COMMUNICATION – DEFINITION AND FEATURES

 Communication is the art of transmitting information, ideas and attitudes from one person to another. Communication is the process
of meaningful interaction among human beings.
 Personal process
 Occurs between people
 Involves change in behaviour
 Means to influence others
 Expression of thoughts and emotions through words & actions.
 Tools for controlling and motivating people.
 It is a social and emotional process.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
1. Two-way Process
2. Information Sharing and Understanding
3. Verbal and Non-Verbal
4. Circular Flow SLIDE 6 (FEATURES TO BE LEARNT)
5. Goal Oriented.
6. Continuous Process
7. Pervasive Activity
_____________________________________________________________________________________
COMMUNICATION GOALS

- To change behavior
- To get action
- To ensure understanding
- To persuade
- To get and give information
TYPES OF COMMUNICATION
 On the basis of organization relationship
 Formal
 Informal
 On the basis of Flow
 Vertical
 Crosswise/Diagonal SLIDE 7
 Horizontal
 On the basis of Expression
 Oral
 Written
 Non-verbal

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS – DEF

Corporate communication is a management function or department, like marketing, finance, or operations, dedicated to the
dissemination of information to key constituencies, the execution of corporate strategy and the development of messages for a variety of
purposes for inside and outside the organization.

COMMUNICATION ADVANTAGES

 Increase productivity.
 Reduce stress.
 Better understand what others are saying.
 Better understand how to get your message across SLIDE 24
 Enhance relationships.
 Save time and money.
BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

ENCODING BARRIERS:
• Lack of Sensitivity to Receiver
• Lack of Basic Communication Skills
• Insufficient Knowledge of the Subject
• Emotional Interference
• Lacking confidence

TRANSMITTING BARRIERS:
• Physical Distractions
• Channel Barriers.
• Long Communication Chain

DECODING BARRIERS:
• Lack of Interest.
• Lack of Knowledge.
• Lack of Communication Skills
• Emotional Distractions
• Information overload
• Conflicting Messages

RESPONDING BARRIERS
• No Provision for Feedback
• Inadequate Feedback
TYPER OF BARRIERS
 Semantic Barriers
 Symbols with different meaning
 Badly expressed message
 Faulty translation
 Unclarified assumption
 Specialist’s language
 Emotional Or Psychological Barriers
 Premature evolution
 Loss of transmission & poor retention
 Undue reliance on the written word
 Distrust of communication
 Failure to communicate
 Organizational Barriers
 Organizational policy
 Organization rules & regulation
 Status relation
 Complexity in organization
 Barriers in Superiors (Personal Barriers)
 Attitude of Superior
 Fear of challenge of authority
 Lack of time
 Lack of awareness
 Barriers in Subordinates (Personal Barriers)
 Unwillingness to communicate
 Lack of proper incentive
Essentials of Effective Communication

Clear
Business communication should
be clear and should be self
Creates explanatory about why it has
Goodwill been written.
Complete
The information given should be
Saves Reader’s complete and should not leave
Time any scope for questions / lack of
information.
Correct
Correct The information provided
should be correct and fact
based.
Save Reader’s Time
Complete The communication should be
such that the reader saves time
in undertsanding the message.
Create Goodwill
Clear The message should be pleasant.
clear, correct as this will result in
creating goodwill for te sender of
the message / communication.
ASSERTIVENESS DEFINITION

An honest, direct and appropriate expression of one's feelings, thoughts and beliefs.

Assertiveness is the ability to communicate your needs, feelings, opinions, and beliefs in an open and honest manner without violating the rights
of others.

