Verbal Communication

The basis of communication is the interaction between people. Verbal

communication is one way for people to communicate face-to-face. Some
of the key components of verbal communication are sound, words,
speaking, and language.
At birth, most people have vocal cords, which produce sounds. As a child
grows it learns how to form these sounds into words. Some words may be
imitative of natural sounds, but others may come from expressions of
emotion, such as laughter or crying. Words alone have no meaning. Only
people can put meaning into words. As meaning is assigned to words,
language develops, which leads to the development of speaking.
The actual origin of language is subject to considerable speculation. Some
theorists believe it is an outgrowth of group activities such as working
together or dancing. Others believe that language developed from basic
sounds and gestures.
Over 3,000 languages and major dialects are spoken in the world today.
The development of languages reflects class, gender, profession, age
group, and other social factors. The huge variety of languages usually
creates difficulties between different languages, but even within a single
language there can be many problems in understanding.
Through speaking we try to eliminate this misunderstanding, but
sometimes this is a very hard thing to do. Just as we assume that our
messages are clearly received, so we assume that because something is
important to us, it is important to others. As time has proven this is not at
all true. Many problems can arise is speaking and the only way to solve
these problems is through experience.
Speaking can be looked at in two major areas: interpersonal and public
speaking. Since the majority of speaking is an interpersonal process, to
communicate effectively we must not simply clean up our language, but
learn to relate to people.
In interpersonal speaking, etiquette is very important. To be an effective
communicator one must speak in a manner that is not offending to the
receiver. Etiquette also plays an important role in an area that has
developed in most all business settings: hierarchical communication. In
business today, hierarchical communication is of utmost importance to all
members involved.
The other major area of speaking is public speaking. From the origin of
time, it has been obvious that some people are just better public speakers
than others. Because of this, today a good speaker can earn a living by
speaking to people in a public setting. Some of the major areas of public
speaking are speaking to persuade, speaking to inform, and speaking to
inspire or motivate.
 Non Verbal Communication
Artifacts
Artifacts are often used to communicate information about oneself.
Artifacts are objects, often clothes, jewelry, pictures, trinkets, which
express one’s interests, hobbies, status, or lifestyle. Often noted in
democratic societies, where all are thought to be equal, artifacts are used
to announce inequalities that for reasons of taste and conformity, cannot
be expressed in words.
One of the most influential artifacts a person possesses is one’s wardrobe.
Much psychology and communication research supports that -at least in
the observer’s eyes- that clothes do make the man (or woman!). Lefkowitz,
Blake, and Mouton found in their own study that dress can even affect how
willing others will be to follow you. This study found that significantly more
individuals would follow a model’s example in crossing against the "wait"
signal when dressed in a business suit than when the same model crossed
the street dressed in poor work clothes.
Manager Tip: Artifacts are key in establishing first impressions. If you are
looking to improve your own professional style, make note of what artifacts
gives strangers a professional look.
Haptics
Research has found that touching can create both positive and negative
feelings. Your feelings are positive when the touch is perceived to be
natural. A person gets the opposite feeling when the touch is perceived to
be manipulative or insincere. Touch is experienced in many ways.
Handshakes, pats, and kisses are just a few of the ways one can
communicate by touching.

Manager Tip: A firm handshake says, "I care." A weak handshake says, "I
care less."
Chronemics
Time, or chronemics, can be used very differently with respect to
individuals and even cultures. Time perceptions include punctuality,
willingness to wait, and interactions. Time use affects lifestyles, daily
agendas, speed of speech and movements, how long people are willing to
listen, etc.
The way time is used can provide information about people as individuals.
There are different perceptions about time usage and its value. Also,
cultures differ in their usage of time. For example, in European and
American societies, when men are interacting with women, they generally
control the time use, talk more than women, and interrupt more than
women. In the business world, Americans are expected to arrive to
meetings on time and, usually, even early. On the other hand, they arrive
late to parties and dances.
Manager Tip: When addressing the issues of time and punctuality, be
specific as to what exactly is "on time." An employee may view arriving at
8:05-8:10 as acceptable, while the manager may see 8:10 as being late. By
citing a specific time rather than using general phrases, communication
can be improved and possible conflicts avoided.
Kinesics
Kinesics, or body language, is one of the most powerful ways that humans
can communicate nonverbally. It is used to portray moods and emotions
and to emphasize or contradict what is being said.
Body language is very important when in an interview. "To effectively
communicate it’s not always what you say, but what your body says, that
makes the difference," according to Patricia Ball. There are various
different types of body movement one can do to come across as being too
strong or too weak. For example, when one first walks into the room and
shakes hands with the interviewer you want to have good eye contact as
well as a good firm hand shake. Not too strong, because you can come
across as being a power player. Another important aspect to remember
when you are on an interview and that is to mirror your interviewer, but not
to the point that you over do it. For example, if the person that is giving you
the interview crosses his/her arms than you can cross your arms. If he/she
crosses their feet then you should cross your feet, but do it gradually.
The last two things to remember is when you first walk into the office do
not cross anything unless the person that is doing the interviewing crosses
his or hers first. Next when you are sitting down be relaxed as possible by
opening your suit jacket. This shows the person that you are not tensed.
The other aspect to remember is to lean forward in your chair, but not to
close where you are in the individuals face. If you sit back in your chair you
might be sending off signals, such as, aloofness or rejection. Finally,
nonverbal communication can also be an effective sale when executives
learn to read a client’s body language.