Concentrate on the Speaker


Tune into Nonverbal Cues

Studies show that in conversation, we get 7% of the meaning from words and 93% from nonverbal cues. So if you’re not tuned into nonverbal communication cues and what they may mean, you’re missing most of what’s going on!

Nonverbal cues include:

  • Aspects of speech other than words: volume, tone, speed, pitch, etc.

  • Gestures

  • Facial expressions

  • Eye movements

  • Physical proximity/position

  • Bodily contact

What to Do:

  1. Consciously watch/listen for the speaker’s nonverbal communication.

  2. Be conscious of whether the overall pattern is positive or negative, and whether the speaker’s words and nonverbal communications match (see Tool 13-1).

Checklist: Reading Nonverbal Cues

Tool 13-1.

start example

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end example

  1. If the overall pattern seems negative or the speaker’s nonverbal behaviors are at odds with the words used, consider whether you should act to clarify what the speaker means, test for agreement, or probe for the speaker’s thoughts and feelings on the topic being discussed.

Key Principles:

The overall pattern of nonverbal cues counts more than any individual item, so don’t over-interpret one cue.

Nonverbal cues mean different things in different cultures. The categorization of items in Tool 13-1 applies to speakers from the USA. If you’re communicating with someone from another culture, you should learn all you can about nonverbal cues in that culture before trying to interpret those cues.




Rath & Strong's Six Sigma Team Pocket Guide
Rath & Strongs Six Sigma Team Pocket Guide
ISBN: 0071417567
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 65
Authors: Rath & Strong

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