The Not-so Hidden Secret of Sincerity

I have understood something that I wish to share.

It is about partly 1. The subconscious, and 2. the unconscious


How do you know if someone is truly happy, or putting on a brave front?

It's not only about the smiling eyes, it's not about showing teeth, and I've known for a long time it's more than that. If it is not as simple as the eyes, the teeth, the laugh, there is ought to be something else.


Firstly, let me clarify, or rather, emphasize, on how important smiling is. It is like understanding an atom; you either make a medical miracle out of it, or make an atomic bomb. The smile is basically the same thing, only deadlier. But let's get into number one, straight to the point.


The subconscious: This is what I describe as something as YOU know deep inside that just isn't brought up to the surface of your mind as a conscious thought, and therefore you 'don't know' in the conscious thought language until you have been reminded or enlightened of it in one way or another. Clear enough?

It's like subconsciously you're craving for raspberry ice-cream, but you just do not know that you want it, you are just so frustrated but you do not know why. Then you smell some fruit and vanilla perfume and your mouth unconsciously waters, the inner desire is subconscious. Then you remember or realize you want something cold and creamy with a cherry on top. That is when you brought it into conscious thought and do something about it. Oh, and by the way, hopefully you went to buy that ice-cream.

A question: Can you control it? It's like controlling sleepwalking and dreams. No you can't, and yes you can. It depends all solely on you, but I'll leave it to you to guess, as it requires enlightment from yourself. But I'll give you a hint. It starts with the letter 'M'. And if you actually figured it out, that subject alone is too complex to discuss.

So here is the important part in number 1: THE SUBCONSCIOUS. If you are sad and put on a forced smile, I can still see if you are tormented, sad etc. But it depends if you are disturbed enough by something when you are talking, or if you are thinking of a particular problem when you are communicating. But usually if it bugs you just enough, you are going to show it.

And HOW DOES IT SHOW ITSELF? Look closely: Just before they talk, given if something's wrong, they are going to frown, merely half a second or less. THEN they start talking. Or if they are feigning a sad face while actually laughing at you inside, their eyes smile for that split moment before the fake expression takes place. I've noticed this but it took me a while to put it to theory. Just maybe: Emotions come first before any expression, whether it be on the face or in words. If it is not so, there will be only one and one reason only, and that is that particular person is being mind-controlled. Does it make sense? Actually it is not that hard to notice, and not that easy either. Not hard because one second is actually quite long to the human eye, not easy because one second is too short for the human perception. One second is a very small number and value numerically, but it is a very big sign that people should notice and holds a big value...it may even be a difference between life and death...and it only needs someone to actually NOTICE IT, A.K.A. bring it to the conscious level to do something about it! That is why, you know something is wrong with that smiling friend but just cannot seem to put the words what. That is why, you thought you felt something, but you do not know what it is! They even notice it on some cartoon characters! It is the frown...the very small specific that suddenly becomes oh-so-obvious if people would just NOTICE!! When a human cannot percieve, or think through something fast enough for the moment, all of the rest is thrown into the subconscious, at least this is what I think. So the advice here is don't procrastinate: NOTICE! Now that you know better, your subconscious may be fed with this new information and you will start to notice such specifics without you knowing it...You may unconsciously bring up something that is in your subconscious into the conscious level when seeing such things occurring and start knowing and recognizing them, because I just told you! Or start to open your eyes and see!



Tired yet? Number 2, the unconscious. I would describe this as something of yourself that you may come to notice one day but you cannot control it, because it is in your nature, your mechanism, just like your heartbeat. It is a wonderful creation of God, this is the only way I can explain this, because it is just too subtle, specific and wonderful to be mere coincidence. And just as well too, because it is this that thieves and liars cannot run away from. No matter HOW you try, you WILL unconsciously frown or smile opposite to the expression you are showing, because it is the way it is. Start noticing. If you cannot, start recording videos. Play them as slow as you like and watch the sides of the mouth. Provided you draw people a lot, and I mean A LOT of experience. Draw two people. Both different people but with stagnant faces. Then very carefully put a slight curve upwards on one of their mouths and a slight curve downwards on the other. I would not say this if you were to draw it very obviously. Of course I mean draw it with a 0.5 or 0.3-width pencil if you have to. Finish the artwork and put it aside. Take them back a few days later and naturally you will see that one is somehow a happy person while one is not. A simple and very small inconspicuous line makes the difference. A big difference. Such a line is so insignificant, but the value is equavalent to a big trail of line scratched upon a Mona Lisa. That is how big the value should be for people to notice. It is a fake smile, he shows almost nothing, but it means something. And it means a lot. Not showing something MEANS something itself. Humans always take physical proof and disregard the mental, psychological or the inner aspect. And even at taking on physical proof, they have failed. Evidence of absence is not the absence of evidence. It. Is. There. Look out for it.


Of course do not be depressed by how I am putting my words. Of course it is not easy to expect someone be sad that day. In fact, i is downright impossible. Of course it is not easy to be awake and attentive to all the so-called 'specifics' all the time. But you CAN notice these things without being consciously trying to take note of people's emotions. And again, that goes back to the 'M' word again.


But let me tell you this at least: 'Specifics' is yet another word created to separate us from what is supposed to be seen as connected, because believe it or not, the 'specifics' are the most important part in any subject, any expression...virtually ANYTHING. Think about it. You don't just get the math question and write the answer. You need to know how to do it by applying the formula, specifically. And the true masters of mathematics know specifically, more into detail on why to use such a formula, and even knew how it came about. If you have a heart problem, you go to a more specified doctor - a cardiologist. A psychologist cannot just hear what you have to say and somehow solve the problem. He has to pick out the specifics behind the veil of negative emotions you express. Great law enforcers detect specifics in evidence, testimonies and situations to uphold justice. The great peoples of the world care for lowly people deemed insignificant by the majority, like Mother Teresa, Mahatma Ghandi, good entrepenuers who care for lowly workers... You don't act without the tiny neurons sparking in your brain. The huge world can be changed for the better not by a large-scaled war or a big disaster, but from the core of EVERY human heart (Do you have any idea how hard this is?). And by the way it is the very core of people's hearts that will bring wars and disasters to a stop, or ease the pain. The earth with all of its magnificence will not be as it is if its core is not holding it in place. The universe would be a disaster if not the centre, the core of it to hold it in balance. The more 'specific' one is, the more one seems to be in a higher class or of higher regard in human society. And yet we like to brush the specifics aside, so easily.

Smile genuinely, for it is the small change that creates health miracles that science cannot explain and destruction in the form of deceit, teasing and lauging-ats which may be the only difference between putting a depressed person in a state of hope or in the state of letting go at the cliff's edge.

