Use appropriate phrases and body language

Assessment Outcomes –
2.2. Use appropriate phrases and/or body language to indicate that s/he has something relevant to say.
3.1. Contribute to a team activity.
3.4. Identify the skills that other members of the team brought to the activity.

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What is Body Language?

While the key to success in both personal and professional relationships lies in your ability to communicate well, it’s not the words that you use but your non-verbal cues or “body language” that speak the loudest. Body language is the use of physical behavior, expressions, and mannerisms to communicate non-verbally, often done instinctively rather than consciously.

All of your non-verbal behaviors—the gestures you make, your posture, your tone of voice, how much eye contact you make—send strong messages.

For example, if you disagree with or dislike what someone’s saying, you may use negative body language to rebuff the person’s message, such as crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or tapping your feet.

The non-verbal aspects of communication such as tone of voice and non-verbal gestures communicate a great deal more than the words that are spoken, people are more likely to believe your non-verbal communication than your verbal communication if the two are contradictory.

In other words, you are the most believable and most effectively communicating when all three elements of face-to-face communication are aligned with each other. Over half of the information we send to others is through non-verbal methods.

“The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn’t being said.” — Peter Drucker