Sending Signals

Nonverbal Communication
Can Speak Volumes
Of the many business challenges leaders face, communicating
effectively with their employees is one of the most important, and
effective communication is the foundation for a number of other
leadership competencies. Leaders need to understand that they are
never not communicating. As a result, their awareness and use of
nonverbal communication may be a key factor in improving their
leadership abilities.

I magine two managers, each with

a direct report who is having prob-
lems with a project at work. Each
manager says, “Come to my office so
we can discuss your concerns.” One
manager says this quickly, almost in
passing, and walks away hurriedly,
not even looking at the direct report.
The other manager says the same
thing in a gentle, calm, and concerned
manner, looking the direct report in
the eye. Which direct report do you
think would feel more comfortable
about meeting with the manager?
In communicating with others—
whether in the hallway, during one-
on-one meetings or presentations, in
the boardroom, or elsewhere—are
you as a leader really saying what
you think you are saying? Although
the actual words you say constitute a
part of your communication,
researchers such as anthropologist
Ray Birdwhistell and psychologist
Albert Mehrabian have found that
nonverbal communication represents
anywhere from 65 percent to 93 per-
cent of the actual emotional meaning
of communication.
Indeed, most people attend more
to nonverbal cues than they do to
spoken words. However, it is difficult
to fully understand nonverbal com-
munication, much less to recognize
that even the faintest nonverbal signal
or behavior that is not congruent with
the conversation or situation can have
damaging effects.

b y W i l l i a m A . G e n t r y a n d K a r l W. K u h n e r t

LIA • V O L U M E 2 7, N U M B E R 5 • N OV E M B E R/ D EC E M B E R 20 07
 When you communicate, think
about your voice tone and your ges-
tures, posture, eye contact, facial
expressions, and even the way you
dress. All these nonverbal cues signal
what words may not be able to
express. Nonverbal cues may even
communicate something different
from or opposite to the actual words
you are saying, thereby lessening
your integrity and authority and your
co-workers’ confidence, faith, and
trust in you as a leader. For example,
your sincere apology without eye
contact may convey a lack of sincer-
ity or authenticity.
In short, leaders are never not
communicating. As a result, increas-
ing their awareness of nonverbal
communication may be a key factor
in improving their communication
skills and ultimately helping them to
become better leaders. Of the many
business challenges leaders face,
communicating effectively with their
employees is one of the most impor-
tant. This is true not only in the con-
text of getting work accomplished by
being clear in directives and instruc-
tions but also in the context of work-
ing with others. Effective communi-
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
William A. Gentry is a
senior research associate at
CCL. He holds a Ph.D. degree
from the University of
Georgia.
Karl W. Kuhnert is an asso-
ciate professor and program
chair of applied psychology
at the University of Georgia.
He holds a Ph.D. degree from
Kansas State University.
LIA • V O L U M E 2 7, N U M B E R 5
cation is the foundation for several
leadership competencies, such as
building relationships, managing con-
flict, and developing other people.
CHANNEL SURFING
It is important for leaders not only to
send nonverbal signals correctly but
also to receive and correctly interpret
the nonverbal communications of
It is important for
leaders not only to
send nonverbal signals
correctly but also to
receive and correctly
interpret the nonverbal
communications
of others.
others. By becoming aware of non-
verbal signals, leaders become better
communicators and have better inter-
actions when dealing with and lead-
ing others.
Researchers Stephen Nowicki Jr.
and Marshall Duke, professors of
psychology at Emory University,
have described the following six
channels of nonverbal communica-
tion.
Rhythm and Use of Time
Have you ever noticed that some peo-
ple walk faster or slower than you
do? Some people always seem to be
in a hurry, hastening through meet-
ings or meals and almost running
from one place to the next. Other
people take their time to get settled,
• N OV E M B E R/ D EC E M B E R 20 07
move slower, and never feel rushed.
Rhythm plays a role in social situa-
tions. Being out of sync with others
may cause confusion, anxiety, or dis-
comfort for both you and the people
you are with.
Closely linked to rhythm is use of
time. How a person organizes time
and commitments says much more
about that person than the words
coming out of his or her mouth. Time
is very important to people, and
breaking time rules can become a
glaring problem. For instance, being
constantly late to meetings gives the
impression that one does not care for
the attendees, their time, and their
work. Being notoriously late may
also convey that you are self-
centered, uncaring, and irresponsible.