I always get carried away and have to pause for a while for the conclusion. Where am I now? Ah,　I remember. I was estatic that this was confirmed in the series "Lie To Me", introduced by my friend, and that is why I am excited to share this to you. I have not watched it myself, but you watch it and see what can you get aside from entertainment.



Cheers.

JWCD

Hidden Aspects of Communication

There are a lot of hidden aspects of communication. There are two types of language which are language and paralanguage. There are speech and writing under language and kinesics, tone and character of voice, proximics, and clothing/makeup/etc.

Language
Speech and Writing
We usually communicate in different ways when we're not speaking. It is usually not thought in school but it is considered very important for communication. We informally learn body language to emphasize what we do or say.


Paralanguage-helps to prevent ineffective communication
Kinesics
Kinesics is another word for body language. We tend to use body language to show our expressions. For example, when we want to express when you're excited, happy, sad, annoyed, bored, etc. Another example for this is what my group and I had done for our human communication assignment which was about body languages.

Tone and Character of voice
There are no connotations depending what you're trying to say by the tone of voice. There are different types of tones which are the sarcastic, sad, annoyed, happy, etc by yelling, whispering, sighing, whining, etc.

Proximics (interaction distances)
Proximics are usually determined how culture defined the uses of space. Most people are unaware of the importance of space in communication. The comfort zone is usually when two people ten to get closer and comfortable with each other. When two people are far away when they are talking to each other, that means that they are showing their boundaries between each other.

Clothing/makeup/etc
Clothing is used to provide protection, modesty, etc. For instance, in Arab countries, women are usually covered from head to toe except for their eyes. This is more to culture based. Other than that, there are certain clothes are more to businesses or formal occasions. However, there are clothes that worn to sexually attract others. People appearances also shows their gender, age, economic class and often their intentions.

http://anthro.palomar.edu/language/language_6.htm#military_body_language_return

Communication Problems

According to Wiio's laws, he believes that "we need to admit their truth and build upon them, instead of comfortably exercizing illusionary communication."

His first statement is that "communication usually fails, except by accident."
"If communication can fail, it will" because there are so many risks and can interact in so many ways and that usually fails. Interaction can usually lead one problem to another. Like the previous video that my group and i did, the moral story is that body language are not universal because all cultures are different in body languages.

"If communication cannot fail, it still most usually fails" because you don't take care about the communication you're having. The communication that you're having are unambiguous, effective and understandable. You usually don't think before you act, therefore, you tend to hurt that person and thus having loads of communication problems.

"If communication seems to succeed in the intended way, there's a misunderstanding" because people assume that communication is simple, easy and successful. I try to interpret what you are saying in the manner which I like which is not coherent with the message that you're actually trying to convey.

Sources:-
http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/wiio.html

OLDEN DAYS COMMUNICATION

1) Writing a letter and a pigeon taking it away to the person it has to go to.

2) Used to set up fire and from the fire, the smoke go's up in the sky and they the people
see it then they know that someone is trying to communicate with them.


3) Grunting and arm waving.


4) Drawing on walls .


5) Letters.


6) The drums.


7) Signaling lamp.


8) Barter system.



References:

1. http://www.blurtit.com/q4131246.html
2. http://www.blurtit.com/q2312929.html
3. http://wiki.answers.com
4. http://www.blurtit.com/q2312929.html

DONE BY: ISHVERJIT SINGH

Interpersonal Conflict

Conflict is a part of most every interpersonal relationship. Managing conflict, then, is important if the relationship is to be long-lasting and rewarding.


What is conflict?

Conflict has been defined as "an expressed struggle between at least two interdependent parties who perceive incompatible goals, scarce resources, and interference from the other party in achieving their goals". Important concepts in this definition include "expressed struggle," which means the two sides must communicate about the problem for there to be conflict. Another important idea is that conflict often involves perceptions. The two sides may only perceive that their goals, resources, and interference is incompatible with each others.


Common Problems in Conflict Management?

Researchers have identified several problems that typically arise in conflict situations. First, the parties will simply avoid the conflict. This can be damaging, because it can lead to greater problems in the future. It is usually best that the individuals discuss their differences. Second, individuals involved in conflict may blame the other individual. Often, individuals go beyond the specific behavior in question and blame the character of the person. When people use words such as, "He's such a slob," they are engaging in blame the other behavior. A final problem that is often encountered in conflict management is adopting a win-lose mentality. Focusing on each individual's goals/outcomes will help avoid using a win-lose strategy.



FROM TWO CLIMATE,


1) Defensive climate

The climate in which conflict is managed is important. Dyads should avoid a defensive climate, which is characterized by these qualities:

• Evaluation: judging and criticizing other group members.
• Control: imposing the will of one group member on the others.
• Strategy: using hidden agendas.
• Neutrality: demonstrating indifference and lack of commitment.
• Superiority: expressing dominance.
• Certainty: being rigid in one's willingness to listen to others.

2) Supportive Climate

Instead, individuals should foster a supportive climate, marked by these traits:

• Description: presenting ideas or opinions.
• Problem orientation: focusing attention on the task.
• Spontaneity: communicating openly and honestly.
• Empathy: understanding another person's thoughts.
• Equality: asking for opinions.
• Provisionalism: expressing a willingness to listen other the ideas of others.

LASTLY,

Additional Tips


A few final tips can help insure that conflict is successfully managed:

• Conflict Can Be Constructive. Recognize that conflict can strengthen your relationships.

• Be Prepared. Plan how you will communicate about conflict in order to create a supportive climate.
• Be Involved. Do not withdraw from the conflict or avoid conflict situations.
• Withhold Quick Retorts. Be careful about what you say and how you say it.
• Review. Summarize what you have discussed and make plans to continue the discussion if time permits immediate resolution.

Reference:

1. http://www.abacon.com/commstudies/interpersonal/inconflict.html
   

DONE BY: ISHVERJIT SINGH

Body Language

Body language is very important to show that you care for the person or not. Body language says it all even the tone of your voice. When a person comes to you and need your help, he/she wants you to understand their pain or give them advice. This is where you need your listening skills to help you with it. One of the examples of using a body language in these kind of situations are trying to hold their hand; thus you can understand the pain from there. Other than that is giving a long hug and holding him/her tightly stating that everything is going to be fine or I'm here for you. If he/she is crying, try to bring them somewhere where it is quiet and they have the whole day to express their feelings about the situation. There you need to listen attentively because he/she needs your advice from here. You need to give a soft voice because he/she has a lot of pain and having a soft tone voice will make he/she calmed. Eye contact is one of them to show that you are listening and it really helps you to actually listen to them.

