Non-verbal communications and Oral/ Public Speaking, Meetings and Interview

Background Introduction

Non verbal Communication and oral communication is a big component of both personal and business communication. Oral refers to the communication in spoken form. Non verbal communication is done without using words and sentences.

 

1. Non-verbal Communication

Nonverbal Communication is simply known as the exchange of message beyond the words and sentences. In another words, it is the type of communication in which sign and symbols are used to exchange the message. For example we exchange information, feelings and emotions by various types of nonverbal communication such as facial expression, eye contact, gestures, body language and so on.

 

Nonverbal communication is more important than verbal in some contexts and situations. One cannot hide the things and message in nonverbal. That is to say if you are sad and not feeling well. Your friend/relative asks you 'how are you?' and you respond 'I am fine'. The sentence is positive about your health but in reality you are not fine which is simply expressed subconsciously through your facial expression.

 

Nonverbal communication refers to hearing what has not been told. According to Indian PM Modi, 'In diplomacy, lips are holding but tongues move'.

 

These things matter a lot. Nonverbal communication is very powerful and obvious in our professional and daily life.

 

Nonverbal communication refers to a variety of physicalized nonverbal cues that convey emotional states and supplement verbal messages. Nonverbal human communication involves many different parts of the body and can be conscious or subconscious on the communicator's part.

 

Some forms of nonverbal behavior, such as a handshake or a head nod, are deliberate actions intended to communicate something. In the same way other nonverbal forms of communication, like a nervous hand jolt or a voice tremble, reveal emotional states that the user possibly desire to shared. Learning how to decode nonverbal communication and control only those aspects of communication for yourself are excellent ways to enhance your interpersonal skills.

 

a. Importance of Non-verbal Communication

Understanding different types of nonverbal communication is essential for controlling the messages you send and decoding the emotional states of others. Here are a few examples of how understanding nonverbal cues can help you become a more effective communicator:

 

i. To demonstrate interest

Representative Nonverbal cues are an excellent way to convey attentiveness and engagement to those around you. Controlling your posture and maintaining eye contact will show others that you are interested in what they have to say.

 

 ii. To convey a specific meaning

Many words have multiple meanings, and what we say is frequently misunderstood. Learning how to use nonverbal communication to supplement your words can help you avoid misinterpretation and miscommunication.

 

iii. To build connection

Nonverbal communication is an excellent way to build connection and trust. It's no coincidence that many cultures consider some kind of physical gesture, such as a handshake or hug, to be required in certain types of personal interactions.

 

iv. To demonstrate authenticity

Your nonverbal communication goes a long way toward establishing the genuineness of your feelings to those with whom you are speaking. Complementing your actual words with direct eye contact and a confident posture shows others that you are expressing your true feelings.

 

b. Understanding Nonverbal Communication: Some Pointers

There are numerous situations in everyday life where understanding nonverbal communication can help you. Knowing how to decipher nonverbal cues can help you improve your communication skills in a variety of ways. Here are some strategies for increasing your awareness of nonverbal cues:

 

i. Search for inconsistencies

Knowing how to recognize signs of nervousness, such as fidgeting or evasive eyes, is an excellent way to determine whether the person you're speaking with is trustworthy. If the speaker's nonverbal behavior appears to contradict their verbal messaging, it is likely that they are not entirely comfortable with what they are saying.

 

ii. Be aware of cultural differences

It is critical to be aware of the various mannerisms and physical gestures that are common in various cultures. Nonverbal interpersonal communication differs from place to place. Don't jump to conclusions about nonverbal cues you pick up from someone from a different country or culture, as they may mean something completely different in their culture.

There are various types of common and famous nonverbal communication.

 

iii. Analyze the situation holistically

Examine nonverbal cues as a whole. It's critical to pay attention to a range of nonverbal clues being presented to you. Someone who has a damp brow does not necessarily suggest they are nervous. A twitch in someone's hand, for example, could be an unintentional tic. To gain a more complete picture of what a person is communicating, try to look at nonverbal cues holistically.

 

c. Types of nonverbal communication

The types of nonverbal communication are as follows:

Expressions on the Face

Human face is like a mirror. It can communicate many things. Majority of messages can be communicated through facial expression.

