ABSTRACT

From the workplace to healthcare settings, from educational institutions to the political stage, nonverbal cues affect interaction outcomes. This chapter focuses on the impact of the nonverbal dimension on these arenas of life. Decisions made before and during an employment interview are based on an amalgam of nonverbal messages. The nonverbal dimensions of every workplace and its occupants offer clues to that workplace's culture. They also offer insight into work relationships, including the status differentials between the boss and employees. The sound of a voice can convey confidence and self-assuredness, animation and engagement, and extroversion suggesting authority and status. Both eye and body movements can add to our understanding of workplace dynamics. Interestingly, nonverbal cues play a more integral role than verbal communication in improving the initial impression a student has of a teacher and in improving the relationship between student and teacher.