Nonverbal communication: Learn how to encode & decode signals and cues

A lot of times, when we say nonverbal communication, we think of body language. And it’s true that body language is an important part of nonverbal communication. It’s arguably the most visible part, and it’s one of the easiest to learn to manage. 

Body language, however, is only one type of nonverbal communication. There are in fact 10 types nonverbal cues you communicate with every day—and only paying attention to body movements restricts your understanding of nonverbal messages. In this article, we’ll dive into all 10 nonverbal signals, and take a look at how you can improve your nonverbal communication in the workplace.

Understanding nonverbal communication

Anthropologist Edward T. Hall's pioneering research on proxemics, the study of human use of space in communication, laid the foundation for our modern understanding of nonverbal communication, which is essential to how we convey and interpret messages beyond words.

What is nonverbal communication?

Nonverbal communication refers to the transmission of messages or signals through a variety of nonverbal behaviors, without the use of words. It includes facial expressions, eye contact, body language, gestures, tone of voice, and even the use of personal space. These aspects of nonverbal communication form a complex system of nonverbal cues that complement and sometimes override our verbal messages.

Importance of nonverbal communication on daily interactions

Nonverbal communication plays a significant role in our daily lives, often conveying more meaning than spoken words alone.

1. Reinforcing or contradicting verbal messages

2. Expressing emotions and attitudes

3. Defining relationships and power dynamics

4. Regulating conversations through nonverbal cues

5. Permits first impressions and snap judgments

From a simple head nod to complex body movements, these nonverbal behaviors form an integral part of human interaction.

How culture impacts nonverbal communication

Nonverbal signals vary widely across different cultures, playing an important role in interpersonal communication. As American workforces increasingly interact with global partners, understanding these differences becomes crucial for effective communication. 

Aspects of nonverbal communication such as gestures, facial expressions, and physical contact can have different meanings in various cultures, potentially affecting business relationships and social interactions.  

For example, in Western cultures, you’re often expected to shake hands when you meet new business partners. But that isn’t the case for every culture. The same action might have different meanings depending on which culture someone is from. 

Understanding and being mindful of your nonverbal communication makes you a better communicator and a better team member—and a big part of that is understanding the cultural impact of different nonverbal cues. As you develop your nonverbal communication skills, make sure you’re also devoting an equal amount of time to developing your cultural intelligence. 

10 forms of nonverbal communication

Nonverbal communication helps you effectively communicate and connect with others. When you understand the different types of nonverbal cues, you can tailor your message to avoid miscommunication. 

Understanding the nonverbal signals your team members are sending can help you identify if a coworker is uncomfortable or ill at ease. In general, improving your nonverbal communication skills can make you more confident, more aware of your body, and more effective at conveying what you want to convey.

Here are 10 types of nonverbal communication.

1. Body language and posture 

This nonverbal cue refers to the position your body is in. This can include your posture—are you slouching or sitting at attention? Things like fidgeting, crossing your arms, picking at your nails, and crossing your legs all make up the body language form of nonverbal communication.

2. Gestures (kinesics) 

Gestures and body language are slightly different—gestures tend to be more purposeful, but are also significantly more culturally coded. These include hand gestures like the thumbs up or ok sign, as well as common mannerisms like shrugging your shoulders.

3. Facial expressions 

Like gestures, many facial expressions are purposeful—things like smiling, nodding your head, shaking your head, frowning, etc. However, we also exhibit unconscious facial expressions when we’re stressed or worried, for example your eyes widening when you’re surprised or flinching slightly when you hear a loud noise.

4. Eye contact 

Eye contact makes up a huge part of how you communicate nonverbally. That being said, the meaning of eye contact differs between cultures. In some cultures, lack of eye contact signals disinterest—in others, too much direct eye contact might make people uncomfortable. 

5. Tone of voice (paralinguistics) 

Your paralanguage is composed of your voice, tone, volume, speed, and speaking cadence. For example, you may have noticed that you speak faster when you’re nervous (most people do). Alternatively, you might unconsciously begin whispering if you’re sharing a secret.  