Posture and Body Movement

The posture and body movement during communication matters a lot. It helps both the speakers and listener to understand the message.

Gestures

We don’t communicate like in a very frozen style. We make different sign and symptoms during communication that is called gestures.

Eye contact

Eye contact among the other types of nonverbal communication is one of the important type.. Because most people's dominant sense is vision, eye contact is an especially important form of nonverbal communication. The way you look at someone can convey a variety of emotions, such as interest, affection, hostility, or attraction. Maintaining eye contact is also important for keeping the conversation flowing and gauging the other person's interest and response.

Touch

We communicate a lot through touch. One can have think about the various messages which are conveyed by different activities like a weak handshake, a warm bear hug, a condescending pat on the head, or a controlling grip on the arm.

Space

Space is also important and need to be considered as a nonverbal communication. People keep bigger or smaller space based on the relation between sender and receiver in one hand and on the other it also depends on the subject matter.

Voice

People speak with different voice pitch and intensity based on the users, context and subject matter etc.

The types of nonverbal communication can be sub divided are as follows:

1. Space
2. Time
3. Physical characteristics
4. Body movements
5. Touch
6. Paralanguage
7. Artifacts
8. Environment

Some other scholars have listed the types of nonverbal communication as follows:

a. Eye contact,
b. Facial expressions,
c.  Gestures,
d. Posture and body orientation,
e.  Body Language,
f.  Space and Distance,
g.  Proximity,
h. Para-linguistic,
i.   Humor,
j.   Touch,
k. Silence,
l.   Personal Appearance,
m.  Symbol,
n. Visual Communication.

2. Oral/ Public speaking

Oral or Public Speaking comes under verbal communication. That is to say communication can be classified into two types verbal verses nonverbal.

 

Oral communication is more effective than emailing or text messaging. During the important and sensitive conversations it is required, for example, salary negotiations and even conflict resolution, oral communication can help you get your point across while avoiding misunderstandings and confusion.

 

Today's business world is pervaded by several means of communication. The jobs like interviews, conference calls, meetings, product presentations, workshops, and public events, more and more executives are realizing the need of having effective interpersonal communication skills within their organizations.

 

Despite this, the majority of executives and employees continue to disregard and overlook the usage of public speaking, allowing those who take proactive steps to master the art of public speaking to develop and advance in their careers.

 

However, to become an effective public speaker is not one of the necessary but unpleasant objectives on your career development guideline.

 

The skill of public speaking has several practical advantages which extend from delivering a project report presentation to conducting a successful meeting.

 

Practicing public speaking and improving your communication skills:

 

• Provides new opportunities for career advancement
• Establishes you as an authority
• Distinguishes you from your competition
• Draws the appropriate customers to your business
• Effectively presents technical or business information
• Produces a faster sales cycle
• Promote your products to larger audiences
• Improves internal communication
• assigns leadership and train others easily
• Improves employee productivity
• Prepares you for unexpected speaking obstacles (e.g., giving a speech on short notice)
• Builds credibility and strengthens client loyalty

 

Personal and Social Benefits of Public Speaking

According to a series of psychological research conducted at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, people create an impression of someone they encounter for the first time in three to five seconds.

 

When presenting yourself, your confidence will have a big impact on how people see you and what assumptions they draw about your professionalism and character.

 

Improving your public speaking skills and learning to speak with natural grace and honesty about who you are and what you do will help you broaden your social circle, build solid relationships with accomplished, like-minded individuals, and make new friends.

 

Other advantages of public speaking for individuals include:

• Greater social impact
• Improved ability to listen
• Increased chance of meeting new people
• Less nervousness and worry while speaking in front of others
• Improved memory
• Enhanced persuasion ability
• Last but on least, it has greater control and manipulation over emotions and body language

 

Basic Elements of Public Speaking

Because of the widespread accessibility of mainstream media, particularly the Internet, we have been able to reach a large audience and have our voices heard.

 

Public speaking has evolved from a skill cultivated by a select few with one of the most effective marketing, educational, and brand promotion available tools to any organization.

Almost every well-paid position in today's business world needs some type of public speaking, whether it's giving a group sales presentation, presenting your ideas to the board of directors, speaking to a committee, or addressing a group of potential clients about your company at a corporate event.

