Touching is a form on nonverbal communication that involves physical contact with another individual. Touching can be a powerful form of communication, however, should only be used in an appropriate situation. Let’s look at the difference between a personal and a professional environment to illustrate the point of touching.
Acceptable touching in a professional environment may include a handshake or a pat on the back. In many cultures, shaking hands is frowned upon. I belonged to a Toastmasters club where a woman would not shake hands with a man due to religious beliefs. Make sure you consider the other person before making a gesture such as a handshake.
In a personal setting, acceptable touching may include a hug to give someone comfort. We often hug when we are happy to see someone or to tell them goodbye. Another acceptable form of touching in a personal setting would be hand holding. Perhaps you want to give someone encouragement or calm their fears. Different scenarios in professional and personal settings should be considered before any touching occurs.
Personal space is another form on nonverbal communication. Take a second and consider how you feel when someone stands too close to you if you are having a disagreement with them. Would you feel threatened? I know I would! The first thing I would do is to take a step back to increase the space between us. What if your boss leans over your shoulder when you are sitting at your desk to try to read what you are working on, wouldn’t this make you feel uneasy? In addition to making you feel uneasy, depending on the gender of the boss, the employee and the amount of space, this may be considered an issue with human resources.
In a professional environment make sure you give someone the appropriate space. If the CEO comes over to speak with you about your work or a mistake you made, would you stand nose to nose with him or her? Of course not, you would have a distance between you that makes both of you feel comfortable while giving the CEO the respect that is needed. If you are the supervisor correcting an employee, you may feel the need to stand close especially if you need to speak softly to avoid other coworkers overhearing the conversation. Before you do this, think about what the employee may feel: threatened, cornered, or may be trapped.
Over 75% of what we say is through nonverbal communication. Be aware of what you are saying and how it is being perceived by others.
Until the next blog, Keep Speaking!
Denise
Denise Ann Galloni, Owner & President
DG Training Solutions, Inc.
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