Being consistently punctual, however,
tells others that you are responsible
and considerate of their feelings and
their work.
Interpersonal Space and Touch
The second nonverbal channel
involves boundaries or territories in
terms of space and touch. People are
very territorial. They have walls
around their offices or cubicles and
fences around their houses. In terms
of nonverbal communication, when
someone “invades” or comes too
close to your space, you may become
more attentive or more tense, uncom-
fortable, perturbed, or angry.
Individuals’ personal space can be
imagined as a flexible bubble around
each person, which grows or shrinks
depending on the situation.
Anthropologist Edward T. Hall has
found that Americans have four dif-
ferent zones, each one deemed appro-
priate for certain kinds of communi-
cation with others. In the intimate
zone (eighteen inches and closer),
people let only their close friends and
family discuss personal issues and
feelings. In the personal zone (eight-
een inches to four feet), they feel
comfortable conversing with friends,
acquaintances, and co-workers. In the
social zone (four to twelve feet), they
feel comfortable talking to people
they have just met or are about to
meet about nonspecific or nonper-
sonal issues that are not confidential.
Finally, the public zone (twelve feet
and beyond) is meant for those they
do not know, and communication is
only by gestures.
In the work setting, not paying
attention to these zones may cause
problems in communicating with oth-
ers. For instance, standing too close
to someone you do not know well
may irritate or even frighten that per-
son. Standing too far away from
someone while discussing personal,
confidential matters may cause
uneasiness or embarrassment for that
person.
Touch, especially in the work-
place, carries extreme meanings, and
should be used cautiously. Touch
occurs in the intimate zone of inter-
personal space. With family and
friends, touch is mainly used to con-
vey affection. It is generally accept-
able to touch people along the out-
side of their body lines, but touching
inside the body line (inside the arms,
along the sides of the chest, or inside
the legs) is loaded with extreme emo-
tional messages. Inappropriate touch-
ing has become a major issue in the
workplace and often leads to allega-
tions of sexual harassment. Also, the
way one touches can send different
messages. Patting, squeezing, or
brushing, for instance, can communi-
cate positive messages, whereas pok-
ing tends to send a negative message.
Objectics
The third nonverbal channel may be
one of the least recognized. However,
think about your clothes, hair, jew-
elry, cosmetics, and fragrance—what
academicians have termed objectics.
These and other objectic signals com-
municate messages to others. For
instance, a ring on the left ring finger
says to others that you are married or
engaged. Wearing lots of jewelry may
LIA • V O L U M E 2 7, N U M B E R 5
communicate that you are rich but
may also convey garish taste or a
snobbish attitude. Even the color of
your clothes can convey signals to
others. For instance, red evokes
power, dominance, and attention.
Black suggests authority and power
but may also convey aggressiveness.
Blue is suggestive of stability and
confidence.
Many organizations have dress
codes, governing what employees can
and cannot wear to work. Stylish
attire may communicate to others that
you’re up on the latest fashion, but it
may not be acceptable at work.
However, even if you understand and
abide by the workplace dress rules,
the way you dress can still communi-
cate many things you may not real-
ize. For instance, an unwrinkled shirt,
pressed pants, polished shoes, and
well-groomed hair conveys that you
are organized, neat, efficient, and
confident. Coming to work with
messed-up hair or a wrinkled suit
communicates that you are in a hurry
and do not have time to take care of
yourself, or may even signal that you
don’t care how you look in the eyes
of others.
Gestures and Postures
Gestures are a major part of everyday
life—waving hello or good-bye,
pointing your finger, raising your
hand to communicate “stop,” nodding
or shaking your head to indicate yes
or no, and shrugging your shoulders
to say, “I don’t know,” to name just a
few. In an organizational setting, ges-
tures may be used to give directions
or add emphasis to the words you are
saying.
Gestures are used more in close-
range conversations, but body posture
can be used to communicate from
either close up or far away. Posture
involves most of the body, including
hands, arms, feet, and head. Although
you can avoid making gestures, you
cannot avoid having a posture. For
instance, slouching may convey that
• N OV E M B E R/ D EC E M B E R 20 07
you are tired or disinterested. If your
hands are in your pockets, others may
believe you are bored. Standing erect
may communicate excitement, enthu-
siasm, confidence, and interest.
