Fortunately or unfortunately, our words are not the ones that say the most about ourselves; nor our intentions. are the different non-verbal language classes those that carry the greatest load of information. But what is non-verbal language?
What is non-verbal language.
It’s “our body movement, voice nuance, body position, facial expressions, and the choice and movement of objects to communicate,” says Patti Wood, author and body language expert. She is known for appearing in different media giving her opinion about the body language of celebrities and public figures.
As we can see, non-verbal language does not refer only to the movement of the body. There are several kinds of non-verbal language…
Non-verbal language classes.
- Kinesic: Body movement, postures and facial expressions.
- Paralanguage: Timbre, intensity, pitch and style of the voice.
- Prosody: Characteristics such as intonation, rhythm, and emphasis on words.
- Vowels: Vocalizations beyond words, such as moans and sighs.
- Haptics: Language related to touch.
- Proxemics: Use and perception of physical space.
- Chronémics: Use of time.
- Olfactory: The message of pheromones and other scents.
- Objects: The use and movement of objects such as cigarettes or cell phones.
- Technique: For Patti this category gathers text messages, time between them, text font, writing style, distance between words and size of letters.
Next we will see how non-verbal language works, but first, we would like to ask you a favor. Simply vote from 1 to 5, to see how you have found this article so far. Thank you!
How non-verbal language works.
The emotional part of our brain, the limbic system, is in charge of controlling most kinds of non-verbal language.
Just as we do not make the decision to cry or be afraid; we also don’t decide to put our shoulders together when we feel inferior. The messages that our non-verbal communication sends are much more sincere and hence the importance of knowing what our body and that of others says; especially in business.
Great leaders understand how successful people behave, and this makes it easier for them to recognize the nonverbal language of those around them.
Why it is important to know the classes of non-verbal language.
We will start with a very important reason: how we feel is evident in our body, but our body language can change how we feel! Click and find out why.
So being aware of our posture can make us get the most out of different situations. For example, these 6 postures will make you project more leadership.
It is also important to know non-verbal language to better read our customers, partners and employees.
“For example, in a sale the prospect says, ‘yeah, let’s get on with it!’ but his arms and legs are crossed with one of his feet pointing towards the door… your non-verbal cues from him are sending a different and much more sincere message than his words,” says Wood.
In the same way, having knowledge of the classes of non-verbal language and of everything that our words stop saying; It is vital to make a better impression in a negotiation.
Evidence of the importance of non-verbal language.
If you still have doubts, say the following expressions with a different intonation, intention, facial gestures and body positions:
- I am sorry.
- You did it!
- Let’s do what you decide.
According to our non-verbal language, the messages can be infinite for the same words. And considering that we can form 80% of the first impression about something or someone in less than 100 milliseconds; we must be aware of how objects and words accompany our body.
Factors that influence the first impression.
Wood assures that there are 4 factors that influence the first impression:
- Credibility.
- Sympathy.
- Attraction.
- Can.
We can enhance all of them if we use our non-verbal language well and thus have more advantage in a negotiation.
Remember to use the space you have available, make eye contact, be the first to speak, and safely shake hands.
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can read our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