 

Majority of the public speeches can be specified into five basic elements which are usually expressed as follows

 

Who (The Sender) What (Subject Matter) Whom (The Receiver) using what Medium with what Effects (action)?

 

In today's corporate and social world, the three most popular types of speeches are spontaneous, manuscript, and extemporaneous. To become a great public speaker, you'll need to master each of these skills, as they'll allow you to speak confidently and successfully in front of any number of people in any setting.

 

Impromptu Speech

 

The circumstance, rather than being planned in preparation, prompts an impromptu speech. When great public speakers sometimes joke that the best unplanned speeches are those that are rehearsed weeks in advance, the fact is that most of us have little or no time to prepare before speaking in front of a public.

 

Speech in manuscript

 

This form of speech is written in the style of a manuscript and is intended to be given verbatim. Many political and social occasions require manuscript speeches, as each word has a great deal of weight and should not be misquoted. One of the most common examples of a manuscript speech is a politician delivering a speech written by someone else.

 

Extemporaneous speech is a type of speech that is made on the spot.

 

The most popular style of speech that helps to develop an emotional connection with the audience is extemporaneous speech. It is organized around essential ideas, but the content can be presented in any order, allowing the speaker to adjust their speech in response to the audience's reactions.

 

The Untold Psychology of Public Speaking Phobia

Psychologists know that being in the spotlight often causes the same physical reactions that we would have in the face of a real life-threatening danger, such as:

 

• pounding heart
• dry mouth
• trembling hands
• quivering voice
• cold sweaty palms
• stomach cramps

 

Changing your fair into Excitement

Fear of public speaking should not stand in the way of your career and personal development. When you can communicate confidently and authentically to any size gathering, it is much easier to start a business or grow in your job.

 

If you're scared that your nervousness will make your presentation worse rather than better, here are 5 practical ways to turn it into unshakeable confidence and excitement:

 

Take a deep breath

Anxiety and fear elicit a very specific "fight or flight" response in your body: your muscles tighten, your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises, and your breathing becomes shallow. However, because your breathing rate is directly related to your emotional reaction, deep breathing is the quickest and easiest way to control your emotions and regain confidence. Whether you're giving a presentation to your team or talking to potential clients, remember to breathe deeply and evenly before and during your speech.

 

Turning the lens outwards

 

According to Witt, many people perform worse than they could because they focus too much on their physical symptoms (e.g., butterflies, shaky hands, sweaty palms) and their embarrassment rather than their breathing and speech. This problem is easily avoidable if we shift our focus from how we experience or look to the message we want to communicate to our audience.

 

Visualizing

Many top athletes routinely use visualization or mental rehearsal as part of their competition preparation. Quite apart from athletics, visualization has been shown to improve performance in areas of communication, public speeches, and education.

 

Concentrating on facts rather than fears

Instead of focusing on irrational fears (such as your mind going blank or your audience becoming bored), focus on positive facts such as "I have practiced my speech many times," "I am a specialist on this subject," says the speaker, "and I have notes with significant bullet points to retain the flow of my presentation." Concentrating on positive facts and what you can offer diverts your attention away from irrational scenarios about what could go wrong.

 

Build your speech on clarity rather than complexity.

This is a beautiful tips to make your speech effective and professional. Organizing your speech or presentation around two or three main points allows you to relax and not become stressed.

 

3. Conducting and participating in meetings

A meeting allows you to share ideas and information, collaborate with your coworkers, and address important issues and goals, whether you're a manager, supervisor, team leader, or employee.

 

Knowing how to run a meeting effectively allows you to run your organization more efficiently. What makes a meeting effective, how to arrange a meeting, how to prepare for a meeting, and how to follow up after the meetings are all discussed here.

 

What factors contribute to a fruitful meeting?

A successful meeting consists of several components. The more of these elements you include in your meeting, the more effective it will be. And here is the what a successful meeting looks like, and why it's so vital and valuable to the business:

Preparation: Planning ahead of time ensures that you make the most of your meeting. Make an agenda that highlights the key points you want to cover during the meeting. Keep this agenda on hand so you can refer to it and take notes as needed during the meeting.

