Non-verbal skills

Part I

Human communication occurs simultaneously on two levels:

1. Content

This pertains to the discourse of verbal communication. The content level encompasses all the words used, the overall discourse, and all the verbal techniques that we will address in the following sections.

2. Relationship

The relationship level is constituted by the quality of the ongoing communication, beyond the verbal content. It refers to how two or more communicators relate to each other during the communication process.

When there's an understanding on the relational level, it means that individuals are in a relationship with each other.

Rapport is the empathy that forms the basis of all successful human communication. Rapport is established in both the content and the relational levels, but the relational level holds more significance in rapport interaction than the content level.

Elements of the relational level include:

1. Non-verbal communication in general

2. Facial expressions

3. Gestures

4. Posture

5. Management of interpersonal space

6. Tone and volume of voice

7. Eye contact

8. Synchronization in dialogue

By Micky Branco