Leaning toward a person you are
talking with communicates that you
are interested in what the person is
saying or that you believe it to be
important. Even when you are at
rest—standing in the hallway or sit-
Standing too far away
from someone while dis-
cussing personal, confi-
dential matters may
cause uneasiness or
embarrassment for
that person.
ting at your desk, for instance—your
posture says a lot about how you are
feeling.
Facial Expression
This is one of the most important
nonverbal cues to be aware of in
interactions with others. Everything
from a smile, a frown, or a grimace
to raising the eyebrows, blinking, and
eye contact can communicate a great
deal. Researchers, including Nowicki
and Duke, have specified the impor-
tance to effective social functioning
and adjustment of accurately reading
and appropriately displaying facial
expressions in different circum-
stances in the workplace and with
family and friends.
What may be most important in
terms of facial expression are the
eyes. For instance, when you smile,
Catching Up on Nonverbal Communication
Many resources—including books,
articles, and Web sites—are available
for those who want to learn more
about nonverbal communication.
Here are some suggestions:
Axtell, R. E. Gestures: The Do’s and
Taboos of Body Language
Around the World. New York:
Wiley, 1998.
Birdwhistell, R. L. Kinesics and
Context: Essays on Body Motion
Communication. Philadelphia:
University of Pennsylvania Press,
1970.
Emory University Laboratory of
Interpersonal Processes. [Home
page.] [www.psychology.emory.edu/
clinical/interpersonal], 2007.
Gentry, W. A., and Kuhnert, K. W. “A
the corners of your mouth turn up.
When you smile genuinely, crinkles
appear around your eyes and your
pupils may dilate. When you fake a
Everything from a
smile, a frown, or a gri-
mace to raising the eye-
brows, blinking, and eye
contact can communi-
cate a great deal.
smile, no such crinkling appears and
there is no change in pupil size.
Moreover, eye contact is extremely
important in communicating with oth-
LIA • V O L U M E 2 7, N U M B E R 5
First Look at the Role of
Receptive Nonverbal
Communication in Leadership
Assessment.” In N. Huber and M.
Walker (eds.), Emergent Models of
Global Leadership. College Park,
Md.: James MacGregor Burns
Academy of Leadership, 2005.
Givens, D. B. The Nonverbal
Dictionary of Gestures, Signs &
Body Language Cues.
[members.aol.com/nonverbal2/
diction1.htm], 2006.
Guerrero, L. K., DeVito, J. A., and
Hecht, M. L. (eds.). The Nonverbal
Communication Reader (2nd ed.).
Prospect Heights, Ill.: Waveland
Press, 1999.
Hall, E. T. The Silent Language.
Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett, 1959.
ers. When you make eye contact with
people, you are telling them that you
are interested in them—how they are
feeling and what they are saying. If
you don’t make eye contact, others
may believe that you aren’t interested
in them or their feelings.
Paralanguage
The final channel of nonverbal com-
munication encompasses all the
aspects of sound that accompany
words, including tone of voice, loud-
ness, speed, intensity, sounds such as
humming and whistling, the uhs and
ums you use when speaking, and
even silence. Of all the nonverbal
channels, paralanguage is the most
important in terms of communicating
emotional meaning when conversing
with others. For instance, an mmmmm
may communicate interest or liking,
whereas a hissing sound may signal
averseness. Too many uhs and ums
may convey that you are confused, do
not know what you are talking about,
or are unknowledgeable about the
• N OV E M B E R/ D EC E M B E R 20 07
Mehrabian, A. “Communication
Without Words.” Psychology
Today, 1968, 2(9), 52–55.
Nowicki, S., Jr., and Duke, M. P.
Helping the Child Who Doesn’t Fit
In. Atlanta: Peachtree, 1992.
Nowicki, S., Jr., and Duke, M. P. Will I
Ever Fit In? The Breakthrough
Program for Conquering Adult
Dyssemia. New York: Free Press,
2002.
Prince, D. W., and Hoppe, M. H.
Communicating Across Cultures.
Greensboro, N.C.: CCL Press,
2000.
