Page 21 - Communication in Organizations Basic Skills and Conversation Models

Communication in organizations 10

‘Non’-selective listening skills, minimal encouragers

According to Argyle (1981, 1988) approximately half of our communication is composed
of nonverbal behaviour.

Nonverbal behaviour

Facial expression
From your facial expression it can often be seen whether you are interested in what the
other person is saying or whether you are elsewhere with your thoughts (Argyle & Cook,
1976). Facial expression is often directly related to your feelings (Russell & Fernandez-
Dols, 1997), sometimes even more often than you actually imagine. According to
Hackney and Cormier (1979) the most remarkable facial expression is the smile. By
smiling you can show interest, kindness, and sympathy, which have stimulating effects
on the speaker. However, providing the correct dose of smiling is essential: too much can
lead to speakers feeling they are not being taken seriously, or it can show your own
insecurity. On the other hand too much frowning can be interpreted as disapproval.
Sometimes frowning means that you are trying to understand what the speaker is saying.
In that case frowning is an expression of involvement, which stimulates speakers to be
more clear and explicit in what they are saying.

Eye contact
The second aspect of nonverbal behaviour is eye contact. Stimulating eye contact means
that your eyes should meet the speaker’s eyes once in a while. You should neither have a
fixed stare, nor should you avoid the speaker’s eyes altogether. Staring can make the
other person feel uncomfortable. They may get the feeling that they are being studied.
Avoiding eye contact often stems from personal insecurity. It is obvious that you are not
making a confident impression.

Body posture
A third aspect is body posture. The interest you have in the other person can also be
shown by a relaxed and friendly body posture. By assuming a comfortable body position
you can make it easy for you to listen. A relaxed conversation partner often evokes more
trust than a restless and constantly gesturing one. Making exaggerated gestures is also
associated with nervousness (Axtell, 1991). Although not showing any nervousness is not
very natural, it is usually more pleasant to talk to someone who emits a certain stability
and calmness.