Comparison of Passive, Assertive and Aggressive Behavior:

Passive Assertive Aggressive

Style  Not expressing needs  Honest, open, direct  Domineering, insisting

 Self-devaluing  Recognizes own rights  Win/Lose

 Waiting to be led  Listens to others’ needs  Not listening

Non-verbal behaviour  Small posture  Upright, balanced pose  Interrupting

 Quiet, hesitant voice  Firm, clear voice  Loud

 Little eye contact  Steady eye contact  Staring, pointing

Language  Sorry to bother you …  I believe/need/I’d like  That won’t work

 I can’t seem to …  No (when appropriate)  You can’t be serious

 It’s only my opinion  Open questions  Your problem/fault

SKILLS FOR ASSERTIVENESS:

-DESC (DESCRIBE, EXPRESS, SPECIFY, CLARIFY)

-BROKEN RECORD

-FOGGYING +NEXT SLIDES FOR EXPLANATION

-NEGATIVE ENQUIRY

-NEGATIVE ASSERTION

-“I” STATEMENTS

-DISAGREEING GRACEFULLY

• The acronym DESC stands for:

o D – Describe

o E – Express

o S – Specify

o C – Clarify

• To become more assertive and develop assertiveness skills, you must:

o Describe the actions or behavior that you see as taking place

 o Express why that behavior is an issue

o Specify the resulting actions or change of behavior you would like to effect

o Clarify the consequences for failing to change behavior or meet demands

• The ‘Broken Record’ can prove to be a useful skill to develop when trying to become more assertive.

• The ‘Broken Record’ skill involves repeating yourself until the person gives in or concedes to your demands.

• This skill is really very easy to develop and use as you just have to repeat yourself.

• It has been found that most people capitulate after you repeat yourself three times.

Broken record is particularly useful when:

• Dealing with those in authority

• You are not getting what you are entitled to

• Dealing with people brighter or more fluent than you

• The other person is likely to use put-downs

• Fogging is an especially useful skill to use when someone is putting pressure on you to do something.

• So, your response to the pressure is to put up a fog. This involves listening to what the other person says and then deciding whether or
not you wish to comply with their request.

• If not, then using their words, or similar words to theirs, acknowledge their need but state your case.

• This method is a very polite method of saying ‘No’.

• ‘Negative Enquiry’ is a very interesting skill to use for assertiveness.

• Negative Enquiry involves inviting extra criticism and/or examples so that you have the benefit of gaining additional feedback from the
other person.

• It helps you understand the other person’s point of view and also helps you to probe further into their dislike or aversion towards you or
your ideas and opinions.

• It is a natural human tendency that when people call us names, criticize us or give us negative labels, we usually wish to defend
ourselves.

• However, when we try to defend ourselves, aggressive or manipulative people take advantage of our defensiveness and soon find our
weak spots.

• The skill of Negative Assertion is like ‘jujitsu’ where you use the power of your attacker to turn the situation to your advantage.

• No one is perfect, so in negative assertion all you have to do is accept the part of the criticism that is true, in a matter of fact way.

• “I” statements are among the most powerful you can make, both for yourself and others.

• In “I” statements you are affirming who you are and what you want.

• Using “I” statements is the hallmark of assertiveness.

I” statements can be used in a variety of ways:

• Situation

• Interpretation and Understanding

• Feelings and Emotions

• Wants and Needs

• Future Actions

Situation statements are powerful because they are factual and, as an observation on your part, they are non-negotiable.
• ‘I have been asked to work late three times this week’

• ‘I see that I have been passed over for promotion again’

‘I notice that you have not spoken to me for three days’

Interpretation & Understanding

These statements are powerful because you’re describing your interpretation of a situation, not just the situation itself.

• ‘I get the impression you are not interested’

• ‘I have the feeling you don’t want my ideas’

• ‘I think you are ignoring me’

Feelings & Emotions

The strength of these statements is that they let the other person know your exact position and what you expect.

• ‘I want you to pay attention’

• ‘I want your full co-operation’

• ‘I want you to be on time’

Wants & Needs

This is not about feelings, but really a way to express your opinion more strongly. Again, these statements are powerful because they
are non-negotiable or irrefutable.

• ‘I feel betrayed’

• ‘I feel taken advantage of’

• ‘I feel angry, disappointed, cross, annoyed’

 Future Actions

The strength of these statements is that they let the other person know what you expect from him.

• ‘I want you to pay the bill’

• ‘I want your full support for the campaign’

• ‘I want you to complete this report’

Public speaking is the process of communicating to an assemblage of people in a well thought-out planned way aimed to inform,
persuade, or amuse the listeners.

