University Assignment: Professional Communication and Non-Verbal Cues

This assignment explores the nuances of professional communication, focusing on non-verbal cues like body language, facial expressions, and gestures. It delves into the significance of these cues in conveying messages, analyzing how they can either reinforce or contradict verbal communication. The assignment examines the importance of trusting non-verbal signals, especially in understanding the true intentions and feelings of others. It includes an analysis of a video demonstrating body language analysis of world leaders and celebrities and discusses how to improve personal non-verbal communication, including eye contact, voice tone, and physical gestures. The assignment also covers the impact of body language in cross-cultural contexts and the importance of being aware of non-verbal cues to avoid misunderstandings. Finally, it addresses the role of assertive communication and identifies potential barriers to effective communication. This assignment uses various academic references to support the claims and arguments made in the analysis.

Running head: PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Professional Communication
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Ans 1: Some examples of non-verbal communication include body language. Body language
includes various gestures such as shaking hands, patting the back, different types of touch,
hugging, pushing, along with facial expression, eye contact, and gestures. Additionally, other
kinds of non-verbal communications include haptics, appearance, paralinguistics, and
proxemics. Around 7% non-verbal communication is used daily while establishing effective
communication. Effective use of non-verbal communication ensures communicating positive
language to the other party (Knapp, Hall & Horgan, 2013).
Ans 2: Non-verbal messages are stronger compared to verbal communication because the
body language tends to reflect individual actions that are not actually expressed verbally.
Verbal communication might make the individual calm and positive towards the other
individual but the body language used towards the other individual might demonstrate a sense
of dominance, power, fear or being bossy (Burgoon, Guerrero & Floyd, 2016).
Ans 3: Yes, trusting non-verbal messages is essential than verbal messages. This is because
non-verbal messages help in understanding the actual motive, opinion, and mindset of one
individual for the other. For example, being a host, the host needs to put the hand on the
shoulder of the guest and take him inside the house. However, if the opposite happens and the
guest puts the hand on the shoulder of the host and takes him inside, the non-verbal action
sends the message of being dominant (Lemonnier, 2012).
Ans 4: In the video, the concept of body language in terms of non-verbal communication is
extremely intriguing. This is because, the video analyses the body language, facial
expressions, and gestures of various world leaders and celebrities. What otherwise would just
look like shaking a hand or putting a hand around the shoulder or holding own fingers like
kids, the video helps in analysing the inner meaning of the body gestures for the world
leaders and the celebrities ("Secrets of body language HD", 2017).

2PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Ans 5: The main message in the video is the significance of non-verbal communication in
terms of body language, gestures and facial expressions that world leaders and celebrities use
for communicating with each other. The video also demonstrates the significance of
observable body language in terms of non-spoken signals that are being exchanged. The
video also highlights the meaning of individual body language that reveals the actual
meanings and feelings towards others ("Secrets of body language HD", 2017).
Ans 6: One of the most effective way of improving own personal non-verbal communication
includes paying more attention to non-verbal signals along with looking for incongruent
behaviours. I need to concentrate more on the voice while communicating with others by
making appropriate eye contact. Moreover, I need to try and analyse the body language,
postures and facial expression of others that will help me in improving my own non-verbal
communication (Leathers & Eaves, 2015).
Ans 7: Appropriate use of body language such as making appropriate eye contact, the voice
tone while communicating and physical gesture will help in influencing my patients to
communicate with me freely. Positive body language will help in comforting the patients, as I
will be able to ensure that they are comfortable and not hesitant. This would help me in
providing better care and treatment for the patients.
Ans 8: From the newfound understanding of non-verbal body language, it can be asserted
that different cultures have a different meaning for different body language or physical
gestures. For example, one culture might demonstrate the sense of power by entering last
from the door whereas for another culture it might be different. Therefore, while cross-
cultural communication, the individuals from different cultural background needs to know the
significance and meaning of body language of other culture in order to avoid any offense
(Siegman, 2014).

3PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
Ans 9: The main non-verbal cues that I need to be aware while caring for the clients are
crossed arms, a nose rub and back of the neck scratch. Crossed arms signify the cold nature
of the clients that can be handled by making the conservation more interactive and fun so that
they can relate to it. A nose rub signifies that the individual is pretending to listen. Such a
response can be handled by engaging the client that will make it interesting.
Ans 10: Once while attending a meeting with the manager, I was having some doubt
regarding the objective of the project. However, I was hesitant to ask and did scratch the back
of my neck few times during the meeting. My manager was observant to understand my non-
verbal communication and clarified my doubts later regarding the project objectives
separately after the meeting was over.
Ans 11: I plan to become a more assertive communicator as a LPN by being confident and
not being pushy. This will help me in letting others know what I want confidently.
Additionally, active listening, being clear without being confused will help me become a
more assertive communicator as a licensed practice nurse (LPN). The common barriers that
might be encountered are being pushy and pretending to hear rather than listening accurately.

4PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
References
Burgoon, J. K., Guerrero, L. K., & Floyd, K. (2016). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
Knapp, M. L., Hall, J. A., & Horgan, T. G. (2013). Nonverbal communication in human
interaction. Cengage Learning.
Leathers, D. G., & Eaves, M. (2015). Successful nonverbal communication: Principles and
applications. Routledge.
Lemonnier, P. (2012). Mundane objects: Materiality and non-verbal communication (Vol.
10). Left Coast Press.
Secrets of body language HD. (2017). YouTube. Retrieved 21 November 2017, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DHcn7KXMZ0
Siegman, A. W. (2014). Nonverbal behavior and communication. Psychology Press.