Important nonverbal messages

The nonverbal messages may prevent the spoken and graphic message from being heard or given proper attention. A presenter’s appearance, posture, style, or mannerisms can be so strongly senses and interpreted as poor by audience members that the true intended message – the ideas, arguments, substantiating material, visual aids – will be seen through clouded eyes (or their eyes may even be closed!). The contrary is true as well; audience members may become better included to listen to what a speaker has to say because his or her nonverbal messages are pleasing to them.

Psychologist Albert Mehrabian underscores the importance of nonverbal communication. His studies show that when two people communicate, less than 10 per cent of a key measure of communication success – total linking – comes from the words that are spoken. Over 50 per cent of the message comes from facial expressions and nearly 40 per cent from vocal tone or expression, called paralanguage (how something is said).

This especially comes into play when the spoken and unspoken messages don’t match. When a speaker says “We have a wonderful idea” in a dull voice while looking nervously at the ceiling, would you believe her?

In fact, this is what happens to many presenters. They grip the lectern tightly with both hands. They adopt a rigid position and stare straight ahead, thus stifling their natural facial and body expressions. Then they speak in a monotone, particularly if they are reading material. There goes the bulk of their positive nonverbal value, while the audience picks up negatives of apprehension, unpreparedness, and possibly deception, probably not a true picture of the speaker.

Checking list for using body language
The dos	The don’ts
Move hands and arms Move around the room Move towards the audience Move your eyes around the audience Moving is normal	Don’t point at anyone Don’t rock backwards and forwards Don’t stand rooted to the spot Don’t leave your hands by your sides Don’t avoid eye contact

Using your voice effectively

How you say something is often just as important as what you say. You can use your voice and the way you stress words or make pauses in sentences to make your presentation more interesting and easier for the audience to follow.

Stressing words

By emphasizing particular words or parts of words you create certain effects. Notice how you can change the meaning of a sentence by putting the stress on a different word.

We all know that this is an extremely difficult market. (It’s more than just difficult)

We all know that this is an extremely difficult market. (You and I agree on this)

We all know that this is an extremely difficult market. (But they don’t)

Making pauses

You can use pauses to slow your pace down and make your sentences easier to understand. Group words into phrases according to their meaning and make pauses between the phrases.

In my opinion we should go into other markets.

In my opinion // we should go // into other markets.

On the other hand, the figures prove that we are on the right track.

On the other hand, //the figures prove // that we are on the right track.

Exercise 14

Read aloud the sentence below emphasising the underlines words and match the sentences to their meanings

1. This course will help you become a much better presenter.

2. This course will help you become a much better presenter.

3. This course will help you become a much better presenter.

4. This course will help you become a much better presenter.

1. refers to audience, not presenter

2. significant improvement expected

3. not another one

4. it’s certain whereas other courses may not

Exercise 15

Another way of emphasising is to stress the auxiliary verb. Read the following sentences aloud, stressing the auxiliaries

1. We are looking into new methods.

2. The exchange rate has dropped and this means …

3. They had studied the possible effects of their action.

Exercise 16

When there is no auxiliary, you can emphasise a point by adding the auxiliary do, does or did

e.g. We believe that … We do believe that …

Rewrite the following in the same way

1. As a company we made an enormous effort to …

2. To be effective negotiators we have to be able to “live with silence”.

3. If you want to be a millionaire by the time you’re forty, you have to …

4. Working in teams means you need to spend more time communicating.

Checking list for using voice effectively
Voice and pronunciation	Making it interesting
Project your voice aim for the back Emphasize importance say some words louder repeat important words	Go faster to excite Go slower to show importance Pause often and look round the audience Give emphasis with voice and body