Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

• Practice nonverbal communication skills to help resolve differences of opinion.
• Explain how body language influences communication more than words.
• List the steps for identifying potential nonverbal barriers then explain how to eliminate these barriers.
• Explain the impact cultural differences may have on communication and how to redirect the situation.

• Demonstrate how to turn negative nonverbal communication into a positive encounter.
• Describe how attire can influence communication and how to either minimize or maximize the impact.
• Analyze a situation, identify the nonverbal communication used and describe how to redirect or correct the situation.
• Apply learned skills through an outside project.

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

• Demonstrate different body language that help to minimize misunderstanding.
• Minimize intimidation through strategic body positioning.
• Use facial expressions to improve the understanding of the message being sent.
• Identify nonverbal clues the customer gives that indicate a potential problem exists and calm the customer with nonverbal action.
• Identify nonverbal cultural differences and use these differences to enhance communication.

CONCEPTS, THEMES, ISSUES
General Concepts
Nonverbal communication impacts the message more than the words themselves. Adapting one’s nonverbal style may be necessary for clear communication. Selection of the room, time or place, may also influence the situation and should be considered part of the nonverbal message.
Themes
Learning about nonverbal cultural differences helps to reduce misunderstandings. Recognizing the different meanings of nonverbal signals enhances communication.
Issues
Body language can inadvertently create a threatening environment. Micro-momentary behaviors may convey an additional level of understanding.