Nonverbal Communication's Ability To Understand People

Communication is essential in daily life. People are constantly communicating with each other, often without even realizing it. With just 7% of communication coming from words, it is extremely important to understand, and have the ability to control, nonverbal communication. Knowing how to read and understand nonverbal communication will give the ability to understand people. Often when making a first impression, appearance is taken into account and judged before anything is spoken. For instance, if a person attends a job interview in their pajamas, the hiring interviewer is going to automatically be biased against them. However, showing up in dress slacks and a button-down shirt will give the aura of professionalism and confidence, allowing a more comfortable and fair interview …show more content…
“Your entire body participates in the business of either showing or hiding your mental state. To control that display means you have to control your body’s unconscious cues” (Whitbourne). Everything a person feels is displayed to the public by their body language, that is why it is important. If a conversation is going south, a change in body language can fix it. Maturity shows through body language (Foot 167).
It takes less than 1/10 of a second for someone to create an impression of another person’s character. People that are in control of what their body says are comfortable and confident. These kind of people make good leaders. A good leader can control their body language in order to put out whatever message they desire. In fact, “the ordinary citizen who understands body language very well… can relate them [postures] to the emotional states of the people they know” (Fast 127-128).
It is obvious now that body language truly is essential in daily communication. All we have to remember is: keep your chin up, check the shoulders, and stand tall. If you can control your body, you can control the