The importance of body language in effective communication

Body language is a core component of communication. The hearing impaired rely almost exclusively on body language for communication, proving the importance of gestures, posture, eye contact, and other factors. In fact, recent research shows that deaf people adept at sign language "are quicker at recognizing and interpreting body language than hearing non-signers," ("Deaf Sign Language Users Pick Up Faster On Body Language," 2012). The implications for this and related research on the importance of body language for human communication are extensive. For example, reading body language is useful in security-related professions such as airport screening ("Deaf Sign Language Users Pick Up Faster On Body Language," 2012). This is because "language can be expressed by the hands and be perceived through the visual system," ("Deaf Sign Language Users Pick Up Faster On Body Language," 2012). Words are not the only ways by which human beings communicate. According to Gallo (2007), words comprise only 7% of communication, whereas 55% of communication is visual including body language and eye contact.

Using and understanding body language effectively is crucial for interpersonal communications. In the workplace, body language can be used to express tone and emotion. Body language provides the context for the actual words being said, and can either complement or contradict the tone and content of someone's voice. For example, a person who keeps arms folded across the chest and who avoids eye contact is saying something totally different than someone who utters the same words with a smile and a pat on the back. "The way you listen, look, move, and react tells the other person whether or not you care, if you're being truthful, and how well you're listening," (Segal, Smith, & Jaffe, 2011).

Body language also communicates social status. How a person sits or stands bear markers of their self-confidence but also their role and position within a group. "The world's best business communicators have strong body language: a commanding presence that reflects confidence, competence, and charisma," (Gallo, 2007). It is important to use body language effectively when communicating to avoid appearing threatening to others, and to avoid appearing too submissive as well. Often body language cues are unconscious, as when a person is tired. Slouching, yawning, and other physical signs may communicate boredom and give off the wrong impression. In a professional environment, it is important to remain in control of the body during communication as well as the actual words.

However, central to the study of body language is cross-cultural differences. Body language cues and their signals differ significantly from culture to culture. The same gesture of the head or hand can mean entirely different things to two different people. A diverse workplace environment demands sensitivity to different cultural cues. For example, eye contact is valued highly in some societies but can be seen as being overly aggressive in others. Pointing cues also vary from culture to culture, as do other aspects of body language such as attire. Other cross-cultural differences with regards to body language include concepts of personal space and the actual workplace environment such as office design. In addition to culture, gender also plays a role in body language. Men and women exhibit different body language cues due largely to socialization (Reeh, Moreno, Garcia, Mota, & Martinovsky 2009).

Body language is central to group presentations and public speaking. Moving the body, appearing animated, using hand gestures, and even walking around during a presentation can engage the audience during a presentation (Gallo, 2007). Posture is also important; "Poor posture is often associated with a lack of confidence or a lack of engagement or interest," (Gallo, 2007).

Body language is important to communication, both from the speaker's and the listener's point-of-view. From the listener's point-of-view, it becomes important to learn how to read between the lines and look past the words that are being said. Paying attention to the speakers, posture, gestures, use of eye contact, dress, and other signals can greatly enhance understanding. Thus, reading body language is a learned skill that can be considered a main component of emotional intelligence. The greater the understanding of body language, the more able a person is to tune into the speaker and grasp the gist of the message. This becomes important when deception might be a risk, as in a group of politicians.

Listening to body language is essential in careers related to human resources, law enforcement, psychology and other positions requiring a judgment of character. How a person dresses, how a person walks, and how a person carries himself or herself are all nonverbal cues that speak volumes. On a personal level, communicating with friends and family members also involves body language. An argument with a spouse can take place by using gestures like eye contact and other signs of openness in order to foster understanding, but often the two parties close down physically. Avoiding eye contact or folding the arms send negative signals that are not helpful when attempting to resolve a conflict.

From the speaker's point-of-view, getting the point across means communicating effectively with both words and body language. If only a fraction of communication is words, then body language becomes even more important than what is being said. Studying the basic rules of communication can help a public speaker master the art of persuasion through body language. Eye contact and physical gestures can be skillfully incorporated into a speech. Hand gestures can emphasize key points of a speech, while purposeful pauses allow the speaker to maintain eye contact with audience members. Walking around and even into the audience also sends signals of caring and connection, which could not be achieved with stiffer body language.