• Pounding heart

• Dry mouth

• Shaky hands

• Quivering voice

• Cold sweaty palms

• Stomach cramps

1. Pause: Don’t Start Until You’re Ready

 Before you start your presentation or speech, take in a couple of deep belly-breaths to calm yourself down. Pausing allows everyone to
get on the same vibration/energy-level. If you’re facing a noisy audience, wait until the room is silent and focusing on you.

Don’t start speaking until you’re ready and everyone is focused on you.

2. Get into the Right Mindset

The speech is not about you. It’s about your audience. Don’t focus on yourself, focus on your audience. Realize that you have the
opportunity to change someone’s life every time you speak. You have a message that someone in your audience needs to hear! Once you tap
into that positive, value-giving mindset, you’ll find it easier to speak without being self-conscious.

3. Use the Confidence Posture

If you’re nervous, stand in the confidence posture. What’s the confidence posture? Simply, stand with your back straight, your
shoulders held back, your chest front and your head up.

Your physiology (how you stand and sit) affects how you feel, so if you want to feel confident make sure you stand in a posture that
conveys confidence.

4. Starting Your Presentation

Start with a Personal Story

Start with Question to create a Knowledge Gap

Start with a Quote

Start with an Interesting/Startling Statement

Start with a Shocking Statistics

5. Don’t ever Admit You’re Nervous

Don’t apologize or admit you’re nervous at the start of a session. Don’t say, “I’m sorry, I haven’t prepared…” Don’t say, “I’m sorry,
I’m so nervous…I’ve had a terrible day.” Once you admit you’re nervous, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy…your mind and your body will
act in congruence with what you say. Moreover, if you admit you’re nervous, your audience will start looking for signs of your
nervousness…

6. Soften Your Commands with “Let’s”

Use the word “Let’s” to soften your commands.

For example, instead of saying “Keep quiet”, say “Let’s keep quiet” or “Let’s focus on this please.

7. Don’t Dilute the Power of Your Words with “Try to…”

Don’t say: “Try to imagine yourself…”

Instead, say “Imagine yourself…”

Don’t say: “Try to feel…”

Instead, say “Feel…”

8. The Sweetest Sound in Any Language

The sweetest sound in any language is the person’s name. Try and meet some of your audience members before your speech or
presentation.

For example, you can say, “I was talking to Ted before the presentation, and he told me that…” Incorporate what Ted (or another
audience member) told you into your presentation.
9. Use Imagery & Visual Language

Use visual words to paint pictures in your audience’s mind. For example, don’t say: “You will learn three strategies”.

Instead, say “You will pick up three tools” or “You will pick up three keys” Visual words and imagery make your message
memorable because your audience doesn’t just hear your message, they also see it in their mind’s eye.

10. Laughter is the Best Medicine

Use self-deprecating humor:

“I know you were expecting a handsome man…I’m so sorry to disappoint you!” (laughter)

Exaggerated facial expressions also make people laugh, so make sure that your facial expressions match your humor.

11. Stand with Your Feet Shoulder-width Apart

When you’re standing, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart…it conveys confidence Don’t stand with your feet too close
together because it conveys lack of security.

Having your feet too far apart conveys aggressiveness Swaying back and forth gives your audience the impression that you’re
unsure of yourself and as a result they won’t buy into your message.

12. Don’t Walk Back and Forth without a Purpose

When you take a step forward towards your audience, it creates intimacy...so step forward when you have an important point to
make.

Taking a step backwards creates a negative feeling in your audience members…almost like you’re lying or trying to hide something.

Avoid rocking back and forth on your feet…it’s distracting.

13. Don’t Pace Back and Forth Like a Caged Tiger

Feel free to move on stage, but only as long as your movement serves a purpose.

For example, you can use the stage as a timeline so that the left side of the stage indicates the past, the center = the present, the
right side = the future

14. Scan and Stop Technique for Eye Contact

Use the “Scan and Stop” technique for eye contact. Scan the room when you speak, making eye contact with students for about a
second or so.

When you come to a very important or poignant point, stop and make eye contact with one person and deliver your line to that
person.

15. If You Forget What You Were Saying…

If you forget where you were, don’t worry…it’s no big deal… You can recover simply by asking your audience where you were.

