Learn Body Language
What is the truth about speaking vs. body language? (see details)?
I've read a few times now, in various articles, that "Only a small percentage of communication involves actual words: 7%, to be exact. In fact, 55% of communication is visual (body language, eye contact) and 38% is vocal (pitch, speed, volume, tone of voice). The world's best business communicators have strong body language: a commanding presence that reflects confidence, competence, and charisma." However!...when I contact the authors about the sources for this I never get a reply. In addition I did contact the authors of a book who propose the opposite...they claim it's an urban legend. Can anyone point me to the hard studies that show real evidence for this...or whatever the proper percentage is?
Public Comments
- A lot of times people putting up these kind of numbers are, in fact, just trying to sell you a book. Just to make a point look at Steven Hawking. He says some amazing and profound things yet can hardly move a muscle. Then imagine someone giving a speech who waved their arms wildly all the time, paced and so on, nobody would be paying attention to them. Just a couple extreme examples but they illustrate a good point. Verbal communication is simply that: verbal. Body movement is like putting a smiley face thing in an e-mail. It can "punctuate" or indicate when the speaker wants you to pay attention (like using bold letters or all caps). Try it yourself. When talking with some friends sit very still and gauge their reactions with others make some "over the top" type movements, arm waving and so on, you know what you get away with with your friends, how subtle you need to be. Trying this little "sort-of experiment" can assist in your understanding. And a reminder those numbers you quoted are crap, again, just someone trying to sell you something.
