In a digital meeting, do you find your gaze lingering on your own image or are you truly observing your colleagues? Let's mindfully walk through the silent but impactful realm of body language.
Dating back to the 1800s to the current age of selfies, we have been enamoured with our own images. This week's invitation: Become keen observers of nonverbal cues. With 55% of communication being nonverbal, according to body language expert Albert Mehrabian, this aspect can't be overlooked, even in the virtual realm.
Though it's challenging to decipher body language through a screen, there's much to be understood from the unspoken – a furrowed brow, the posture of attentiveness, or the subtleties of a smile. By tuning in to these silent signals, we can deepen our understanding of our colleagues and enhance our presence in every interaction.
This week, embark on a journey of silent observation. Be present, be perceptive. How has paying attention to body language changed your communication and your mindfulness?
Related Links
Article: How Much of Communication Is Nonverbal?
Podcast: How to Care ABout Your Coworkers
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More Links and Resources
TITLE: WATCH BODY LANGUAGE
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
mindful, body language, elevator, present, discover, mindfulness
TRANSCRIPT
0:00 Hello and welcome to Mindful in 5, helping you discover your peaceful path. I'm your host Spiwe Jefferson, author of the Mindful in 5 book series. I am so excited to kick off Season 4 of the Mindful in 5 podcast,
0:14 This week, I invite you to pay attention to body language. Now, tell me true. When you are on a video conference, how much time do you spend looking at your colleagues compared to the amount of time you spend looking at yourself? I read somewhere that back in the 1850s when the elevators were initially installed in buildings, they were very slow and customers complained a lot. One bright elevator employee thought he could fix the problem without having to rewire the elevators or expend a huge amount of money. And he did. And the customer complaints stopped. Do you know what this genius did? He installed a mirror in the elevator.
01:06 Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment without judgment. So don't judge if you spend more time looking at yourself on that video conference than anybody else. But this week, I invite you to pay attention to the body language of your colleagues, Albert Mehrabian, a body language researcher discovered that 55% of communication is nonverbal. 38% is vocal and 7% words only. It's difficult to read body cues on screen. But even those can be expressive. Try to be fully present, and see what your coworkers are saying as well as what they are not saying based on their facial expressions and body language. This will help you be more mindfully present in every encounter. Try paying attention to the body language this week and visit the mindful and vive LinkedIn page and post your thoughts and share how it went. Until next time, this is Spiwe saying be mindful and be well.
James@DiscovertheVoice
02:21 Thank you for listening to Mindful in 5. If you enjoyed it, share it with a friend. Follow and rate it on your favorite podcast platform. Pick up your signed copy of the book in journal from SpiweJefferson.com or unsigned copies from Amazon, Barnes and Noble or wherever you get your books. Visit SpiweJefferson.com to download sample chapters of the book, watch videos and become a mindful ninja. Join us on the LinkedIn Mindful in 5 group and share your thoughts. Until next time, be mindful and be well.