Download What Are We Really Saying? Non-verbal

What are we really “saying”?
Non-verbal communication in advising
Mississippi Advisors Meeting
Dr. Allison Pearson
Professor of Management
Mississippi State University
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008
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Advising Students
Advisor
Message
Student
Take Action
Make
Decision
Question
What is the appropriate
atmosphere for advising
interactions?
2
Advising Context

What is the appropriate atmosphere
for student growth & development?
What is the tone we want to set?



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I’m here to help you.
I care about you/your problem.
I’m listening.
I want you to succeed.
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Face-to-Face Advising


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Highest in information richness
Words are important
Documents are important


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
Curriculum Sheets
Transcripts
Policies
What about what we don’t “say”?
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Non-words?
Actions?
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An estimated 65-90% of the
meaning in a message is
conveyed through nonverbal
communication.
Nelson & Quick, 2006
1. Advisor Question: Am I sending a clear &
intended message to the students I advise?
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Non-verbal communication
includes all non-word
communication.
2. Advisor Question: Do my word & non-word
messages to students match?
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Non-Verbal Communication

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Facial & Eye Behavior
Use of Space
Body Movements & Posture
Variations in speech
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Non-verbal Communication?
Test of the old adage:
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
3. Advisor Question: What message do my
actions, i.e., non-verbal communications,
send to my students?
4. Advisor Question: How will these non-verbal
messages influence student behavior &
decisions?
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What is he
“saying”?
Would his nonverbal
communication
influence how you
interact with him?
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What is she
“saying”?
Would her nonverbal
communication
influence how you
interact with her?
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Facial & Eye Behavior


Face & Eyes add cues/emphasis for
receiver of message.
Face often gives unintended clues of
“real feelings” of the sender.

Eye Contact (US): honesty, truthfulness,
forthrightness, paying attention.
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Facial & Eye Behavior

Other common Facial/Eye Behaviors –
what message do they convey?

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Smiling: __________
Frowning: ___________
Scowl:__________
Rolling Eyes: _________
Pursed Lips: __________
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What do the
eyes say?
What do the
facial
expressions
say?
5.
Advisor Question: What message do my eyes and facial
expression send to my students?
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Identify this eye
behavior
a. Stink eye?
b. Skunk eye?
c.
Snake
eye?
Stink Eye, Snake Eye, or Skunk Eye!
What is the message?
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Use of Space

“Don’t invade my space!”

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Intimate Distance: 1-1.5 feet
Personal Distance: 1.5-4 feet
Social Distance: 4-12 feet
Public Distance: >12 feet
6. Advisor Question: At what distance do advising
encounters often take place? What does that
distance communicate?
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Use of Space in Advising


Pull people in closer: may open up
more because you have invited them
into your personal space.
Move people further apart: may clam
up because space seems more formal.
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What does the use of
space communicate in
these images?
7.
Advisor Question: What use
of space is appropriate to
effectively communicate
with students?
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Body Movements & Posture

Common Body Movements: What
message do they convey?
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
Rubbing hands together with sharp intake
of breath: _____________
Tight fists, hand wringing: ____________
Rubbing temples: ___________
Drumming fingers or pacing: _________
Slumped over, head down: __________
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What message do
these gestures
convey?
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8. Advisor Question: What do you
want your body movements and
gestures to say to your
students?
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Paralanguage

Variation in speech, such as pitch,
loudness, tempo, tone, duration. What
do these convey:



Rapid, loud words: __________
Cluck of tongue: ___________
Sharp, shrill, rapid words: ___________
9. Advisor Question: What message do we want our
paralanguage to communicate to our students?
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Say What? Do what?
Advisor “says”
Student “hears” Student reaction
1. Little eye contact with
student. Advisor may be
on phone; on computer
2. Advisor fails to
acknowledge greeting or
question
3. Rolls eyes
4. Smiles; makes eye
contact; listens even
though phone is ringing.
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Why does non-verbal communication matter
in advising?
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Am I sending a clear & intended message to the students I
advise?
Do my word & non-word messages to students match?
What message do my actions, i.e., non-verbal
communications, send to my students?
How will these non-verbal messages influence student
behavior & decisions?
What message do my eyes and facial expression send to my
students?
At what distance do advising encounters often take place?
What does that distance communicate?
What use of space is appropriate to effectively communicate
with students?
What do you want your body movements and gestures to say
to your students?
What message do we want our paralanguage to communicate
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to our students?
Non-verbal
communication
messages used to
enhance Advising
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Advising Goal:
Communicate
effectively through
every possible means
to support, encourage,
educate, correct, and
guide student behavior
How to achieve
goal:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Take stock of your
non-verbal habits
Evaluate if habits
send the
appropriate
message.
If not, break the
habit.
If so, use them for
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emphasis.