“Where was I?” or “What was I saying?”

16. Keep it Conversational

Focus on having a conversation with the audience…one person at a time… Once you realize that public speaking is simply an
enlarged conversation with many people, you’ll become much more relaxed during your next “public speaking” event.

17. Shorter Sentences = Greater Clarity

Avoid using multiple conjunctions in one sentence (i.e. “and….and…and”). Shorter sentences aid comprehension Also, remember to
pause between your sentences – this sounds like such an obvious thing to say, but as speakers we sometimes forget this simple rule
and speak too quickly because we’re nervous. Pause and allow your audience members to digest the information you’ve just given
them.

18. Pause After You Ask a Question

 After you ask a question, pause to give audience members time to respond…or, if you’re not expecting a response, pause and give
them time to think! or “What do you think is the number one mistake most speakers make when giving presentations?” (Pause, make
eye contact and wait for a response.)

19. Use Your Hands to Show What You’re Saying

Use your hands naturally to show what you’re saying. You can start off speaking with your hands mid-way up (not down by your
sides) and your hands will automatically move naturally once as gain confidence during your presentation.

20. The “Err…” Error

Slow down your speaking rate and don’t be afraid to pause Instead of erring, PAUSE!

This technique will take a lot of practice…

21. Share Your Personal Story

Stories are POWERFUL! The essence of public speaking is to “tell a story and make a point”.

NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION – COMPONENTS:

Albert Mehrabian, in his study Nonverbal Communication, supports a very interesting point of view, according to which the total impact
of a message is represented by the equation:
Impact = 0.07 verbal + 0.38 vocal +0.55 facial/body
This equation suggests the idea that only 7% of the message is in fact verbal, the other 93% being represented by body language, facial
expressions and vocal elements.
 KINESICS: It is the study of facial expressions, postures & gestures. Did you know that while in Argentina to raise a fist in the air with
knuckles pointing outwards expresses victory, in Lebanon, raising a closed fist is considered rude?
  OCULESICS: It is the study of the role of eye contact in non- verbal communication. Did you know that in the first 90 sec - 4 min you
decide that you are interested in someone or not. Studies reveal that 50% of this first impression comes from non-verbal communication
which includes oculesics.
 HAPTICS: It is the study of touching. Did you know that acceptable level of touching vary from one culture to another? In Thailand,
touching someone's head may be considered as rude.
 PROXEMICS: It is the study of measurable distance between people as they interact. Did you know that the amount of personal space
when having an informal conversation should vary between 18 inches - 4 feet while, the personal distance needed when speaking to a
crowd of people should be around 10-12 feet?
 CHRONEMICS: It is the study of use of time in non verbal communication. Have you ever observed that while AN employee will not
worry about running a few minutes late to meet a colleague, a manager who has a meeting with the CEO, a late arrival will be
considered as a nonverbal cue that he / she does not give adequate respect to his superior?
 PARALINGUISTICS: It is the study of variations in pitch, speed, volume, and pauses to convey meaning. Interestingly, when the speaker is
making a presentation and is looking for a response, he will pause. However, when no response is desired, he will talk faster with
minimal pause.
 PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Your physical appearance always contributes towards how people perceive you. Neatly combed hair, ironed
clothes and a lively smile will always carry more weight than words.

PUBLIC SPEAKING

DEFINITION: “Public speaking” broadly refers to any situation where you have to speak to a group of 2 or more people. Public speaking is the
process of communicating to an assemblage of people in a well thought-out planned way aimed to inform, persuade, or amuse the listeners.

