Download Does our nonverbal communication influence how effectively we are

For example…You might
wave your hand to simply
say “Hello.”
Does our nonverbal
communication influence
how effectively we are
able to communicate with
others?
Did you realize that 90% of
our communication is nonverbal?
At times, we send negative
nonverbal signals without
being aware of what we are
doing. It is important to be
familiar with the various
forms of nonverbal
communication to help
reduce this from occurring.
Think about the nonverbal
cues you use day to day. Is
your nonverbal
communication helping or
hurting you?
Types of nonverbal
communication and body
language include:
Facial Expression:
Whether you are smiling or
frowning conveys the
emotions you may be
feeling at that specific point
in time.
Gestures:
You might use a variety of
movements of various parts
of the body to
communicate a particular
message.
Body Language and
Posture:
The way you move and/or
carry yourself has an impact
on what you might be
trying to communicate.
Do you have a habit of
crossing your arms? STOP
and THINK; does crossing
my arms send the message
I want to convey?
Eye Contact:
Your eye contact can
express interest level,
affection, hostility or
attraction to whomever you
might be speaking.
Touch:
We use touch in both our
personal and professional
lives. It is a way of
communicating affection,
familiarity, sympathy and
other emotions.
Space:
Consider how you feel
when someone is violating
your personal space.
For example… if someone
is leaning on your
wheelchair.
Do you give some sort of
indication he or she is
invading your personal
space?
Voice:
It is important be aware of your
tone of voice, pitch, inflection,
volume, rhythm, and stress
while you are talking.
Effective communication is
a critical part of building a
successful personal and/or
professional relationship.
Again, it is important to
remember the majority of our
communication is nonverbal.
Think about a message you
recently gave. Did the nonverbal
cues positively or negatively
affect your message?
Remember, our facial expression,
gestures, body language, eye
contact, space, and tone of voice
have a significant impact on how
we communicate effectively with
others.
Nonverbal communication is just
as important as our verbal
communication.
Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury
or Spinal Cord Disease who may
be receiving SSDI or SSI and wish
to work might consider calling a
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Certified Vocational
Rehabilitation Counselor.
Contact information:
Cristina Mousel, MS CRC
Vocational Rehab Counselor
Office:
804-675-5155
Toll-Free:
1-866-752-8105
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.operationpave.org