Better communication skills make all the difference between a successful manager and others. Though some managers are experts in their subject and have wide experience, communication may break down if they don’t tailor their message to the people they are speaking to, said Mr Jagatjivan Ram, corporate trainer and counsellor. He was speaking at a Business Line Club lecture at SKP Engineering College, Thiruvannamalai. The event’s presenting sponsor is Central Bank of India.

Mr Ram said that to be a good communicator, one should be good at both verbal and non-verbal communication.

It is commonly said ‘non-verbal communication’ accounts for up to 55 per cent of the meaning that people take from any human communication.

Verbal (words) constitute 7 per cent, and vocal (tone of voice, inflection), otherwise referred to as ‘para language’, constitutes the remaining 38 per cent.

An awareness of non-verbal behaviour, both of our own and others’, can deliver greater insights into what a person really thinks, feels or means, Mr Ram said.

He spoke to the students about the importance of positive body language at job interviews.

We form our opinions of someone we meet for the first time in just a few seconds, and this initial instinctive assessment is based far more on what we see and feel about the other person than on what they say, he said.

Often, we form a strong view about a new person before they speak a single word, he pointed out.

A smile, a pleasant handshake, a warm greeting, can all set the stage for a comfortable interview, Mr Ram said.

Understanding body language enables better self-awareness and self-control.

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