Silent Communication

When we think about communication, we tend to mostly think about words, sharing our thoughts and hopefully listening to others. Yet only seven percent of communication is made up of words. Thirty-eight percent of communication comes from the tone or feeling we give it, but fifty-five percent of communication is body language.

That’s more than half of communication. So, even when you aren't speaking, in reality you are always communicating with others. It could be how you are holding your body, the way you look at someone or something, your expressions, or a whole host of other things.

I find it interesting when I speak to groups that it is as if people forget I can see them. Scanning the room, I’m going to avoid the people who have their arms crossed and are frowning and focus instead on the people who are nodding their heads in agreement or smiling. It is concerning that we live in a culture that has forgotten the art of good communication.

In an age where emailing, but specifically texting, has become the primary form of communicating. Most people are much more willing to say negative and hurtful things in text than they ever would do in person. Emotional text can be dangerous because you are only using seven percent of communication and people can read whatever emotion they want into it, whether or not you meant it that way.

I understand that texting feels safer, but it is not a brave or healthy way to communicate how you are feeling. I admit to using this chicken way out of dealing with things. It’s always wiser to speak to people in person. Let’s do the brave thing and have a true conversation, while working to make sure our body language is saying the same thing our words and tone are expressing.

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 15:24 NIV