TECHNIQUES FOR EFFICIENT PUBLIC SPEAKING:

1. Pause: Don’t Start Until You’re Ready
2. Get into the Right Mindset
3. Use the Confidence Posture
4. 4. Starting Your Presentation
a. Start with a Personal Story
b. Start with Question to create a Knowledge Gap
 c. Start with a Quote
d. Start with an Interesting/Startling Statement
e. Start with a Shocking Statistics
5. Don’t ever Admit You’re Nervous
6. Soften Your Commands with “Let’s”
7. Don’t Dilute the Power of Your Words with “Try to…”
8. The Sweetest Sound in Any Language
9. Use Imagery & Visual Language
10. Laughter is the Best Medicine
11. Stand with Your Feet Shoulder-width Apart
12. Don’t Walk Back and Forth without a Purpose
13. Don’t Pace Back and Forth Like a Caged Tiger
14. Scan and Stop Technique for Eye Contact
15. If You Forget What You Were Saying…it’s no big deal… You can recover simply by asking your audience where you were.
“Where was I?” or “What was I saying?”
16. Keep it Conversational
17. Shorter Sentences = Greater Clarity
18. Pause After You Ask a Question
19. Use Your Hands to Show What You’re Saying
20. The “Err…” Error... Slow down your speaking rate and don’t be afraid to pause Instead of erring, PAUSE!
21. Share Your Personal Story
22. The Five C’s of Storytelling
Characters
Conflict
 Cure
Change
Carryout Message

Non-Verbal Communication

In many cases, we communicate information in nonverbal ways using groups of behaviors. For example, we might
combine a frown with crossed arms and unblinking eye gaze to indicate disapproval.
Every day, we respond to thousands on nonverbal cues and behaviors including postures, facial expression, eye gaze,
gestures, and tone of voice. From our handshakes to our hairstyles, nonverbal details reveal who we are and impact how we
relate to other people.

Albert Mehrabian, in his study Nonverbal Communication, supports a very interesting point of view, according to
which the total impact of a message is represented by the equation:
Impact = 0.07 verbal + 0.38 vocal +0.55 facial/body
This equation suggests the idea that only 7% of the message is in fact verbal, the other 93% being represented by
body language, facial expressions and vocal elements.

Components of Non Verbal Communication

 Kinesics: It is the study of facial expressions, postures & gestures. Did you know that while in Argentina to raise a fist in the air with
knuckles pointing outwards expresses victory, in Lebanon, raising a closed fist is considered rude?
 Oculesics: It is the study of the role of eye contact in non- verbal communication. Did you know that in the first 90 sec - 4 min you
decide that you are interested in someone or not. Studies reveal that 50% of this first impression comes from non-verbal
communication which includes oculesics.
  Haptics: It is the study of touching. Did you know that acceptable level of touching vary from one culture to another? In Thailand,
touching someone's head may be considered as rude.
 Proxemics: It is the study of measurable distance between people as they interact. Did you know that the amount of personal space
when having an informal conversation should vary between 18 inches - 4 feet while, the personal distance needed when speaking to
a crowd of people should be around 10-12 feet?
 Chronemics: It is the study of use of time in non verbal communication. Have you ever observed that while AN employee will not
worry about running a few minutes late to meet a colleague, a manager who has a meeting with the CEO, a late arrival will be
considered as a nonverbal cue that he / she does not give adequate respect to his superior?
 Paralinguistics: It is the study of variations in pitch, speed, volume, and pauses to convey meaning. Interestingly, when the speaker is
making a presentation and is looking for a response, he will pause. However, when no response is desired, he will talk faster with
minimal pause.

 Physical Appearance: Your physical appearance always contributes towards how people perceive you. Neatly combed hair, ironed
clothes and a lively smile will always carry more weight than words.