6. Personal space (proxemics) 

Nonverbal communication isn’t just centered around your body movements—it also includes how you  interact with the space around you. The physical distance between you and someone else, for example, may reveal something about that relationship. This nonverbal cue is also highly culturally applicable—so try to mirror what your coworkers do to avoid making someone uncomfortable. 

7. Touch (haptics) 

You might not think of touch as a form of communication, but it definitely is! For example, a lot of business people claim to tell a lot about a person based on how they shake hands. In the same vein, you probably wouldn’t high five your company’s CEO—but you’d probably high five your high school best friend. 

8. Appearance 

Clothing is a big aspect of how we show up every day. Everyone has their own unique style, so if one of your coworkers starts wearing clothes they don’t typically wear, that could be an indication of something having changed in their lives. 

9. Objects (artifacts) 

Like clothing, objects give you insight into what a person is like—without them having to speak. Imagine a coworker who carries their personal planner with them everywhere they go. You automatically have a sense that this person is organized, simply based on the object they’re carrying. In a virtual world, a lot can be said about a person’s Zoom background. What objects did they intentionally place behind them for everyone to see?

10. Chronemics

Chronemics refers to how time is perceived and used in communication. For example, in some cultures, arriving a few minutes late to a social gathering is acceptable and even expected, while in others, it's considered disrespectful.

10 tips for reading and sending nonverbal signals

There are two elements of unconscious communication that impact your workplace experience: encoding and decoding. Encoding refers to how you display nonverbal cues. These can be purposeful or unconscious signals—like emotional expressions you might not intend to display or body posture you aren’t thinking about. Decoding, on the other hand, is the process of interpreting someone else’s nonverbal messages. This helps you become a better communicator and pick up on nonverbal cues your coworkers drop. 

It’s also important to remember that nonverbal communication in the workplace—in particular decoding different messages—varies from culture to culture. These 10 tips help you build a framework for encoding and decoding behaviors, but every team situation is slightly different.

Encoding your own nonverbal behavior

Oftentimes, encoding your nonverbal cues seems like a huge hurdle to overcome—but you actually do this all the time. It’s true that some of our encoded nonverbal behaviors are accidental, but many gestures and movements are purposefully encoded. Think of head nods, rolling your eyes, or even tapping your foot if you’re impatient. 

To practice encoding your nonverbal behavior more purposefully, try these five tips: 

1. Pay attention to your own communication style. There are four communication styles, which describe how different people communicate. At Asana, we believe strongly in learning how to use the assertive communication style, so you aren’t coming across as aggressive or passive—even unconsciously. 

2. Practice being in the present. Increasing mindfulness is part of encoding your nonverbal cues. When you’re more aware of yourself and your surroundings, you’re more in control of the signals you’re sending off—both verbally and nonverbally. 

3. Reduce stress. Often, we unintentionally encode nonverbal cues due to emotional stress. When you’re tired, overworked, or burnt out, you have less mental energy to be aware of how you’re communicating. Essentially, you’re in fight-or-flight mode, which reduces your ability to purposefully communicate. 

4. Address any underlying conditions. You may be encoding nonverbal cues without realizing it because of underlying or unconscious feelings. For example, people who feel impostor syndrome at work may distance themselves from their coworkers without even realizing it. Before you can improve those behaviors, you first need to understand the root cause. 

5. Prioritize face-to-face interaction if possible. One of the disadvantages of asynchronous communication is that you aren’t able to encode nonverbal cues. This increases the likelihood of miscommunication or misunderstanding. Where possible, aim for an in-person conversation—especially if you’re offering constructive criticism or discussing a difficult topic.

Decoding nonverbal cues

The second part of nonverbal communication is decoding other people’s nonverbal signals. Accurately decoding your team members’ nonverbal cues can help prevent miscommunication and increase your rapport. 

