College to Career

12

Body Language

12.1 Introduction

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 nonverbal channel, also called nonverbal cues). Studies have demonstrated that more than half of all communication happens only through body language. What this means is that people pay attention to your body language much more than the words spoken or your voice.

In general, there is a serious lack of awareness of how important body language is and how it can be effectively used as a mode of communication. Many of us do not even realize that we are ...