Delegation: It is critical to address all key points and ensure that all voices are heard when conducting a meeting. Consider doing a roll call to see who is in attendance and reviewing the agenda to help you lead the meeting effectively.

Action plan: To successfully terminate a meeting, present an ending summary that confirms what all must do after the meeting is over. An action plan essentially lays out the next steps for everyone to take.

Focus: Keeping everyone focused ensures that you address every major point of discussion. When necessary, refer to the agenda. After completing each agenda item, important to summarize the points made, ask if anyone has any questions, and move on to the next item on the agenda.

 

Attendees must be engaged throughout the meeting in order to remain focused and entertained. Having engaged participants ensures that you receive input from everyone, which can result in better results for your company as a whole.

 

Planning ahead of time includes scheduling the next meeting during the current one.

How do you prepare for a meeting?

When it comes to meetings, make sure you have a strategy in place to maximize everyone's time. The more you plan ahead of time, the more effective your meeting will be. To plan a meeting, follow these steps:

1. Determine the purpose of the meeting.

Before you set a meeting time, determine the purpose of the meeting. Think about whether you want to solve a problem, make a decision, share information, or motivate your employees. If you don't have enough time to prepare, or if you believe another form of communication would work just as well or better, don't schedule a meeting.

2. Create Agenda

Create an agenda that outlines the key topics you want to cover as well as the order in which you want to cover them. Make sure to include a brief introduction that explains why the meeting is being held, followed by key discussion points. Set aside a certain amount of time for each topic of discussion.

Related: Meeting Agenda Writing: Tips, Template, and Example

3. Select the attendees and participants

Consider which key employees must attend the meeting. For example, you should include people who can help you achieve your goals, people who will be affected by the meeting, key decision-makers, and people who are knowledgeable about a topic you're discussing.

4. Delegate roles to your participants.

Once you've decided who you want to participate and attend, assign each person a role. For example, you could have someone keep track of the time and a facilitator lead the discussion.

5. Agree on a meeting time and location.

Determine the meeting's time and location. Consider whether you want a casual or more formal gathering. A small room can be utilized for a casual meeting, but a conference room is suited for a bigger, more formal assembly. Ensure the meeting time is convenient for the bulk of your attendees to increase participation.

7. Establish a decision-making procedure.

Decide on the best decision-making process if you need to make a decision during the meeting. You can, for example, use a majority vote, have people share their expertise to reach a group consensus, or have a leader make a decision. Having a process in place makes things go more smoothly.

8. Choose the tools and equipment you'll need.

Consider whether you want to use collaboration or productivity tools during your meeting. You can, for example, use an audio recording device or a screen-sharing platform. Making this decision ahead of time allows you to avoid technology issues during the meeting.

9. Complete and distribute the agenda.

Make any necessary changes to the agenda before distributing it. This allows them to review the agenda ahead of time, giving them an idea of what to expect.

10. Follow up with potential attendees

If you haven't heard back from certain participants about their attendance, contact them before the meeting. It's especially important to confirm the attendance of anyone to whom you've delegated a role.

What are the best ways to prepare for a meeting?

A meeting can be bestprepared by adopting the following techniques and strategies:

By preparing an agenda

Prepare an agenda with a list of topics, delegates speakers, and time allotted for each agenda item. Request agenda suggestions, be realistic about your time allotment for each agenda item, and assess the importance of each agenda item. When you understand the significance of an agenda item, you can decide whether to address it during this meeting or at a later date.

Invite your speakers to take part

Prior to the meeting, invite various speakers to participate. Individual goals are typically addressed by speakers. Choose speakers who can effectively describe the process and outcomes for various objectives.

Schedules must be coordinated

The meeting should be scheduled to accommodate everyone's availability. Make sure to schedule a reasonable meeting time. For example, holding a meeting in the late afternoon on a Friday may not be the best time because many people are ready to go home for the weekend and will be less focused. If not everyone is able to attend the meeting, ensure that the key project employees attend and that those who were unable to attend receive notes with a summary of what happened and what was discussed.

Distribute the agenda

Distribute the agenda to the appropriate employees prior to the meeting. Ensure that everyone has a copy and understands what to expect from the meeting.

Send out reminders. Remind everyone of the date and time of the meeting.

