Non-verbal communication generally includes the body language you use when speaking with another person. It involves not just your gestures but your facial expressions, eye contact levels, posture, and any body positions you maintain or transition between during a discussion.
In most cases, people are somewhat unaware of their non-verbal communication when engaging with others. However, depending on the cues you’re exhibiting, you can support or counteract what you’re expressing verbally. As a result, brushing up on your non-verbal communication skills is often essential.
By reviewing and honing your non-verbal communication skills, you can make sure you’re portraying yourself in the best light, leading to a better overall impression. Plus, you can reinforce what you’re stating verbally, breeding a sense of trust and confidence. If you aren’t sure how to begin, here’s a look at how you can brush up on your non-verbal communication skills.
Review and Evaluate Your Body Language
The first step you need to take if you want to improve your non-verbal communication is to see where you currently stand. Often, this seems difficult initially as most non-verbal communication isn’t conscious, so people tend to have little awareness of what they’re doing.
Fortunately, there are two reasonably simple ways to review and evaluate your body language. First, you can partner with a trusted person – such as a colleague, family member, friend, network member, or mentor – and ask for their feedback.
You can request general feedback or get insights based on a specific scenario. One example of the latter is asking someone to view you as you practice a presentation you need to give at work, or they could conduct a mock interview before a meeting with a hiring manager. Then, they can look for non-verbal cues that you’re sending out, giving you information about areas for improvement.
Another option is to record yourself as you move through a practice scenario, such as those mentioned above. With this approach, you’ll have a video that you can review, allowing you to evaluate your own body language.
Practice Non-Verbal Communication to Improve
After you review and evaluate your non-verbal communication, you can start practicing to improve. Using a mirror can be an excellent way to begin. As you go through a presentation or conversation, you can monitor how you’re moving, the facial expressions you’re using, changes to your posture, and more. Then, as you see something you prefer not to do, you can immediately correct yourself.
In time, repeated corrections can spur lasting change. You’ll become comfortable with the new mannerisms you’re introducing and move away from those that you’ve been working to fix. Plus, it increases your awareness of your body language, making it easier to spot missteps as they occur, even if you can’t see yourself.
Contact Us Today!
Do you want to use your new non-verbal communication skills to help you land a new job? If so, the recruiters at Top Notch Personnel want to hear from you. Learn more about our current opportunities and connect with one of our experienced recruiters to see how we can boost your job search today.