Van Wagner, K. “Top 10 Nonverbal
Communication Tips.” [psycholo-
gy.about.com/od/nonverbalcom-
munication/tp/nonverbaltips.htm],
2007.
topic at hand. Talking fast may con-
vey that you are in a hurry or that
what you are saying is not all that
important. Talking slowly, especially
in meetings or presentations, may
communicate that you are insecure or
unprepared.
Changing the emphasis or stress
we give to the different words in a
sentence may totally change the
meaning or emphasis of the sentence.
Nowicki and Duke use this sentence
as an example: “Mary’s lending me
her book.” If you emphasize Mary,
the main point of the sentence seems
to be that it is no one but Mary who
is lending the book to me. If you
emphasize lending, Mary is not giv-
ing the book to me; she is lending it.
If me is emphasized, the book is
being lent to me and no one else. If
her is emphasized, the book is
Mary’s and no one else’s. And if
book is emphasized, it is the book,
not anything else, that Mary is lend-
ing to me. The entire emotional
meaning and interpretation of the
sentence changes each time the verbal
emphasis changes.
Tone of voice is also an important
part of paralanguage. What we say
may be overshadowed by how we say
it, or more important, the tone in
which we say it. The subtlety of voice
tone, according to Nowicki and Duke,
may be the most important aspect of
nonverbal communication. Talking
loudly may communicate excitement
or anger. A soft or gentle tone brings
calm.
It is one thing to recognize the
channels of nonverbal communica-
tion; it is more difficult to be continu-
ally aware that you are correctly iden-
tifying and relaying the correct
nonverbal behaviors to fit the situa-
tion. Again, you should realize that
you must not only give the correct
nonverbal signals and behaviors to
others but also—and possibly more
important—correctly identify and
interpret the nonverbal signals others
are giving to you. Our research shows
that those who are better able to rec-
ognize nonverbal expressions of emo-
tion in facial expressions and tone of
voice believe themselves to be better
at certain aspects of leadership, par-
ticularly in the domain of relation-
ships.
CULTURAL VARIANCES
Much of the information in this arti-
cle describes the U.S. or Western per-
spective on nonverbal communica-
tion. Leaders need to be aware that
nonverbal signals and behaviors differ
across cultures. Though the six emo-
tions of happiness, sadness, anger,
fear, surprise, and disgust are recog-
LIA • V O L U M E 2 7, N U M B E R 5
nizable across cultures, some nonver-
bal habits and expressions may mean
different things in different cultures.
For instance, people in Western cul-
tures tend to rely a lot on nonverbal
communication. People in Asian cul-
tures, however, tend not to use non-
verbal signals and behaviors as much,
because they believe it makes them
appear inaccessible. Moreover, a
smile may indicate happiness in
Western cultures but in Asian cultures
may indicate discomfort or embar-
rassment. Here are a few more
examples:
• In regard to rhythm and use of
time, Americans value being on time
to meetings and parties whereas peo-
ple in other cultures may attach less
importance to timeliness.
• In regard to interpersonal space
and touch, American men tend to shy
away from holding hands or touching,
but many men in Africa and the
Middle East consider such actions
normal. Americans also keep a bigger
bubble around themselves and touch
others less often than do people in
most other cultures.
• In regard to facial expression,
eye contact is expected in Western
cultures, but in Asian cultures, eye
contact may be a sign of disobedience
or aggression. Arab cultures tend to
emphasize strong and continued eye
contact, whereas some cultures in
Africa believe too much eye contact
is rude.
THE SPIRIT MOVES
Nonverbal communication is an
important yet often overlooked factor
• N OV E M B E R/ D EC E M B E R 20 07
in the effectiveness of leaders.
Leaders must not only understand the
various nonverbal channels but also
correctly send and receive nonverbal
signals. Much of what is communi-
cated nonverbally depends on context,
especially in cross-cultural situations.
Though the six emo-
tions of happiness, sad-
ness, anger, fear, sur-
prise, and disgust are
recognizable across
cultures, some nonver-
bal habits and expres-
sions may mean differ-
ent things in different
cultures.
Finally, if leaders approach others
genuinely and authentically, their
nonverbal communication can be of
great value. If, however, leaders’
main motivation is to seek personal
gain, their nonverbal communication
is likely to hurt their trustworthiness
and credibility in the eyes of their
followers. As Einstein stated, “All
means prove but a blunt instrument,
if they have not behind them a living
spirit.”
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