Communication Through electronics

Communication through email, sms, facebook messages can be so misleading. Take this for example.

Hello!!!!!

The writer may mean it as exciting and you know. high energy Hello!!!

And reader may see it as.. Sarcastic Hello!!!! Like.. the Hello!! Come on! Think for yourself!! kind of hello.

There are so many ways one can interprete an email or sms or facebook message, so why do we use it then despite all the trouble we can get into. And without non-verbal cues, it is harder to explain something too. Don't believe. Try this exercise.

A simple picture is shown to u. Your task is to direct your friend (who hasn't seen and will not see the picture) to draw the picture on a piece of paper without using non-verbal cues. Means you can only talk. No body movement what so ever. In fact, it is best if you do this without seeing each other. Meaning your friend an only hear you. You are not allowed to see your friend's drawing till the end. The time given is 3 minutes.

That piece of art your friend did, would be your certificate as a communicator. How good or how well a communicator you are shows in that piece of drawing. And there you go.

Empathy

So empathize is to feel and experience the things the other party is feeling. And this helps in human communication.

A lot of times arguments and quarrels are formed because people fail to empathize. Empathy is a difficult thing to do. It is not natural for humans to do so because humans are generally very selfish. So if we put in effort and empathize accordingly, we should be able to feel and think like the other person and discuss a win-win situation for both parties.

But here's the glitch, empathy can be misused. Someone who is manipulative enough would appear sad and dishearten to you. And this person will tell you all their sad stories and you would probably believe it. The problem here is this person is making use of your empathy to trick you into believe that all these has happen. In actual fact, none of these happened but because you're such an empathetic person, you feeled for this person and trust this person!!

This is extremely dangerous when it comes to people who can really play the scene. They will probably say they are competent communicators by saying they have a range of personalities, and so they choose which is the best for the moment, and use it skillfully to communicate. Others will see it as manipulation. So how do we differentiated it. Hmm A moral dilemma

Relationships and Body Language

There are a lot of expressions showed using body language. To show you are interested or not interested with that person.

Here's a video about how to flirt using body language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhU5QZPdZ70

Flirting is showing whether or not you are interested and feel comfortable showing it to that person.

The first step is eye contact. This shows how you are interested with a person without glaring or staring at them. Men usually have eye contact across the room for a short period of time, glance away and then look again for a second time. Body language also shows how you are interested by both of them facing each other. Ladies would usually cross their legs act interested in him.

The second step is the flipping or tossing their hair for the ladies. On the other hand, men tend to brush themselves off or adjusting the hair stating that he wants to look good for her.

The third is to lean towards your body. Men usually use the upper body to show their strengths and basically wants to act all cool and all.

The fourth is have slightly touching someone when you're talking to him/her. This also shows that that person is really interested with you and really listening what you're trying to say.

I think that all of these are right and usually happens here and there. I think that the second step is not always the hair. I know some girls usually like to hold their chain around their neck or something. I never thought that men would actually try to adjust their hair because that's usually a girl's thing hahaha. So I think that most of these are right and people actually use these kind of signals.

High Context Culture and Low Context Culture

High context culture - Culture which avoids direct use of language; meaning is conveyed through context more than words.
Generally low context means the opposite.

Here is what I think is a low context culture example (between 2 talkshow professionals, Oprah Winfrey and David Letterman):

Click here for the video. If it somehow defunct, look up by typing "Oprah" and "Letterman" together in the search box in Youtube.

So as you can see, they both tend to interrupt each other because of too much things to say at once. And the most importantly, even the slightest emotion and compliments were specified to the tiniest detail. With spoken words.People nowadays, asides from America and maybe other countries, I think they are not really high in context when it comes to communication. Above average is better when describing them.

Cultures with higher context would be countries with not many words in their original language. I think especially Japan fits into this criteria, where they have two sets of "alphabets" in their language: One for their own language and the other set is to imitate words that doesn't originate from their own country like "hamburger" or "bread". And on top of that they must use something more than those two sets of alphabets alone to convey what they want to say. Body language, or art, for example. And their fictional work like comics does not really say much in words but they do in faces and emotions. It's so different from low-context culture comics like let's say, American comics.

Here's an extract from a villian, Two-Face from Batman.
And here is something from a Japanese horror comic, Gyo by Ito Junji



Situations filled with emotions are filled with descriptions in the 1st comic extract but not in the second.


High-context leaves a lot of space for imagination while the opposite goes for low-context. Like the picture below which is full of empty spaces, and a poetry of few words with ambiguous meanings. Maybe they had to resort to doing ambiguous art because of limited materials. Is it rain? Is it misty? It is open for your imagination in this ancient work of art.


As for this page from Street Fighters VS King of Fighters (translated from Chinese) it's describing every single scene:



American's comics have gotten better nowadays though, with less description on how you feel and stuff.


In conclusion I think we have to stay balanced- in the middle of high and low contexts. It is not interesting to take out the spice of life by leaving no suspense at all, but yet it is also not a good thing to be too under-informed. Take your pick. I'm staying in the grey region and more towards the low context.


JWCD

PERSUASIVE SPEAKING

What do we mean by persuasive speaking?

Persuasive speaking urges us to do something. Informative speaking, on the other hand, reveals and clarifies options. Informative speakers teach. Persuasive speakers lead, evoke emotions and ask for audience commitment. Sometimes persuasive speeches are aimed at earning passive agreement, as in persuading an audience of the importance of some policy, value, or service. At other times, persuasive speeches aim for personal action, as in getting people to join an organization, buy a product or service, or support a cause.

Persuasive Speech Tips

• Gain attention and interest. Try a quote? Try humor(see below)? Shock or startle? ("Before this speech is finish, 5 recent students will have lost jobs in the new depression.") Try a direct question? ("What sort of internet addict are you?") Stress a key word or symbol? (Get dialog going on the symbolic meaning of the logo?)
• Try humor, depending on the overall purpose of the presentation. Old editions of Readers Digest are great sources since the material is clean and people will probably have forgotten the jokes.
• Establish your credibility early
• Demonstrate audience analysis and understanding. Make relevant, direct contact with audience - why does it matter?
• Preview main points? (an arguments can be made that solutions shouldn't emerge until at least half way through your speech in order to avoid having your position pre-judged)
• Create cognitive dissonance. Your audience must feel involved in the problem before they'll be moved to accept a solution
• Make effective transitions between ideas
• Demonstrate enthusiasm and/or passion
• Provoke thought through questions
• Construct a logical case with evidence in support of what you're trying to sell
• Avoid verbal fillers/disfluency
• Close with a memorable summary, perhaps request a specific act or action from the audience . Be declarative, maybe firm and demanding in your close.

