Verbal Vs.Non Verbal Communication
Once upon a time. A very very long time ago when i was about 7 or 8 years and we lived in Enugu, I learnt from somewhere these nuggets;
First, that the police was our friend and
Second, that if I smiled at someone, I'd get a smile back.
So I decided to combine the two life lessons. For a couple of weeks, each time we drove past the police warden at New Haven Junction, I would stick my head out of the window, nod my head up and down like to say "Hey Friend!" and smile very hard at him. This continued until one day, the man gave me a waka hand gesture.
Ah ah! What did I do? The young me was devastated and heart broken. Why wasn't my friend smiling back?
Later, the mystery was solved. One day I decided to smile at myself in the mirror. Jesus! What I imagined was a smile was a grimace; My teeth were bared, my eyes bulging.
So all those weeks, apparently I had been nodding my head up and down like an agama lizard and giving the poor officer a witchy look! He probably thought I was was casting a spell on him. I think that was the day I ended all forms of non verbal communication!
Most times, we think our body language says one thing, but the recipient 'hears' something else.
Always verbalise your needs, your opinion, your view point. Don't assume that because you are thinking about it, the other person gets you.
So you will not be classified as a micro witch one day.
First, that the police was our friend and
Second, that if I smiled at someone, I'd get a smile back.
So I decided to combine the two life lessons. For a couple of weeks, each time we drove past the police warden at New Haven Junction, I would stick my head out of the window, nod my head up and down like to say "Hey Friend!" and smile very hard at him. This continued until one day, the man gave me a waka hand gesture.
Ah ah! What did I do? The young me was devastated and heart broken. Why wasn't my friend smiling back?
Later, the mystery was solved. One day I decided to smile at myself in the mirror. Jesus! What I imagined was a smile was a grimace; My teeth were bared, my eyes bulging.
So all those weeks, apparently I had been nodding my head up and down like an agama lizard and giving the poor officer a witchy look! He probably thought I was was casting a spell on him. I think that was the day I ended all forms of non verbal communication!
Most times, we think our body language says one thing, but the recipient 'hears' something else.
Always verbalise your needs, your opinion, your view point. Don't assume that because you are thinking about it, the other person gets you.
So you will not be classified as a micro witch one day.
Comments
Post a Comment