Demonstrative Communication Paper

Demonstrative Communication Paper

BCOM/275

Demonstrative Communication Paper

Demonstrative communication involves the exchange of messages between a sender and receiver. This type of communication includes written, verbal and non-verbal messages. Visual forms of communication can also impact the outcome of a conversation if the receiver misinterprets the sender's body language. Knowing how to effectively manage verbal and non-verbal messages will produce positive results.

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication plays a vital role in everyday conversations. Whether communicating with a spouse, a child, coworker or friend, how we display our body movements directly affects how the conversation will go. Having arms crossed sends a negative signal to the receiver, be it one person or an audience. The sender will appear to be tense or defensive, especially if their facial expressions show signs of frustration or unease. A sender whom is moving around too much will give the appearance of too much excitement to the point of distracting or taking away from the message that is intended to enlighten or enrich the listeners learning appetite. Other expressions can detract from the value of a message such as blinking too much, biting of lips, excessive licking of lips or even nodding one's head can be a distraction. First impressions are crucial to establishing credibility. According to Benzer (2012), "Impressions about whether a person is reliable, pleasant, ignorable, compatible form in thirty to thirty five seconds, and these impressions rely on non-verbal cues" (p. 468). Proper attire in a presentation must be adhered to so a message will not get lost in the crinkles of a wrinkled pant. Showing up to give a presentation to a board of trustees in a pair of board shorts and flip flops gives the impression of an "I could not care less" attitude. A doctor coming into a surgical room in a tank top and dirty jeans would give a patient and other staff doubts about the ability of said doctor. Eye contact while communicating can give a person confidence about the message being received. Eye contact signifies a level of respect so long as the sender does not stare longingly into the receiver's eye. Grinning at the wrong moment or during a touchy subject can give the opposite impression to the person receiving the message. A person will not know what to think if the sender is grinning while offering their condolences over a recent death in the family. A supervisor frowning as she tells an employee he is getting a raise or promotion will give the employee the idea the supervisor is not too happy relaying such news.

Verbal Communication

Verbal communication is a powerful tool that can become obfuscated if not employed in an effective manner. Much of our communication is received through non-verbal forms, therefore being able to adequately express what we mean to say is increasingly important. Showing passion for a subject engages the receiver and