Transcript Chapter 5 - HCC Learning Web

Chapter 5
Nonverbal Communication
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Nonverbal Communication
 The success of communication in an
organization often depends on how well
managers, employees, and teams can
read these silent nonverbal messages
 The nonverbal code is responsible for
more than half of the meaning of
sender’s total message and when
conflicting language, paralanguage,
and nonverbal codes send conflicting
messages, people tend to pay even
more attention to nonverbal code
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Nonverbal Communication
 Successful use of nonverbal
communication helps in establishing
and maintaining interpersonal
relationships
 There is reciprocal quality to
nonverbal communication
 Effective use of nonverbal
communication also improves
likelihood others will comply with our
requests
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Nonverbal Communication:
Definition, Culture, and
Principles
Nonverbal communication
All intentional and unintentional messages
that are not written, spoken, or sounded
This definition omits paralanguage
To accurately determine meaning of
nonverbal message, you must know
sender’s frame of reference and cultural
background, as well as specific situation
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Nonverbal Communication:
Definition, Culture, and
Principles
Way to enrich understanding of culture and
nonverbal behaviors is to view through the
dimensions mentioned in Chapters 1
through 3:
Individualistic - collectivistic
Low-context – high-context
Monochronic – polychronic
In terms of nonverbal there are three levels:
Technical-formal-informal
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Technical Level
 Rules for cultural and nonverbal
behaviors openly known and easily
stated
Rules, as well as reasons for rules,
deliberately taught
When technical rule or behavior
broken unintentionally, little
emotion involved
Mistake pointed out and
correction made
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Formal Level
 Rules for behavior clearly stated, but
reasons for rules are not
Simply accepted without question
People who question rules not viewed
as team players
Many formal rules allow for wide
range of variation before rule is
considered to be violated
Formal rules based on tradition
change slowly, but they do change
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Informal Level
 Neither rules for behavior nor reason
for rules are taught
Unconsciously learned by imitation
Once behaviors learned, usually
become automatic and taken for
granted
When someone breaks one of
these unstated rules, may become
uncomfortable and withdraw from
situation
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Informal Level
 Many different cultures and
subcultures in the United States
Dangerous to make assumptions
about nonverbal meanings
What is a formal rule in one
culture may be technical or
informal rule in another
 The majority of our business-related
behaviors governed by informal-level
rules
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Facial Expressions and Eye
Contact
 The face which is responsible for most of the
meaning in nonverbal messages is referred to
as kinesics
Although basic facial expressions are fairly
universal, subtle and spontaneous expressions
we encounter at work are more difficult to
interpret and differ across cultures
 Eyes are most expressive part of face and have
considerable effect on communication
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Facial Expressions and Eye
Contact
In U.S. culture, eye contact performs several
functions:
Shows interest and attentiveness
Signals wish to participate
Controls and persuades others
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Eye Contact and Other Cultures
Be careful about assigning your
culture’s meanings for eye
behavior to all people
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Body Movements, Posture,
and Gestures
Also known as kinesics
Even more closely tied to culture than
facial expressions and eye contact
Misleading to isolate single body
movement and give it universal
meaning
Others may attribute specific meanings to
your movements and gestures regardless
of your intentions
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Body Movements, Posture,
and Gestures
 Gestures and body movements can be divided into four
categories:
 Emblems
Intentional body movements and gestures that
carry exact verbal meaning
 Illustrators
Intentional movements or gestures that add to or
clarify verbal meaning
 Regulators
Control flow of conversation
 Adaptors
Habitual gestures and movements we use in times
of discomfort
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Touch
Often called haptics
People from different cultures
use touch differently
Most greeting require some form
of touching
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Clothing and Personal
Appearance
Often referred to as objectives
People use clothing and
appearance to determine
status, credibility, and
persuasiveness
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Clothing and Personal
Appearance
Public’s perception of organization
depends in part on appearance
and dress of personnel
Many companies require
uniforms or have dress code
Business casual
Casual confusion syndrome
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Clothing and Personal
Appearance
 If uncertain about what clothing is appropriate, take
lead from what managers are wearing
 Pointers
 Basic business colors are navy, gray, and
neutrals
 Color shows status
 Sport coats or jackets for men and women and
a tie for men continue to be important
 Color and style equally important for job
interviews
 Don’t overlook importance of professional
demeanor
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Distance and Personal Space
 Proxemics
Differ from culture to culture
Many people unaware of their
personal distance requirements
Collectivistic cultures need
less space
Individualistic cultures want
more space
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
20
Distance & Personal Space
Edward T. Hall’s distance categories . . .