Simplified version

Here are 10 tips for turning a good speech into a great one!

1. Have a plan and set some objectives & outcomes.

There is nothing worse than not knowing what you want to achieve. Do you want to educate the audience, inform, inspire, motivate or touch their emotions? Always work out what you want to achieve before beginning the speech process.

2. Have a formal structure - beginning, middle and end.

Audiences love structure and the best speeches stick to this tried and true rule. As they say: "tell them what you're going to say, tell them and then tell them again".

3. Avoid having too much content.

Hands up those that are guilty of this sin. I know I am. I have lost count the number of technical presentations given by CEO's, managers, scientists, engineers, geologists and other professionals who have just put too much content into their presentations. Far too much for an audience to absorb - remember even the best audiences face information overload after 20 minutes.
How do you overcome the content crisis? See Tip # 8.

4. Define who your audience is and use the most appropriate communication
channels to reach them.

Analyse how your audience likes to take in information - do they like to be visually stimulated or do they enjoy just sitting back and listening. Or do they like to get involved, to touch and feel in a kinaesthetic way. Work out the best mix of visual, audio and kinaesthetic and use this in your speechwriting.

5. Research your speech using a range of sources.

Be a keen observer of the trends your audience is likely to be interested in and keep a file of interesting articles and information. If you are time poor- a few quick questions when meeting an audience just prior to a speech, such as "what are the issues facing your business/industry/association at the moment?" can really help target your presentation and build rapport.

6. Use personal stories, examples and metaphors to make intangible concepts
tangible.

In many cases you are trying to sell ideas and concepts in a speech. These are intangible and often difficult for the audience to grasp. Personal stories, examples and metaphors make the invisible visible.

7. Have a strong opening and closing.

People remember the opening - first impressions count! The closing is important as it should reinforce the key message you want the audience to go away with in their head after they have heard the presentation. Ending with a 'call to action' can be a powerful way to get your audience to act on your message.

8. Add value and extra detail through a handout.

Here's a tip: if you want to provide detail - put it in a handout! You can get far more content across in the written form than in a speech. Always refer to this in your presentation but hand it out after your speech so the audience is not distracted reading through it while you talk. There is nothing more soul destroying for a presenter to see the audience leafing through written notes rather than looking at you!

9. Use short words and plain English.

The short words are always the best words. Avoid jargon. Use active words instead of passive. This has far more impact in the minds of your listeners.

10. Evaluate and review on a regular basis.

There's nothing more powerful than to hear back a speech you've written. If you are writing a speech for someone else always try and hear the speech or at least get some feedback. Recording and listening back to a presentation is the fastest way to improve your skills.

Methods of Persuasion
People have been trying to influence one another for a long time. Maybe one of the most articulate early speakers was the Greek Philosopher Aristotle. His ideas are as relevant today as they were when he was teaching at the Lyceum around 300 B.C. He thought there were basically three ways to influence people:

• Credibility -- "ethos". Sometimes we believe something simply because we trust the person telling us. You want to look like you know what you're talking about.
• Emotional appeal -- "pathos". Sometimes we do things because of a "gut feeling" or an appeal to our emotions, whether those of compassion or fear. Advertisers make great headway tweaking our concerns about what others might think about us.
• Rational appeal -- "logos". Providing good reasons is important. Providing evidence and reasoning are a strong part of the persuasive process.

Appealing to logic may be the hardest of the three sources of influence for the speaker to use. What's important here is the development of relevant "support material". Three types of support material commonly used include examples, statistics, and testimony.

Examples are useful in clarifying, reinforcing, or personalizing ideas. These could involve case studies or anecdotal examples &emdash; slices of life to prove the point. Ethically, you should help your audience gauge the credibility of your sources, the representativeness of examples and samples, etc. Using examples without other types of support material can come across as weak evidence.

Statistics can help. Combing them with examples can be powerful. Using too many statistics can be deadly. You should qualify the sample, translate the statistics that you use so the audience can understand fairly. Relevant visual display of statistics can be a powerful aid in making an argument.

Personal testimony can also provide dramatic support material. Testimony can give emotional life to the issues you're focusing on. You should of course quote or paraphrase accurately and fairly, identify and qualify the source's credentials.

A common pattern used in formulating persuasive speeches is called "Monroe's Motivated Sequence". Though particularly appropriate when you're seeking a commitment to personal action, the suggested sequence can provide good structural ideas for any sort of persuasive presentation. The five parts identified in the sequence below include: Attention, Need, Satisfaction, Visualization, Action; but only three main points. For fun, I'll illustrate the points around an appeal for MHR students to join and support PIHRA.

ATTENTION
In the Introduction…

A. A scenario of a recent graduate who cannot get hired to a position in Human Resources requiring "experience" and evidence of community involvement and leadership. Maybe in the form of a letter or quote from the student?

NEED:
I. Students seeking careers in HR often have a problem.

A. Every year many jobs are available, but require appropriate internship experiences as a bare minimum.
B. Only a small number of graduating seniors in MHR have career-oriented professional experience.

SATISFACTION:
II. If more students had solid internship experiences, professional success of graduates would be multiplied.

A. Involvement in PIHRA is a sound resume item in the eyes of employers.
B. PIHRA students meet monthly with regional professionals in order to develop networks and identify opportunities.

VISUALIZATION:
III. With an internship you'll be able to launch one of the most exciting careers that a young person in business can have.

A. Let's look again at the opening scenario and see if you can really afford to continue with the non-professional employment you have.
B. Statistics show that MHR graduates who prepare well launch professional careers, and that after about five years of on-the-job growth are prepared for major career steps.

ACTION:
In the conclusion…

Call to the audience to join PIHRA and share in helping to develop internship learning opportunities for MHR students.

FINALLY,

Persuasive speaking requires not only knowing technique but also principles. These tips and techniques will sound wonderful to the ear. However, to be effective in persuading, you will need to do much more. You will need to understand and be able to apply the principles.

Take fluency for example. If your speech lacks this one little quality, you will hinder your ability to persuade. This is a fundamental principle of good speech. All the other tips and tricks in the world will not compensate for a lack of fluency. In the Speaker Skills you will find the speech quality Fluency along with tips and techniques to help you improve in this speech quality.

The Challenge

Consider the listening styles of the audience. This adds yet another element that demands attention to enable you to give a persuasive speech. It's not tips and tricks that will help you. The challenge is understanding the human mind and meeting it's needs.

To be a persuasive speaker will also require you to challenge the traditional ways of presenting information. Most speech text books might encourage you to start with a story, an anecdote or even a joke. To truly master persuasive speaking, you will need to reevaluate these traditional ideas. They may not be the most effective for your audience.

