Unit 5

Nonverbal communication replaces, reinforces, and contradicts verbal communication. Describe a time when nonverbal communication caused you to misinterpret the message in a work situation (explain theShow More

Nonverbal communication replaces, reinforces, and contradicts verbal communication. Describe a time when nonverbal communication caused you to misinterpret the message in a work situation (explain the type of nonverbal cue using the information in the text). Then, using the guidelines for improving nonverbal communication in the text, explain how you can keep this from occurring again.

When I first started my last retail job, I had a manager that I was absolutely terrified of because to me, she seemed very aggressive and unapproachable by the way she carried herself. I would go out of my way to avoid working with her and I would find another manager to get help from if I needed it. Her kinesics, “body positions and body motions including those of the face”, made her unapproachable. (Wood, 2013) I felt that she always had an angry look on her face, never smiled and just looked unhappy all together. According to Wood (2013), “facial motions may be used to signal whether we are open to interaction.”  Next time I would just go up to the person and tell them that I feel that they do not want to be at work and that I feel that I cannot approach them. Using the word “I” instead of saying “you” will make them feel that they are not being blamed and more receptive to my statement. (Wood, 2013)