Non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions, gestures, posture, and tone of voice is an important component of most
human communications.
There are three main elements of nonverbal communication:
appearance,
body language,
sounds.
 Appearance
In oral forms of communication, the appearance of both the speaker and the surroundings are vital to the successful conveyance of
a message. "Whether you are speaking to one person face to face or to a group in a meeting, personal appearance and the appearance of the
surroundings convey nonverbal stimuli that affect attitudes” (Murphy and Hildebrandt).
Our choice of color, clothing, hairstyles and other factors affecting appearance are also considered a means of non-verbal
communication. Appearance can also alter physiological reactions, judgments and interpretations.
 Research on color psychology has demonstrated that different colors can evoke different moods. Appearance can also alter
physiological reactions, judgments and interpretations. Just think of all the subtle judgements you quickly make about someone based on his
or her appearance. These first impressions are important, which is why experts suggest that job seekers dress appropriately for interviews
with potential employers.
In a group situation or meeting, it's important to be aware of both your verbal and nonverbal communication cues, especially if you
are in management or leading the group. You may have greater influence than you know, and your overall actions can set the tone for the
meeting. For example, a manager at a meeting can either support the message or cause confusion based on what he says to the group. You
should also be aware of something as simple as looking at your watch or clinching your hands; this could indicate a lack of interest or high
levels of stress.
 Body Language
Body language, and particularly facial expressions, can provide important information that may not be contained in the verbal
portion of the communication.
Facial expressions are especially helpful as they may show hidden emotions that contradict verbal statements. For example, an
employee may deny having knowledge of a problem, but also have a fearful expression and glance around guiltily. Other forms of body
language that may provide communication clues include posture and gestures.
Facial expressions are responsible for a huge proportion of nonverbal communication. While nonverbal communication and
behavior can vary dramatically between cultures, the facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger and fear are similar throughout the
world.
 Gestures
Common gestures include waving, pointing, and using fingers to indicate numeric amounts. Other gestures are arbitrary and related
to culture.
Just a few examples of emotions that can be expressed via facial expressions include:
 Happiness
 Sadness
 Anger
 Surprise
 Disgust
 Fear
  Confusion
 Excitement
 Desire
 Contempt
Facial expressions are also among the most universal forms of body language. The expressions used to convey fear, anger, sadness,
and happiness are similar throughout the world. Researcher Paul Ekman has found support for the universality of a variety of facial
expressions tied to particular emotions including joy, anger, fear, surprise, and sadness.
Gestures are often easily understood, but the their meaning can differ based on the culture.
Gestures can be some of the most direct and obvious body language signals. Waving, pointing, and using the fingers to indicate
numerical amounts are all very common and easy to understand gestures. Some gestures may be cultural, however, so giving a thumbs-up or
a peace sign might have a completely different meaning than it might in the United States.
The following examples are just a few common gestures and their possible meanings:
 A clenched fist can indicate anger or solidarity.
 A thumbs up and thumbs down are often used as gestures of approval and disapproval.
 The "Okay" gesture, made by touching together the thumb and index finger in a circle while extending the other three fingers can be
used to mean okay. In some parts of Europe, however, the same signal is used to imply you are nothing. In some South American
countries, the symbol is actually a vulgar gesture.
 The V sign, created by lifting the index and middle finger and separating them to create a V-shape, means peace or victory in some
countries. In the United Kingdom and Australia, the symbol takes on an offensive meaning when the back of the hand is facing
outward.
When you are evaluating body language, pay attention to some of the following signals that the arms and legs may convey:
 Crossed arms might indicate that a person is feeling defensive, self-protective, or closed-off.
 Standing with hands placed on the hips can be an indication that a person is ready and in control, or it can also possibly be a sign of
aggressiveness.
 Clasping the hands behind the back might indicate that a person is feeling bored, anxious, or even angry.
 Rapidly tapping fingers or fidgeting can be a sign that a person is bored, impatient, or frustrated.
  Crossed legs can indicate that a person is feeling closed off or in need of privacy.
 The term posture refers to how we hold our bodies as well as overall physical form of an individual. Posture can convey a wealth of
information about how a person is feeling as well as hints about personality characteristics, such as whether a person is confident,
open, or submissive.
Sitting up straight, for example, may indicate that a person is focused and paying attention to what's going on. Sitting with the body
hunched forward, on the other hand, can imply that the person is bored or indifferent.
 Open posture involves keeping the trunk of the body open and exposed. This type of posture indicates friendliness, openness, and
willingness.
 Closed posture involves keeping the obscured or hidden often by hunching forward and keeping the arms and legs crossed. This type
of posture can be an indicator of hostility, unfriendliness, and anxiety.
 Paralinguistics
 The tone, rate, and volume of a speaker's voice can convey different meanings, as can sounds like laughing, throat clearing, or
humming. It is also important to note that perfume or other odors contribute to a listener's impressions, as does physical contact
between the speaker and the listener. Silence, or the lack of sound, is a form of non-verbal communication as well. Silence can
communicate a lack of understanding or even hard feelings in a face-to-face discussion.
Anthropologist Edward T. Hall described four levels of social distance that occur in different situations:
 Intimate distance - 6 to 18 inches
This level of physical distance often indicates a closer relationship or greater comfort between individuals. It often occurs during
intimate contact such as hugging, whispering, or touching.
 Personal distance - 1.5 to 4 feet
Physical distance at this level usually occurs between people who are family members or close friends. The closer the people can
comfortably stand while interacting can be an indicator of the intimacy of the relationship.
 Social distance - 4 to 12 feet
This level of physical distance is often used with individuals who are acquaintances. With someone you know fairly well, such as a co-
worker you see several times a week, you might feel more comfortable interacting at a closer distance. In cases where you do not
know the other person well, such as a postal delivery driver you only see once a month, a distance of 10 to 12 feet may feel more
comfortable.
 Public distance - 12 to 25 feet
Physical distance at this level is often used in public speaking situations. Talking in front of a class full of students or giving a
presentation at work are good examples of such situations.
 It is also important to note that the level of personal distance that individuals need to feel comfortable can vary from culture to
culture. One oft-cited example is the different between people from Latin cultures and those from North America. People from Latin
countries tend to feel more comfortable standing closer to one another as they interact, while those from North America need more
personal distance.