Reference:

• http://www.csupomona.edu/~sciman/classes/324/organizer/persuaSpeech.html

• http://ezinearticles.com/?Ten-Speech-Tips-for-Writing-Powerful-and-Persuasive-Presentation&id=64706

• http://www.speechmastery.com/persuasive-speaking.html

Done by: ISHVERJIT SINGH

STAGES OF LISTENING

Listening in Interpersonal Communication Reviewing

This chapter focused on the nature of listening, the influence of culture and gender on listening, and the dimensions of listening that you need to consider for effective listening.

Stages of Listening
What is listening? What purposes does listening serve?

• Listening is an active process of receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating, and responding to communications.
• Listening enables you (1) to learn, to acquire information; (2) to relate, to help form and maintain relationships; (3) to influence, to have an effect on the attitudes and behaviors of others; (4) to play, to enjoy oneself; and (5) to help, to assist others.

Styles of Listening
What are your listening options?

• Empathic-objective listening refers to the extent to which you focus on feeling what the speaker is feeling.
• Nonjudgmental-critical listening refers to the extent to which you accept and support the speaker.
• Surface-depth listening refers to the extent to which you focus on the obvious surface meanings.
• Active-inactive listening refers to the extent to which you reflect back on what you think the speaker means in content and feeling.

Culture, Gender, and Listening
How is listening influenced by culture and gender?

• Members of different cultures vary on a number of communication dimensions that influence listening: speech and language, nonverbal behavioral differences, and preferences for direct and indirect styles of communication.
• Men and women may listen differently; generally, women give more specific listening cues to show they're listening than do men.

REFERENCE:

http://wps.ablongman.com/ab_devito_intrprsnl_10/0,7393,602970-,00.html


DONE BY: ISHVERJIT SINGH

HUMAN COMMUNICATION THEORY

In the late 1940s Claude Shannon, a research mathematician at Bell Telephone Laboratories, invented a mathematical theory of communication that gave the first systematic framework in which to optimally design telephone systems. The main questions motivating this were how to design telephone systems to carry the maximum amount of information and how to correct for distortions on the lines.

His ground-breaking approach introduced a simple abstraction of human communication, called the channel. Shannon's communication channel consisted of a sender (a source of information), a transmission medium (with noise and distortion), and a receiver (whose goal is to reconstruct the sender's messages).

In order to quantitatively analyze transmission through the channel he also introduced a measure of the amount of information in a message. To Shannon the amount of information is a measure of surprise and is closely related to the chance of one of several messages being transmitted. For Shannon a message is very informative if the chance of its occurrence is small. If, in contrast, a message is very predictable, then it has a small amount of information---one is not surprised to receive it.

To complete his quantitative analysis of the communication channel, Shannon introduced the entropy rate, a quantity that measured a source's information production rate and also a measure of the information carrying capacity, called the communication channel capacity.

He showed that if the entropy rate, the amount of information you wish to transmit, exceeds the channel capacity, then there were unavoidable and uncorrectable errors in the transmission. This is intuitive enough. What was truly surprising, though, is that he also showed that if the sender's entropy rate is below the channel capacity, then there is a way to encode the information so that it can be received without errors. This is true even if the channel distorts the message during transmission.

Shannon adapted his theory to analyze ordinary human (written) language. He showed that it is quite redundant, using more symbols and words than necessary to convey messages. Presumably, this redundancy is used by us to improve our ability to recognize messages reliably and to communicate different types of information.

In the study of complex systems today, we view deterministic chaotic processes as information sources and use Shannon's entropy rate, as adapted by Kolmogorov and his student Y. Sinai in the late 1950s, to measure how random a chaotic system is.

SIMPLIFIED VERSION:

Context

1. There are four kinds of communication contexts: physical (the environment where communication occurs); social/psychological (which includes the status of a relationship or the seriousness of the situation); temporal (the time of the interaction); and cultural (the backgrounds of the people communicating).

Sources and Receivers

2. When you speak to someone, you are the source of the message. When you listen to someone, you are the receiver. These two functions are not mutually exclusive, as we send and receive messages simultaneously in conversations.

Messages

3. We send messages both verbally and non verbally, and they can be transmitted from a combination of all of our senses.

Channels

4. Channels are the mediums used in communication, such as the telephone or chat room.

Noise

5. Noise is anything that prevents you from receiving a message. Noise can include thoughts that distract you or loud noises that make it difficult to hear.

Effects

6. There are effects to every communication act that we engage in. The effects can be cognitive (which changes our thinking); affective (which changes our feelings); or psycho motor (which affects bodily movements).

References:

• http://www.ehow.com/facts_5297430_human-communication-theory.html

• http://www.exploratorium.edu/complexity/CompLexicon/Shannon.html

DONE BY: ISHVERJIT SINGH

INTERVIEW TIPS

INTERVIEW TIPS


1) Enter into a state of relaxed concentration.

2) Plan ahead. Act spontaneous, but be well prepared.
Be your authentic self, professional yet real.

3) Set goals for the interview.

4) Know the question behind the question.

5) Follow up with an effective "thank you" letter. Don't write this letter lightly.

6) Consider the interviewer's agenda. Much is on the shoulders of the interviewer.

7) Role play.Expect to answer the question, "Tell me about yourself."
This is a pet question of prepared and even unprepared interviewers.

8) Watch those nonverbal clues.

9) Be smart about money questions.

10) Don't hang out your dirty laundry.




Things to remember:

1. First impression counts
2. Be on time.
3. Be positive.
4. Eye contact with the interview.
5. Be honest.

Small advice: NEVER GIVE UP.



References:

• http://jobs.asiabot.com/resources/top10interviewtips.shtml

• http://www.jobsdb.com/MY/EN/V6HTML/jobseeker/114_career.html

DONE BY: ISHVERJIT SINGH

Non-verbal communication (Body language) Week2Post2, JWCD

Girls, young girls, especially of our age like to dress nicely, sexily or just in nice clothing that flaunt themselves. To females it gives them confidence to know that they have some "assets" and nice points to flaunt. But to certain males or most males they will recieve the message of (from good to bad): "*Whistles* that's hot!", "I appreciate the eye-candy", "Hmm what are you WEARING?", "Geez girls nowadays", and so on, and the last and worst being "she's begging to be molested/ed". That last one, of course, only goes to the perverts. And although I've never worn anything shorter than the knees, some people still have the guts to make a move on me. That's one of the other reason that I wear pants everyday in KL. Hmm. That reminds me. I'm going to wear my first short skirt in my entire life on Chinese New Year. My mother must be worried I'll become a lesbian or something by the way I dress last time she came to escort me home that she agreed to let me wear something short when I merely suggested it. I guess that's another message I give out that really isn't right. Trust me though. I wear skirt everyday in my hometown. I don't know why, but even wearing a knee-length skirt is dangerous here in KL. Yeah it's not that bad as you think, I know. When I wear the short skirt, I wonder how would I fare? Maybe just wear it to school. No idea. I promised my friends to let them see me in a girl's attire at least once before graduation anyway.

