Listen With Your Eyes: Top 10 Nonverbal Communication Tips

Nonverbal communication is the single most powerful form of communication. The best communicators are sensitive to the power of the emotions and thoughts communicated nonverbally. Understanding nonverbal communication improves with practice. The first step in practice is to recognize the power of nonverbal communication.

Multicultural differences in body language, facial expression, use of space, and especially, gestures, are enormous and enormously open to misinterpretation. If you want to mask your feelings or your immediate reaction to information, pay close attention to your nonverbal behavior. Especially to a skilled reader of nonverbal cues, most of us are really open books.

Top Ten Nonverbal Communication Tips

1. Pay Attention to Nonverbal Signals.
2. Look for Incongruent Behaviors.
3. Concentrate on Your Tone of Voice When Speaking.
4. Use Good Eye Contact.
5. Ask Questions About Nonverbal Signals.
6. Use Signals to Make Communication More Effective and Meaningful.
7. Look at Signals as a Group.
8. Consider Context/ situation.
9. Be Aware That Signals Can be Misread.
10. Practice, Practice, Practice.

To gauge your expertise in interpreting nonverbal communication, take these nonverbal communication interpretation quiz questions from the University of California at Santa Cruz. This is a useful Dictionary of Nonverbal Gestures, Signs and Body Language Cues. Check out the pictures that illustrate hundreds of nonverbal communication manners.