I am a big proponent of nonverbal communication. I don’t prefer it to verbal communication, seeing as how I’ve spent quite a few years attempting to speak correctly. However, I can’t claim to have mastered the English language and I certainly can’t tell you that I’ve come close to becoming a skilled nonverbal communicator.
Facial expression, gestures, signs, and use of space are all important components of nonverbal communication. An About.com article states, “Multicultural differences in body language, facial expression, use of space, and especially, gestures, are enormous and enormously open to misinterpretation.” A study at UCLA revealed that up to 93% of communication effectiveness is determined by nonverbal cues. Another study showed that the impact of one’s performance is determined 7% by words used, 38% by voice quality, and 55% by nonverbal communication. Having a very high and occasionally shrill voice myself, I depend highly on nonverbal communication.
In order to understand nonverbal communication, one must practice watching “facial expressions, eye contact, posture, hand and feet movements, body movement and placement, and appearance and passage as [someone walks] toward you.” If you have to choose between reading one’s words and one’s nonverbal cues, it is usually the right choice to go with the nonverbal communication. These cues reveal more than words.
In 1 John 3:18, it is stated that we should “not love with words or with tongue, but in deed an truth.” Anyone can talk about their love for their fellow man or for the Lord, but how many of us take time to show our love? James 2:15-17 tells us that faith without works is dead. More than a gesture or facial expression, acts of service can bond people together and change the world in significant ways. Encouraging words are great, but always look for other ways to serve your fellow man!
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