Anyway, when males have the wooing reaction, isn't that a form of communication that replies to the girl's body language/ how she's presenting herself: "Hey, you look nice!" ? Then why girls who get wooed brush that off as insulting? Of course, when you break down what sometimes men say to represent "Hey, you look nice!", it includes: Whistling, giving the wink, giving you a smile that you may find lustful or offensive, etc. and the most undesirable of all - Body contact. Molestation. Physical molestation. But let's get back to the wooing part. Males (Strangers) may call you "lenglui" or "pretty gal" in Cantonese, or woo you. Isn't that a compliment on your beauty? Doesn't it feel good to be liked? Why do we still feel angry at that?

The answer then, I think, is the wrong form of communication. But WHAT exactly is wrong? I asked myself. Isn't it very direct? You're a girl, and you're pretty in his eyes. So what is offensive in there? Maybe his mistake is

1. being a stranger to you.
2. not being flowery enough to win you over.

Don't be angry with me yet. To translate it further, the mistakes of wooing someone:

1. "Strangers" is spelled as "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" to all, if not most people. It's natural to feel strange if one you don't know suddenly has something so good to say to you.

2. By not being flowery enough, I mean that sometimes people (male or female) just act immediately on their sudden emotions. And those instant emotions that pops up are RAW. And if you're a WWE fan, RAW is WAR!! And for those of you who don't understand, RAW = primitive, a no-no ESPECIALLY for girls, and is spelled as "A-N-N-O-Y-I-N-G". Maybe that's why our ancestors came up with the "think before you act" saying. There's also one saying that acting on impulse is acting on sin. You don't kill someone just because you're angry. Even if you're angry you don't go to THAT region where you take someone's life. So maybe that proverb applies too. Maybe.

I saw that obese guy in the Maju Trading litrally acting like a monkey: Wooing and BANGING the newspaper table as the office girls pass by! What impressed me was that the girls actually smiled at him. Maybe they've experienced it many times, or just that they are emotionally intelligent. I would admire them more if it was the latter.

The only solution to this problem is knowlege either spiritually or academically. The specific term is understanding of others and restraint of self. To give you a shortcut, I think smiling brightly as if a sun has suddenly brightened your room and standing your ground works, always. 1. Because smiling like that means you complement the girl/boy earnestly and 2. standing where you are will, and is the only way to show number 1. If you close in your distance, believe me, that person would think that you are trying to make a move on him/her. Careful. But I really believe that this is the right communication to make if you really want to compliment someone. If you are trying to get close to someone, do number 1 and get closer and just use verbal language. The most bodily contact you could manage that won't cross the comfortable border would be shaking hands. May work, may not work. Everyone is different.

Are my reasons very unsensible? Unreasonable? Not understandable? You don't need to understand. Don't try to talk me into wearing a skirt; I don't have one now until my parents bring me one at CNY and I don't have anything to prove to you and I don't need to prove anything to you as well.



Other notes:

If any party is offended by the content, it's probably because it doesn't apply to you. Or you just hate me. Maybe.

This post isn't meant to represent any of the two sexes in any way; everyone is different.



JWCD P.S. Does this post suck? Maybe.

Dependence of the Three Elements

It's amazing how tonality affects a message when sent out.

But how do we recognise which tonality is for which? a loud tone may mean angry or excited. A soft tone may mean sad or careful. How does tonality really affect a message that is being sent out.

Here's where i realize that tonality itself doesn't mean anything. It only means something when it is paired up with the correct body language or facial expression. With a loud tonality and angry facial expression, it equals out to angry. Loud tonality with a smiling facial expression equals to happy or excited. But it's the same tonality.

Therefore, we can safely say that we recognise tonality by receiving the correct body cues and interpreted as a whole. Here comes the big question. What about the blind? Does this mean the blind would not be able to interprete a message as accurately as people who can see and receive visual cues?

That's the thing about theories, it never applies to all situations. A blind person can and maybe be even more sensitive to tonality than us despite the fact that they can't receive visual cues. This probably means that tonality itself carries certain messages that we might be unaware of when we can see. Not only that, the deaf can't hear tonality! They depends solely on visual cues and yet they can interprete and receive as accurately as most of us. This shows that each and every element of communication is independent of each other, and it is when we can see and hear that the besome dependent of each other. if you suddenly become blind, you would misinterprete tonality and what not. But after a few years, you would be able to interprete messages without visual cues. It depends all on the person's getting use to.

Listening

Sympathic listening

Symphatic listening - This is shown when we pay close attention and express our emotions to someone for their ills and happiness at their joys.When we are a symphatic listener,we could only feel sorry for others and we would not be able to put ourself in their situation.For example,Christy told her best friend that her grandmother passed away.Her best friend could only feel symphatic for her but could not feel exactly what Christy had been through.

Emphathic listening - Empathic listening is an organized listening and questioning technique that helps us develop and enhance relationships through a stronger understanding of what is being conveyed both intellectually and emotionally.Emphatic listening occurs when we go beyond sympathy to seek a understanding about how others are feeling. This requires very close attention to the emotional signals.When we are being truly empathetic,we actually feel what they are feeling and put ourselves in their situation.

NONVERBAL GESTURES AROUND THE WORLD.

Nonverbal Communication Argentina

• Cheek-kiss

A handshake and nod show respect when greeting someone.

An embrace and one kiss on the cheek are common between friends and acquaintances.

Argentine stand close to each other when speaking. Do not back away.

The “O.K.” and “thumbs up” gestures are considered vulgar.

Hitting the palm of the left hand with the right fist means “I don’t believe what you are saying” or “That’s stupid.”

Don’t use toothpicks, blow your nose or clear your throat at the dining table

To summon a waiter, raise your hand with your index finger extended.

For social events, arrive thirty to sixty minutes late. Arriving at a party on time is impolite. Telephone your hosts the following day to thank them.




Nonverbal Communication in Cambodia

• Nonverbal-communications

The head is believed to contain the person soul therefore it is a taboo to touch or point at the head.

Cambodians greet each other by placing their hands, palms together, near their faces and bow slightly. This is called
Som Pas.

