The Role of Body Language in Communication

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Introduction
Non-verbal communication refers to “all external stimuli other than spoken or written words and including body motion, characteristics of appearance, characteristics of voice and use of space and distancing. All these non-verbal clues taken together are also known as body language. Body language plays significant role in oral communication. Sigmund Freud’s observation may appear to be an exaggeration but it is the exaggeration of a vital truth: “He that has eyes to see and ears to hear may convince himself that no mortal can keep a secret. If his lips are silent he chats with his fingerprints; betrayal oozes out of him at every pore.” It is believed that a charming person has a pleasant voice, a dynamic person has a vibrant voice and a confident person an assured voice.
When we send a message as part of a communication, it can reach the receiver in more than one way; through the words (verbal channel) we use, through the voice (vocal channel) we use and through the body language (action channel or what is broadly considered as “non-verbal” channel). In 1971, research published by Albert Mehrabian showed that
 Words account for 7 per cent
 Tone of voice account for 35 per cent
 Body language accounts for 55 per cent of the message.

Just think about this: More than half the message that a receiver gets is from your body language! Nonverbal signals play a vital role in communication because they can strengthen a verbal message (when the nonverbal signals match the spoken words), weaken a verbal message (when nonverbal signals don’t match the words), or replace words entirely. For example, you might tell a client that a project is coming along timely, but your forced smile and nervous glances send an entirely differe...

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...eal the relative sizes of issues in their mind.

References:
1. Bovee C. et.al, 2011, Business Communication Today, Pearson Prentice Hall LTd. New Delhi
2. Ramesh G and Ramesh M, 2010, The Ace of Soft Skills, Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi
3. Allan and Barbara P, 2005, The Definitive Book of Body Language, Manjul Publishing House Pvt. Ltd. Bhopal
4. Prasad L.M, 2005, Organisational Behaviour, Sultan Chand & Sons, New Delhi.
5. Lesikar R.V and Flatley M.E, 2006, Basic Business Communication, Tata MC-Graw-Hill Publishing Company Limited, New Delhi.
6. Mohan K and Banerji M, 1999, Developing Communication Skills, MacMillan India Limited, New Delhi.
7. Maddux R.B and Maddux D., 2004, Ethics in Business, Viva Books Private Limited, New Delhi.
8. communication.atwork-network.com/2007/08/.../ethical-communication/
9. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_language

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