 Eye contact
 Looking, staring and blinking can also be important nonverbal behaviors. Looking at another person can indicate a range of
emotions, including hostility, interest and attraction.
 When evaluating body language, pay attention to the follow eye signals:

 Eye gaze
When a person looks directly into your eyes when having a conversion, it indicates that they are interested and paying attention.

 Blinking
 It is natural, but you should also pay attention to whether a person is blinking too much or too little. People often blink more rapidly
when they are feeling distressed or uncomfortable. Infrequent blinking may indicate that a person is intentionally trying to control his
or her eye movements.
 For example, a poker player might blink less frequently because he is purposely trying to appear unexcited about the hand he was
dealt.

 Pupil size
 One of the most subtle cues that eyes provide is through the size of the pupils. Blake Eastman, body language expert and founder
of The Nonverbal Group, agrees one can’t use breaking eye contact as a baseline for making an assumption. Maintaining an unusually
strong amount of eye contact may be a red flag. In the true nature of a liar, he will look for ways to deceive, and that includes being
hyperaware of not breaking eye contact, according to Eastman.
 Another indication of lying may be decreased blink rate resulting from cognitive overload, which is the theory that when a person
becomes overwhelmed with thinking (or creating a lie), his blink rate dramatically decreases. However, like gaze aversion or
unusually strong eye contact, decreased blink rate, too, varies for each individual.
How to become a good listener?
 Be empathetic.
 A good listener keeps eye-contact and responds to the speaker accordingly. You respect the speaker by, for example, not doing
distracting things during the conversation.
 A good listener also listens with his/her eyes. This is especially so in face-to-face interactions where the listener is able to receive
messages transmitted by non-verbal communication mode, such as facial expressions.
 A good listener also participates in the interaction, silently, by active body language. In other words, as you listen to the speaker, you
also give that speaker feedback to make him/her feel that his/her message is received, and reassure him/her that he/she is being
attended to.
 A good listener would thus also encourage the speaker that he/she is actively involved and is interested in the interaction by using
both receptive language (e.g. ‘‘I see’’) and non-verbal cues (eg nodding or shaking head).
 He/she seeks clarification where there is any misunderstanding, or signs that there is coherence in what is being presented. He/she
would thus ask questions if he/she is not really sure whether he/she understands what is being said.
 He/she cares about the speaker and other role players in the listening context, and value of the messages (not necessarily that he/she
agrees).
 He/she pays full and genuine attention to what is said. He/she does not fake attention.
 A good listener shows interest in, and commitment to, the interaction. In a professional setting this will be evident when the listener
takes notes.
 A good listener must be open-minded. Allow your mind to be open to new ideas and criticisms and thus be comfortable with ideas
you may not agree with. The qualities described above suggest that listening is not passive, and that the listener has certain things
that he/she has to do during the interaction or communication process.