Nonverbal Communication Skills Essay

1. In business, whether a follower or leader, it is important to listen and interpret the message a sender is trying to send. Nonverbal cues are helpful when interpreting a message in a face-to- face conversation, feelings may be expressed through the “speaker’s loudness, tone of voice, pace of speech, as well as watching the speaker’s facial expressions, posture, gestures and so on” (Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy, p. 290). Various examples of nonverbal cues were presented in the video that could be beneficial in interacting with colleagues, competitors and clients. For example, in the video Joey uses strong eye contact to convey trustworthiness. I have been in unexpected group situations where a colleague notices that I am becoming worried and steps in with a solution. Without verbally letting me and everyone else there know, he signals that he can take it from …show more content…
I think cultural differences are an important part of non-verbal communication. There are many gestures and expressions that are commonly practiced in one culture, that may be offensive in another. Diverse standards in regards to the proper level of assertiveness in communicating can add to cultural differences. The textbook signals that leaders must avoid becoming defensive and should try to understand how the other person perceives the situation. Defensiveness can “hurt the entire team or organization because it includes a tendency to place blame, categorize others as morally good or bad, and generally question others’ motives” (Hughes, Ginnett, and Curphy, p. 291). I believe assertiveness skills are especially important in multi-cultural teams because this means one has the knowledge to know when to deal with conflict. Some cultures avoid conflict entirely and may resolve conflict in a written exchange, rather than in person. In many Eastern countries, for example, “open conflict is experienced as embarrassing or demeaning; as a rule, differences are best worked out quietly” (Dupraw and Axner,