The Business of Body Language

How your nonverbal communication is telling its own story

by Kara Irby, Florida League of Cities

You are on your third virtual meeting of the day and begin to yawn. Maybe you avert your eyes. What is the body language you’re displaying communicating to fellow meeting attendees? Are you aware of the messages you’re sending?

Research suggests that most of our daily communication, anywhere from 80% to more than 90%, is nonverbal.

How we evaluate and respond to nonverbal communication can vary depending on the person, but awareness is key, said Kimberly Wells-Bernard, Ph.D., Professor at Nassau Community College and expert in applied organizational psychology.

“If your goal is effective communication, it’s critical to be aware of our body language,” Wells-Bernard said. “It will color how individuals perceive you, the message you are attempting to convey and whether they receive the message at all.”

Nonverbal messaging includes body movements, gestures and facial expressions. Facial expressions are referred to as microexpressions – brief, involuntary emotional displays that reflect the individual’s inner state.

“The challenge that Zoom creates from an interpersonal perspective is that people are forced to rely on facial cues more heavily,” Wells-Bernard said. “If you’re deep in thought, the muscles in your face may naturally tense and tighten, which could be misperceived as disagreement or dissatisfaction.”

Body language is important because humans inherently assign meaning to the behaviors they observe in others. For example, an action as simple as crossing one’s arms, while perhaps simply an adjustment for comfort, could be mistakenly interpreted as a sign of being closed off or defensive, Wells-Bernard said. Often, nonverbal behaviors may convey unintentional messages to the listeners, who consequently mirror the energy perceived from the speaker.

Vocal tone and volume are also essential forms of nonverbal interpersonal communication. To ensure maximum impact, speakers should modulate the volume and tone of their voice to match the context and needs of the listener or audience.

So how do we keep our nonverbal communication in check?

Practice setting your facial expression to a warm and welcoming smile when engaging others and maintaining a calm demeanor, Wells-Bernard suggested

“Humans are wired to share emotional cues,” she said. “As such, the nonverbal behavior displayed by the speaker should be leveraged to set the course for a positive interaction and maximize impact.”

This advice applies whether you’re interacting with a colleague or addressing the media.

Candice Temple, Public Media Relations Director for the City of Palm Beach Gardens, said, “When I am working with someone who is about to engage in public speaking, they are often nervous. That nervous energy can sometimes make its way into their body language and inadvertently communicate something unintended.

Temple, President-elect of the Florida Municipal Communicators Association, encourages speakers to close their eyes and take several deep breaths to allow their bodies to release that nervous energy. “You’d be surprised what this does to help you regain focus on your objective and get your shoulders, arms and fingers to calm,” she said.

Body posture is paramount when addressing large or public audiences, Wells-Bernard said. For those who struggle with an intense case of nerves, she encourages channeling your inner superhero.

“Practice high power poses when preparing for an important presentation, interview or meeting,” Wells-Bernard said. “Assuming an open and expansive stance for as few as two to three minutes has been associated with higher levels of performance and self-reported confidence. Further, researchers at Harvard University have shown that engaging in high power poses are associated with an increase in testosterone (the dominance hormone) and a decrease in cortisol (the stress hormone).”

So whether you’re gearing up for your next Zoom meeting or prepping for your next press conference, get your superman or woman on, and seize your next communication moment.

Kara Irby is a Communications Specialist at the Florida League of Cities.