Verbal and non-verbal communication: a question of leadership

Today's leaders have no shortage of opportunities for personal and professional development, and yet they often do, Organisations forget to work on verbal and non-verbal communication., These are two sides of the same coin, which is also fundamental for a good leader to be able to transmit his message correctly.

A leader's most important task is to guide people along the path that leads them from where they are to where they need to be in order to make the organisation more innovative and productive. Verbal and non-verbal communication are key resources to achieve this, since they allow transmitting a clear and coherent message, This is essential for a leader to project respect and trust.

What weight does non-verbal communication have in the message?

Some researchers have shown that Non-verbal communication plays a much more important role than verbal communication.. Due to the spontaneous nature of this communication, which is an expression of emotional states that are communicated involuntarily and, in many cases, escaped through gestures or attitudes, the impact it has on the receiver is much more important than the effect of words alone. 

Because of this, although words play a fundamental role in the content of the information to be conveyed, if they are not accompanied by a clear and concise non-verbal communication to help reinforce the message, will not achieve the desired effects.

Verbal and non-verbal communication: the art of transmission

Verbal and non-verbal communication must use from awareness, The chances of successfully conveying the message. In order to do this, it is necessary to understand that certain gestures and attitudes convey specific information, and knowledge of this information can play a key role in the way a good leader is able to communicate his or her message.

It must be clear to the leaders of the organisation that:

• Both verbal and non-verbal communication are instruments at your service, which you can work on in a targeted way to increase your effectiveness.
• The way you communicate non-verbally may mean one thing to the leader, but convey a completely different message to the receiver of your message.
• Verbal and non-verbal communication must be taken care of, not only in formal meetings and official business encounters, but also in casual and informal interactions, inside and outside the organisation.
• When the messages that the leader conveys verbally and non-verbally are aligned, when words and gestures express the same thing, the audience's trust in the leader and, therefore, in the organisation he or she represents, is increased.

Verbal and non-verbal communication: establishing contact

Before launching into a message, it is necessary to know your audience and understand the implications of the information to be shared with them. On this basis, the way in which the information will be communicated should be enhanced, where verbal and non-verbal communication factors of different kinds come into play.

Every good communicator has the empathic capacity well-developed and, thanks to this ability, and to the use of the emotional intelligence, In the case of a speech, you will find it easy to “read” your interlocutor's face. However, in order to align verbal and non-verbal communication, in addition to the necessary preparation for the speech, the right attitude and gestures must be used to convey the message more effectively, which implies understanding what each non-verbal communication sign means. 

Fundamental elements of non-verbal language

Some things a leader must learn to be monitored are as follows:

• Facial expressionEyes, eyebrows and mouth are a powerful source of information. In a matter of milliseconds, they can convey pain, anger, rage, joy, disgust, disappointment, boredom, confusion and many other moods very clearly. It is essential for a good leader to understand this language if they are to use it to their advantage.
• Body languageThe posture of the body, the position of the feet, the way we sit or other subtle movements reveal more than our words. Just as with facial expressions, a good leader must take this into account if he or she wants to reinforce the message he or she is trying to convey. 
• GesturesThey add meaning to words and are particularly important when they come from hand movements.

The importance of eye contact 

Finally, it should be noted that eye contact is another aspect to consider when working to increase the effectiveness of verbal and non-verbal communication. Often, people attribute trustworthiness to people who speak while maintaining good eye contact and vice versa. But, in addition, this way of connecting with the interlocutor is also used to transmit interest and emotions, and to promote the relationship with the receiver of the message. It is therefore another aspect of non-verbal communication that can be used to enhance the message to be conveyed.