 Intimate Distance: Contact to 18 inches
 Personal Distance: 18 inches to 4 feet
 Social Distance: 4 to 12 feet
 Public Distance: 12 Feet or more
Copyright Cengage © 2011
Physical Environment
 Related to proxemics
Reveal characteristics of owner of
territory
Also affect how people
communicate
Environment produces emotional
response
Approach or avoidance
behaviors
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Physical Environment
 Color affects our emotional response
and is determining factor in whether
environment is considered attractive or
not
 Lighting and room size also alter
communication
 Odor communicates nonverbally
 Noise level, heat, ventilation, lack of
windows, and furniture arrangement are
other environmental factors that can
nonverbally affect communication
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Time
Referred to as chronemics
American reactions to time
occur at all three levels, business
life generally regulated on
informal level
Cultural and regional
differences add some confusion
to nonverbal aspect of time
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Monochronic and
Polychronic Cultures
Monochronic (m-time) cultures view time as
a “scarce resource which must be rationed
and controlled through use of schedules
and appointments”
Polychronic (p-time) cultures see “the
maintenance of harmonic relationships as
most important thing so use of time needs to
be flexible in order that we do right by
various people to whom we have
obligations”
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Status Symbols
 Clothes are nonverbal status symbol
Dark colors signify higher status
Tie is important denominator of
social status
People more likely to take orders
from and follow people who are
dressed in high-status clothing
Overdressing can lead to failure
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Status Symbols
 Important status symbols are location and
size of person’s office
 Corner offices carry more status
 Offices that are out of traffic mainstream
confer more power
 Power diminishes with distance
 Interior arrangement conveys authority
 Other office amenities that lend status
are solid-wood furniture, green plants,
and quality artwork
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Status Symbols
 Signs of power
Expansive, confident movements
Tall, upright standing posture
Relaxed, affable, familiar behavior
Ability to turn one’s back on
another to get an object
Comfortable, relaxed, seated
positions
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Status Symbols
 Signs of weakness
Small, controlled movements
Any form of bowing or bowed
posture
Tenseness, vigilance
Hesitantly standing or sitting
forward attentively
Playing with an object or nervous
shaking of foot or leg
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Nonverbal Messages and
International Business
People of other countries and cultures have
different nonverbal symbols and meanings
for each level culture, especially informal
level
Informal rule in United States may be
formal or technical rule in another nation
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Mistakes and Culture Shock
 When company sends representatives
abroad, two mistakes often made:
Companies seldom give their
representative much training in
language and customs of the country
they will visit
Assume employees will cope
Visiting employees assume people in
foreign country will behave the same
as Americans
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Mistakes and Culture Shock
When natives do not react as
expected, expatriates experience
culture shock or confusion
Visitors may negatively
stereotype people of host
country and withdraw from
personal contact
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Mistakes and Culture Shock
 To minimize culture shock, follow these guidelines
:
 Learn language as much as possible
 Ask for cross-cultural training
 Keep sense of humor
 Get plenty of rest
 Listen with open mind
 Ask for a family sponsor or corporate mentor
 Keep positive attitude
 Realize just because things are done
differently doesn’t mean they are wrong
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Expectancy Violations Theory
When our expectations are met,
we judge person favorably
If expectations not met, we judge
person unfavorably
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Immediacy Behaviors
Immediacy behaviors include the
following:
Verbal behaviors(Language)
Vocal behaviors(Paralanguage)
Visual behaviors(Nonverbal)
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Immediacy Behaviors
With specific nonverbal, vocal,
and verbal behaviors, you can
promote sense of closeness
Immediacy behaviors
Greater the group size, the
more distant people feel
unless person in charge uses
immediacy behaviors
Communicating for Results, 10th edition
Improving Nonverbal Skills
Pay attention to expectancy
violation theory
Learn to use immediacy behaviors
Work to adopt more effective
nonverbal habits
Communicating for Results, 10th edition