To improve your ability to decode others’ nonverbal signals, practice the following: 

6. Build your emotional intelligence. The first step to decoding any type of message—verbal or otherwise—is to build your emotional intelligence skills. Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, regulate, and understand emotions—both in yourself and in others. 

7. Develop active listening skills. Active listening is the practice of listening to understand what someone is saying—without planning your response. When you practice active listening, you’re more engaged and present in the moment, which can help you pick up on small nonverbal cues.  

8. Look for discrepancies between their true feelings and conversation. One of the most important things about nonverbal communication is the ability to pick up on signals the other person isn’t saying. For example, if a team member claims they’re excited to get started on a project but they look away and cross their arms, they may not be as excited as they’re saying. Picking up on these signals can help you dig further—for example, are they worried about the project, and is there anything you can do to help? 

9. Strengthen your cultural intelligence. Developing your cultural intelligence increases your awareness of different signals your team members are sending. This is particularly important if you’re a manager, since you don’t want to decode and misinterpret someone else’s nonverbal cues. 

10. When in doubt, ask. The biggest risk of decoding nonverbal communication is coming to an assumption that isn’t true. The Conscious Leadership Group calls these facts vs. stories—facts are the objective truths that anyone can pick up on, whereas stories are the assumptions you make based on those facts. We all tell ourselves stories, but identifying and clarifying whether or not those stories are true can help prevent misunderstanding.

How to improve nonverbal communication skills

Improving your nonverbal communication skills involves conscious effort and practice. By focusing on key areas, you can become more adept at both encoding and decoding nonverbal cues, which leads to more effective communication in various social interactions.

Managing stress

Stress often manifests through unintended nonverbal signals. Learn to recognize and control stress-related behaviors such as fidgeting or tense body posture. Maintain composure by using relaxation techniques, and ensure your nonverbal messages reflect what you want to communicate.

Developing emotional awareness

Develop your emotional intelligence to more effectively manage and regulate your own expressions of emotion. This awareness allows you to consciously choose appropriate facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language that accurately convey your feelings and intentions during interpersonal communication.

Reading and interpreting body language

Sharpen your ability to decode others' nonverbal behaviors. Pay attention to subtle cues like eye contact, hand gestures, and body movements. Understand the various types of gestures, such as emblems and illustrator gestures, to better interpret meaning. Consider the context and cultural background of the person you're interacting with, as different cultures may interpret nonverbal cues differently.

Common pitfalls in nonverbal communication

Avoid these frequent mistakes to improve your nonverbal communication skills:

1. Mismatched verbal and nonverbal messages: Ensure your body language aligns with your verbal message to prevent confusion. Remember, nonverbal communication plays a significant role in conveying meaning alongside verbal cues.

2. Overlooking cultural differences: Be aware that gestures like the thumbs up may have different meanings across western cultures and beyond.

3. Invading personal space: Respect proxemics, including intimate space, and maintain appropriate distance during conversations to avoid discomfort.

4. Neglecting paralanguage: Pay attention to your voice's pitch, loudness, and rhythm, as these paralinguistic features significantly impact your message.

5. Displaying unintended defensiveness: Be mindful of crossed arms, leaning away, or other body postures that may signal defensiveness without your intention.

6. Ignoring the power of first impressions: Remember that initial nonverbal signals play a crucial role in how others perceive you from the outset.

7. Failing at regulating interactions: Use appropriate nonverbal cues to manage turn-taking and flow in conversations.

By addressing these pitfalls and continuously working on your nonverbal communication skills, you'll become more adept at conveying and interpreting messages beyond words alone, leading to more effective nonverbal communication. This improvement can positively impact your social interactions and even contribute to better mental health through clearer, more authentic communication.

Better nonverbal communication = better workplace communication

Nonverbal communication is a skill you can use in everyday life, as well as in the workplace. Once you develop these skills, you’ll notice you’re increasingly aware not only of everyone else’s nonverbal cues, but of your own signals. Being aware of your nonverbal cues can help you communicate more effectively in the workplace. To learn more, read our article on how effective workplace communication increases collaboration and boosts leadership.