Leadership beyond words

Most leaders and managers are aware of the importance of wording their messages carefully whether speaking to a group or face to face, because they know that it is both difficult and critical for people to understand one another clearly.

Yet, is choosing the right words enough? Isn’t a message more or less persuasive depending on how it is conveyed? Don’t the very same words strike people differently depending on who says them and how they are said?

Many studies have shown that the formal meaning of the words employed has very little influence on how a message is interpreted. Indeed, nonverbal factors such as eye contact, gestures, intonation, and posture are much more powerful than words! The selected publications underline the capital role of nonverbal communication in leadership situations, and offer the following advice:

– To foster constructive interactions, use open, friendly body language that reflects the rapport you want to establish.

– To be more persuasive, use nonverbal language consistent with the feelings you want to project.

– To get the best out of people, carefully manage the latent micro-messages you convey in everyday situations.