Fixing communication mistakes
Saturday, November 03, 2007 @ 12:47 PM
How do nonverbal cues help you patch up communication mistakes? No one is perfect. We all make mistakes in relationships, but with emotionally savvy, we can repair the damage.
Notice what happens when each of them has fallen back into an old pattern, and how they salvage the situation with their newfound understanding of nonverbal communication:
1) Ted notices that Sharon’s tone of voice has lost its warmth, and realizes that he doesn’t remember the last thing she said – he hasn’t been listening to her! Looking chagrined and smiling apologetically, Ted leans forward, takes her hand and looks directly into her eyes. She gives him a smile that says “you’re forgiven” along with a questioning look that he picks up and answers. Ted new ability to notice and accurately interpret the feelings of his coworkers has also given his career an upward boost.
2) Arlene notices that her date is tapping his fingers and she has been swinging her leg and foot. He looks bored, and she feels tense all over. Taking a long deep breath and a swallow of wine, she feels her shoulders drop and her jaw relax. Arlene leans across the table and breaks into a warm and radiant smile. Her date smiles back and their eyes meet and hold. She has also used her new observational skills at work and is now much more comfortable interacting with others in her work setting.
3) Jack notices that his date seems to be leaning back and looks uncomfortable. Seeing her discomfort, he moves back in his seat, softens his gaze, puts his hands in his lap and concentrates on following her lead. This change of behavior in Jack positively affects each of them. Jack’s date eases her guard, and seeing her soften makes Jack feel more relaxed and confident. Jack, to his advantage, has also learned to notice and respond to the nonverbal cues of others at work, making him feel more confident and greatly improving his interactions with colleagues.