Cambodian sits with their legs straight down and not crossed. Crossing your legs shows that you are an impolite person.

Feet are considered the lowest in value of body parts and thus it is insulting to point them at someone.

It is not polite to have eye contact with someone who is older or someone who is considered a superior.

Cambodians tend to smile or laugh in both positive and negative situations. Therefore caution should be taken in interpreting a smile or laugh in order to avoid misunderstanding.

When accepting a gift from an older person, it is polite to use both hands.

Before entering a house, it is important to remove your shoes and cap. This simple act is indicative of the esteem your hold for your host.



Nonverbal Communication in China

• Cultural norms

The Chinese don't like being touched by strangers. Therefore, don’t make any body contact.

Never use your index finger to beckon anyone. If you need to call a Chinese person, face the palm of your hand downward and move your fingers in a scratching motion.

Chinese don’t point with the index finger but with an open hand.

Using both hands when offering something to a visitor or another person is considered being respectful.

Touching or pointing to tip of one's own nose with raised forefinger means it's me.

When walking in public places, direct eye contact and staring is uncommon.

During conversations, be especially careful about interrupting - Listening is a sign of politeness and of contemplation.

Many Chinese consider winking to be rude.

Chinese of the same sex have close physical contact with their friends.

Chinese tend to smile easily when they feel difficulty or embarrassment. Smile because of embarrassment by a Chinese might be interpreted as being friendly by a westerner, but really they are embarrassed.



Nonverbal Communication in France

• Body-language-secrets

Greeting friends with an exchange of kisses is very common. However the number of kisses and the side that the kisses start on vary by region.

The French shake hands upon meeting someone for the first time, particularly in the business world.

When using the fingers to count the thumb is the first counter, the index finger is two, the middle finger is three, etc. If you hold up two fingers (index + middle fingers), you'll get three of whatever you're ordering, not two. Because the French count the thumb even if you don't hold it up.

Holding your hands out, palms down, and smacking one hand down onto the other means lets get out of here.

Making a fist, holding it up in front of the nose, and twisting your hand while tilting your head the other way - indicates that someone is drunk.

Putting your index finger and pulling down the skin under your eye is equal to saying I don't believe you.

Do not slap your open palm over a closed fist. This is considered a vulgar gesture.

The "okay" sign, made with index finger and thumb, means "zero."

The French use the "thumbs up" sign to say "okay."




Nonverbal Communication in India

• Interpreting-body-language

Greeting with 'namaste' - placing both hands together with a slight bow is a very common nonverbal communication and shows respect for Indian customs.

You can also shake hands; Men may shake hands with other men and women may shake hands with other women. There are seldom handshakes between men and women because of religious beliefs. If you are uncertain, wait for them to extend their hand.

Indians value personal space, therefore don't stand close to Indians, allow an arm's length space.

Public displays of affection are not proper.

Side to side hand wave is frequently interpreted by Indians as "no" or "go away."

Use your right hand only to touch someone, pass money or pick up merchandise. The left hand is considered unclean.

Do not touch anyone's head. The head is considered sensitive.

Never point with a single finger or two fingers. Point with your chin, whole hand or thumb.

When an Indian answers, "I will try," he or she generally means "no." This is considered a polite "no."

Pointing a finger at someone would be considered rude.



Nonverbal Communication in Japan

• Japanese-greeting

Bowing is a customary nonverbal communication in Japan - Bowing during an introduction shows status. Business inferiors must bow lower than superiors.

Walking habits - The Japanese walk in short quick strides and drooping shoulders this low posture is called teishisei.

Eye Contact - eye contact shows that you are being aggressive, and rude. It is normal in Japan to avoid eye contact as it shows respect.

Pointing with the index finger is considered rude. You should point with the entire hand.

When entering a private home or traditional restaurants, it is usually customary to remove your shoes and place them with the toes pointing toward the outdoors.

Frowning while someone is speaking is interpreted as a sign of disagreement. Most Japanese maintain impassive expression when speaking.

Japanese find it hard to say 'no'. The best solution is to phrase questions so that they can answer yes. For example, do you disagree with this?



Nonverbal Communication in Mexico

• Mexican-customs

Shake hands or give a slight bow when introduced.

Women (initiate the handshake) and Mexicans generally stand close together when conversing. Don't show signs of discomfort, which would be considered rude by your Mexican counterpart.

Don't stand with your hands on your hips; this signifies anger. It is considered rude to stand around with your hands in your pockets.

Time is a very flexible thing in Mexico. As such, don't be offended or surprised if your contacts in Mexico don't show up in time.



Nonverbal Communication in Nigeria

• Body-languae-at-work

Be careful about eye contact. Constant and direct eye contact can be seeing as being intrusive. Therefore gazing at the shoulder level or the forehead is considered polite.

Touching or making gestures when speaking is very common and should not be interpreted as having any sexual undertone.

Don't use your left hand to give or receive objects. The left hand is considered unclean.

Shake hands upon meeting someone and don't forget to smile! Sometimes men may place their hand on the other person's shoulder during a handshake. Shake hands again upon departing.

Don't shake hands with a woman unless she initiates it.

Exchange hugs and kisses with people you know well.

To rush a greeting is extremely rude; spend time inquiring about the other person’s general well-being.

Thumb extended upward is considered a very rude signal.



Nonverbal Communication in Russia

• Russian-greeting

A handshake is always appropriate when greeting or leaving.

Don't shake hands over a threshold (Russian belief holds that this action will lead to an argument).

Public physical contact is common. Hugs, backslapping, kisses on the cheeks are common among friends or acquaintances and between members of the same sex.

Russians stand close when talking.

When a Russian touches another person during conversation, it is usually a sign of confidence.


The “thumbs-up” sign can be an acceptable gesture of approval.

Putting your thumb through your index and middle fingers or making the "OK" sign is considered very rude gestures in Russia.

Speaking or laughing loudly in public is discouraged.




Nonverbal Communication in Thailand

• Thai-customs

The traditional Thai greeting is called the wai. In general, the younger person greets first, by placing the palms together at chest level and bowing slightly. If someone wai to you, it is polite to wai back.

In giving or receiving gifts or passing things, Thais ordinarily use the right hand. They place the left hand under the right elbow, and bow the head slightly.

Do not touch another person’s head. The head is considered sacred, since it is the source of intelligence and spiritual substance.

The feet come in contact with the ground, and thus are considered to be dirty. Pointing the bottom of your feet at someone can be interpreted as an insult.

Remove your shoes before entering a temple or a home.

It is rude to sit with your ankle crossed over a knee, or to place an arm over the back of someone’s chair.

A smile is often used for an apology, and a nod doesn't mean yes, it is simply a gesture of respect.



