractive presentation - Non-verbal communication is based on visual, picture, graph,

sign etc. that can be seen very much attractive.

• Quick expression of message - Non-verbal cues of communication like sign and

symbol can also communicate some messages quicker than written or oral messages.
 DISADVANTAGES
• Vague and imprecise - Non-verbal communication is quite vague and imprecise. Since in this
communication, there is no use of words or language that expresses clear meaning to the
receiver. No dictionary can accurately classify them. Their meaning varies not only by culture
and context but by the degree of intention.

• Continuous - It is possible to stop talking in verbal communication, but it is generally not

possible to stop nonverbal cues. Also, spoken language has a structure that makes it easier
to tell when a subject has changed, for instance, or to analyse its grammar.

• Long conversations are not possible - In non-verbal communication, long conversation and
necessary explanations are not possible. No party can discuss the specific issues of the
messages.

• Difficult to understand - Since it uses gestures, facial expressions eye contact, touch etc. for
communicating with others, not everyone will find nonverbal communication easy to
understand.

• Costly - In some cases, non-verbal communication involves huge cost. For example, neon
signs, power point presentations, cinemas etc. are very much costly compared to others form
of communication.
 DISADVANTAGES - CONTINUED
• Distortion of information - Since it uses gestures, facial expressions, eye contact,
touch, sign, sound, paralanguage etc. for communicating with others, there is a great
possibility in distortion of information in non-verbal communication
• Not everybody prefers - Everybody does not prefer to communicate through non-
verbal communication. Sometimes, it cannot create an impression upon people or
listeners. It is less influential and cannot be used everywhere. It cannot be used as a
public tool for communication.
• Lack of formality - Non-verbal communication does not follow any rules, formality or
structure like other communication. In most cases, people unconsciously and habitually
engaged in non-verbal communication by moving the various parts of their body.
• Culture-bound - Non-verbal communication is learnt in childhood, passed on to you
by your parents and others with whom you associate. A few other gestures seem to
be universal. Evidence suggests that humans of all cultures smile when happy and
frown when unhappy. However, most nonverbal symbols seem to be even further
disconnected from any “essential meaning” than verbal symbols. Gestures seen as
positive in one culture (like the thumbs-up gesture in the USA) may be seen as
obscene in another culture.
 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NON-VERBAL
COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE
• Communication is a part of every business, both internal and external versions. Global
leaders must be able to recognise and be aware of cultural differences.
• Many nonverbal cues are inherited and learned, so they come naturally to us. So,
leaders must work at removing or positioning themselves to project positiveness in global
communication.
• The powerful nature of nonverbal communication is very much misjudged for its
importance in business. Many individuals believe that they aren’t communicating
nonverbally, when in reality they are doing just that.
• They have no idea that being quiet or changing posture is transmitting something to the
recipient of this communication. This very type of communication can be the difference in
getting the deal over the line or perhaps stalling it.
• Further proving that nonverbal communication is often misjudged for its relevance in the
communication process and can easily be misinterpreted if the other person’s
understanding of the gesture means something totally different in their culture.
 CONCLUSION

In this chapter, we discussed nonverbal communication. We looked at the

importance of nonverbal communication in business as well the several
types/classifications of nonverbal communication. We then highlighted the
advantages and disadvantages of nonverbal communication. Lastly, we
examined at the relationship between nonverbal communication and culture
within the business sphere.