Nonverbal Communication Excercise Essay - 700 Words

What is it about human behavior that intrigue or influence us? I am going to share with you a nonverbal exercise I engaged in to determine how my nonverbal communication could, or possibly have, effected how I am perceived by others. For this self evaluated exercise I carefully choose two people, my sister Laura, who I am very close to and Wally, a colleague who I feel comfortable with. Laura’s observation took place in her home and lasted approximately thirty minutes; Wally on the other hand, took place at work and lasted approximately fifteen minutes. I began the first exercise with Laura who was providing me with details of a family function that was to take place in the near future. I felt relaxed and comfortable when†¦show more content†¦I spontaneously got up to help myself to another cup of coffee leaving her talking to me from a distance which required her to raise her voice so I could hear what she was saying. I realized at that moment, how inappropriate my behavior was when interacting with my sister. I was disappointed in myself for not extending the same courtesy as I would another individual who I may not be as close to. My second self evaluation took place at work with a colleague named Wally. I was standing in the hallway when Wally approached wanting to explain a new filing system being implemented. I showed interest in what Wally had to say and stopped to listen. During our conversation, I observed my eye contact was consistent, my posture was erect and I was very attentive. My head was bobbing acknowledging her every word. It was important to me that Wally knew she had my undivided attention while communicating with me. The phone rang just as she was finished her explanation of our filing system. I thanked her for sharing the updated information and politely excused myself to answer the phone. I felt confident about the way I used my nonverbal communication skills and I felt I gave her the respect she deserved. Dur ing both of the above mentioned self evaluated exercises, I recognized strengths and weaknesses about my nonverbal behavior. I compared the same skills used in both situations and realized how differently I applied them to