Nonverbal Communication in Turkey

• Understanding-body-language

People greet each other with a two-handed handshake or by a kiss on both cheeks.

It is very common to see two man holding hands or arm in arm at walking on the street This means that they are just good friends.

Waving a hand up and down at you, palm towards the ground, is a signal for you to come.

Elders are highly respected. If you are seated, rise to greet them when they enter a room.

Don't cross your arms or put your hands in your pockets while facing or talking to someone.

Inclining your head forwards means ‘yes’ and inclining your head backwards and raising eyebrows means ‘No’

In most countries when thumb and index finger form a circle it means “Okay”. In Turkey it means homosexual and is considered a big insult.

Turned-up palm and fingers held together forming a small ”bowl”: means “good”, and is used when commenting on food.

Turks tend to stare at one another and at foreigners.

Turks will stand close to you while conversing. Do not back away, as this can be construed as unfriendly.

It is vital that you maintain eye contact while speaking since Turks take this as a sign of sincerity.

Pressing your thumb on your upper teeth is a sign of fear.




Nonverbal Communication in United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• Body-language-signals

Placing hands on the heart shows genuine respect and humility. Sometimes, this is used in combination with a small bow, meaning thank you.

Scratching or holding of a chin or beard is an indication that someone is thinking. It might be wise to wait until the person has finished thinking before continuing talking.

Friends' kissing each other on the cheek is a sign of friendship, and it is common amongst male friends.

Shaking hand is the normal greeting with a male. Females do shake hands with each other, and occasionally a kiss is shared. Males should not shake hand with a female unless the hand is offered by a female.

Touching noses three times when shaking hands is a traditional Bedouin greeting.

Holding hands for a long period after shaking hands is a sign of friendship

A Hug is an indication that you are considered a trustworthy friend. A refusal to touch may suggest that you are believed to be untrustworthy or unclean.

If an Arab bites their right finger, it is a sign of contempt and that you are not liked.

If a semi clenched hand is placed in front of the stomach, it means that you are thought to be a liar.

Placing finger on the Nose, beard or head means that it is the intention of the person to undertake what you are talking about.

Putting all fingers and thumbs together (like a cup) means; 'Wait just one minute' or 'slow down'.

If the fingers of the left hand are clasped together and touched with the right forefinger, this is the equivalent of giving someone the finger in the West.

A clawing action with the right hand is usually indicative of a beckoning to move closer or to come into a room. Never beckon anyone with one finger pointing up

The sole of the foot is dirty - never point the sole of your foot in the direction of an Arab.

When offered something to drink, always say yes. Saying no would mean rejecting someone's hospitality.



Nonverbal Communication in Britain

• Hand-signs

The handshake is the common form of greeting.

There is some protocol to follow when introducing people in a business: Introduce a younger person to an older person. Introduce a person of lower status to a person of higher status. When two people are of similar age and rank, introduce the one you know better to the other person.

Hugging, kissing and touching is usually reserved for family members and very close friends.

The British like a certain amount of personal space. Do not stand too close to another person or put your arm around someone's shoulder.

Staring is considered rude, and makes people feel uncomfortable.

If you hold up two fingers in a ‘v’ sign and the palm is facing inward it means ‘up yours’.



Nonverbal Communication in the U.S.A

• Business-handshake

Greetings are casual and quite informal - A handshake, a smile, and 'hello'.

Stand while being introduced. Only the elderly, the ill and physically unable persons remain seated while greeting or being introduced.

Handshakes are usually brief. Light handshakes are considered distasteful. Use a firm grip. Eye contact is important when shaking someone’s hand.

Keep your distance when conversing. Americans are generally uncomfortable with same-sex touching, especially between males.

Americans smile a great deal, even at strangers. They like to have their smiles returned.

Men and women will sit with legs crossed at the ankles or knees, or one ankle crossed on the knee.

It is considered rude to stare, ask questions or otherwise bring attention to someone's disability.

Arrive on time for meetings since time and punctuality are so important to Americans.



“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.”
~ Peter F. Drucker ~

Reference:

http://www.expats-moving-and-relocation-guide.com/nonverbal-communication.html




SO, WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING THE GESTURES FROM OTHER CULTURE?

Because nonverbal communication has also cultural meanings and is being interpreted according to the cultural context it occurs. Cultural norms regarding kinetics vary considerably between countries; if you are not familiar with the local body language you might be misunderstood, and sometimes misinterpret the local nonverbal signals. This can certainly lead to embarrassing and uncomfortable situations. So, before relocating overseas it is recommended to obtain as much information as you can about the nonverbal communication codes that are customary at your destination country. Understanding body language of the destination country and interpreting body language correctly will not only assist you to avoid unpleasant situation but will grant you respect from the locals.

TYPES OF NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION AND BODY LANGUAGE.

There are many different types of nonverbal communication. Together, the following nonverbal signals and cues communicate your concern and investment in others.

Facial expressions

The human face is extremely expressive, able to express countless emotions without saying a word. And unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are universal. The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same across cultures.

Body movements and posture

Consider how your perceptions of people are affected by the way they sit, walk, stand up, or hold their head. The way you move and carry yourself communicates a wealth of information to the world. This type of nonverbal communication includes your posture, bearing, stance, and subtle movements.

Gestures

Gestures are woven into the fabric of our daily lives. We wave, point, beckon, and use our hands when we’re arguing or speaking animatedly—expressing ourselves with gestures often without thinking. However, the meaning of gestures can be very different across cultures and regions, so it’s important to be careful to avoid misinterpretation.

Eye contact

Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is an especially important type of nonverbal communication. The way you look at someone can communicate many things, including interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Eye contact is also important in maintaining the flow of conversation and for gauging the other person’s response.

Touch

We communicate a great deal through touch. Think about the messages given by the following: a firm handshake, a timid tap on the shoulder, a warm bear hug, a reassuring pat on the back, a patronizing pat on the head, or a controlling grip on your arm.

Space

Have you ever felt uncomfortable during a conversation because the other person was standing too close and invading your space? We all have a need for physical space, although that need differs depending on the culture, the situation, and the closeness of the relationship. You can use physical space to communicate many different nonverbal messages, including signals of intimacy, aggression, dominance, or affection.

Voice

We communicate with our voices, even when we are not using words. Nonverbal speech sounds such as tone, pitch, volume, inflection, rhythm, and rate are important communication elements. When we speak, other people “read” our voices in addition to listening to our words. These nonverbal speech sounds provide subtle but powerful clues into our true feelings and what we really mean. Think about how tone of voice, for example, can indicate sarcasm, anger, affection, or confidence.