Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Nonverbal Communication
We’ve already employed a little bit of nonverbal communication
Verbal Communication with the active listening skills we’ve previously discussed:
Verbal communication is perhaps the most obvious and nodding, facial expressions, leaning toward the speaker to
understood mode of communication, and it is certainly a show interest—all of those are forms of nonverbal
powerful tool in your communication toolbox. Put simply, communication. Body language can reinforce your spoken
message or it can contradict it entirely.
verbal communication is the sharing of information
There’s a myth that says that when you speak, only 35 percent
between two individuals using words. of your communication is verbal and 65 percent of it is
Spoken versus Written Communication nonverbal. That’s not entirely true because so much depends
While we typically focus on speech while talking about on the context and situation. It is, however, absolutely true that
verbal communication, it’s important to remember that nonverbal communication can make or break your message.
Here are some types of nonverbal communication and the
writing is also a form of verbal communication. After all, effects they can have on the success of your communication:
writing uses words too! Facial expressions: Your teenage cousin we referred
Imagine for a moment that you’re a college student who is to at the beginning of this section might have told you
struggling with material in a class. Rather than simply he was happy, but his apathetic facial expression may
giving up, you decide that you’re going to ask your have communicated different information. Facial
expressions—happy, sad, angry—help you convey
instructor for the guidance you need to make it through your message. Be aware of your facial expression
the end of the semester. Now, you have a few choices for when you talk and particularly when you listen, which is
using verbal communication to do this. You might choose when it’s easy to forget.
to call your instructor, if they’ve provided contact Gestures: When you speak, a gesture can make your
information, or talk to them in person after class or during message stronger. Pointing out something you want
your listener to look at more closely is an example of
office hours. You may take a different approach and send nonverbal communication that makes your message
them an email. You can probably identify your own list of understood. Motioning warmly toward a coworker who
pros and cons for each of these approaches. But really, deserves special recognition, making a fist to show
what’s the difference between writing and talking in these frustration or anger, such gestures help further engage
situations? Let’s look at four of the major differences your audience when you speak.
between the two: