The Impact of Body Language On Professional Success

Dr. Albert Mehrabian, author of Silent Messages, conducted several studies on nonverbal communication. He found that 7% of any message is conveyed through words, 38% through certain vocal elements, and 55% through nonverbal elements (facial expressions, gestures, posture, etc). Subtracting the 7% for actual vocal content leaves one with the 93% statistic.

Body language, posture and distance provide important information to supplement words, or verbal communication. They are a crucial addition to the overall message.

Research has found that the right nonverbal cues help you portray higher levels of:

• Power• Charisma• Intelligence

Context speaks volumes, much louder than body language. Attempting to interpret body language by analyzing a single gesture is like trying to understand a sentence through one word.

It is important to recognize that body language may vary between individuals, and between different cultures and nationalities. It is therefore essential to verify and confirm the signals that you are reading, by questioning the individual and getting to know the person.

• As you observe others, you can identify some common signs and signals that give away whether they are feeling confident or not. Typical things to look for in confident people include:

• Posture – standing tall with shoulders back.• Eye contact – solid with a "smiling" face.• Gestures with hands and arms – purposeful and

deliberate.• Speech – slow and clear.• Tone of voice – moderate to low.

Some of the common signs that the person you are speaking with may be feeling defensive include:• Hand/arm gestures are small and close to his or her body.• Facial expressions are minimal.• Body is physically turned away from you.• Arms are crossed in front of body.• Eyes maintain little contact, or are downcast.

Your body language can hint at your emotional state. Scientists in the Communication Department of Stanford now find that observing subtle changes in your torso and head movements can predict creative output or learning ability.

Pay attention to the nonverbal cues and signals you send and receive, your ability to communicate will improve.