Learn effective ways of enhancing non-verbal communication to make a better impression on the job with clients, co-workers, and supervisors.

Many professional employees feel that once they have learned good verbal communication skills, they will make a positive impression on those they work with on the job, including clients, co-workers, and supervisors. But that is not necessarily true.

While it’s true that our pronunciation and grammar play a role in the public image we project and the way that others perceive us, non-verbal communication can play a vital role in presenting a polished, confident personality.

Sometimes called “metacommunication” or “paracommunication,” non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, gestures, stance, movement, and eye contact. Hunched shoulders, for example, may suggest someone who feels tense or defeated. A direct, locking gaze can imply a challenge or flirtation.

Everyone uses physical movements to express an attitude or emotion: a thumb’s up, a sideways shake of the head, and a frown suggest connotations that are almost universal–for Americans, at least. But gestures like these can carry other meanings in different cultures. So be sure to check a culture guide before traveling abroad to avoid inadvertently causing offense.

In the U.S. business world where emphasis is placed on the written word, non-verbals play a small but significant role. The list that follows explains several common expressions that generally mean the same thing to most people. However, since 25% of the U.S. population is expected to be non-Caucasian by the year 2020, meanings may change. Until then, the following are general indicators of unspoken communication:

1.  Facial expressions. Frowns and smiles are universal. But what about bunched eyebrows? That may suggest a nervous or harried demeanor. Half-closed eyes could signal a daydreamer or someone who is carefully pondering an idea. An averted face (one that is partially turned away from the speaker(s), could be the sign of a person who lacks self-confidence or who is uninvested in the conversation, perhaps focused on other pressing matters. A tight mouth or compressed lips often hints at anger, irritation, or disbelief. Sometimes pain may be the cause. Eyes that do not meet another person’s for long or at all may reveal boredom, shiftiness, or shyness.
2.  Stance. Someone who slouches may be tired, ill, bored, unprofessional, or trying to become inconspicuous. A person who stands semi-turned from the speaker(s) may be hurried, uninvolved, or distracted. Sitting or standing with a straight back, facing forward, with little bodily movement could reflect a rigid attitude, extreme attentiveness, or fear. Facing forward, legs parted slightly and evenly, arms relaxed implies someone who is confident and relaxed.
3.  Incidental movements. Buttoning and unbuttoning a piece of clothing may show nervousness or flirtatiousness, as is also suggested in a woman’s twirling a strand of hair or a man straightening his tie or cuffs. Twisting back and forth projects anxiety or a casual attitude.
4.  Gestures like a pill-rolling motion of the thumb and forefinger is symptomatic of a neurological disorder in some patients taking certain medications or experiencing a specific condition. Saluting may be an official greeting or a scornful parody of one. Kneading the hands, shifting from one foot to the other, or looking over one’s shoulder could represent nervousness, anxiety, or guilt–depending on circumstances, of course.
5.  Personal space. Standing within a foot of someone may invade that person’s personal space. Many people will step back to avoid this type of intimacy. A 1-3′ space may be open to close friends and family members, while 4′ or more should be entered by casual acquaintances or co-workers. These numbers are variable, of course, but they tend to be fairly consistent, even across some cultures.

The next time you come into close physical contact with someone, take note of the way in which that person stands, sits, looks, and moves. Despite silence or even neutral conversation, it may be that non-verbal communication is speaking loudly and clearly. What does yours say about you?