4. Interviewing and getting interviewed

Interviewing and getting interviewed is an important task of business organization and communication. The executive spends a significant amount of time interviewing in the normal course of business. However, there has been a shocking lack of effort put into systematic efforts to improve this age-old process.

Interviewing is one of those activities that we think we know everything about simply because we've been doing it for so long; we've been lulled by habit. It appears that a modest effort aimed at analyzing our interviewing techniques would yield substantial results.

Interviewing, in its broadest sense, is the process by which individuals (usually two) exchange information. Individuals may be concerned about a job opening, a promotion, a special assignment, a product sale, intelligence information, a proposed merger, or other issues. The information shared does not have to be limited to facts. In business, for example, the meaning and understanding gained from an interview are frequently more important than objective factual statements.

 

In today's business world, interviews are almost always conducted in a frenetic atmosphere. The time allotted for the interview is unavoidably limited. As a result, a nondirective approach is rarely used; in the vast majority of cases, the guided interview is required.

For the purposes of this article, an effective interview is one that optimizes the perceived communication goals of the individuals involved, with time as the primary constraint. We will focus on research findings related to:

The right kind of interview preparation.
The importance of procedures such as making an outline of topics to be covered and taking notes.
Questioning techniques are used and abused.
The sum and type of control that the interviewer should have over the discussion.
Analyze and evaluate the information gathered.
Preparation and Planning

The greatest single flaw discovered in my research on the interviewing process is a lack of adequate preparation for an interview.

a. The importance of Interview

Interviews are your opportunity to sell your abilities and skills.

They also help you figure out if the job and company are a suitable match for you. To ace your interviews, follow the tips in this article:

Examine typical interview questions. Practice answering them aloud or in front of a mirror. Prepare stories that relate to the skills that the employer is looking for, while emphasizing your:

Strengths of a good interview

Flexibility and willingness to work

Leadership abilities

willingness and ability to learn new things

Contributions to organizations where you worked or volunteered

Problem-solving and collaboration creativity

b. How to conduct an effective interview?

The following activities contribute to make effective interview:

Make a list of the questions you want to ask during the interview.

Choose questions that demonstrate your enthusiasm for the job and the company. This could include making a comment on the news you learned from the company's website and then asking a question about it. In addition, ask questions about the job you'll be doing, such as:

What are the duties of this job on a daily basis?

What criteria will be used to assess my responsibilities and performance? Who is it?

Could you please describe your organizational structure?

What computer hardware and software do you employ?

What is the organization's five-year strategy?

Be prepared

Remember to bring the following items to your interview:

Pens and a notebook

Extra copies of your resume and a list of references are recommended.

Copies of recommendation letters, licenses, transcripts, and so on.

Work samples portfolio

Remember to do the following on the day of the interview:

Schedule your day so that you arrive 10 to 15 minutes early.

You should go by yourself.

Maintain a professional appearance. Dress professionally for the job.

Leave your gadgets at home or in your car.

Switch off your cell phone.

Bring a sense of humor and a SMILE!

Show confidence during interview

Show confidence during the interview, but allow the interviewer to initiate the conversation. Use your body language to send a positive message.

Shake hands firmly, but only if a hand is first extended to you.

Keep eye contact.

Pay close attention.

It is better to welcome all questions, even the difficult questions, with a smile.

Give honest, direct answers.

Develop answers in your head before you respond.

If a question is difficult to understand, then you have to ask for it to be repeated.

You don't need to rush, but you also don't want to appear unsure.

End Interview with good impression

Finish the interview on a positive note. Another way to ensure your success is to end the interview on a positive note.

Be polite and allow the interview to conclude on time.

Restate any strengths and experiences that you may not have mentioned previously.

Mention a specific accomplishment or activity that is relevant to the job.

Declare your desire for the position!

Determine whether or not additional interviews will be conducted.

Inquire when the employer intends to make a decision.

Indicate a time when you will be able to contact the employer to learn about the decision.

After the interview, don't forget to send a thank-you note or letter.

 

Non verbal, Public Speaking, Meeting and Interview

Conclusion

All the subject matters and topic discussed above are come under non verbal and oral communication which play the significant role in business communication.

References

Timilsena (2022) Platform for Business Communication and Research Writing

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