Communication - Redux

We think of communication as talking. We like to talk. It shows how smart, witty, informed, intelligent we are. But as GenZ enters the world of work you soon realise that talking is the least of it. Here are five surprising facts about communication. 

3 Seconds

That's how long it takes to make a decision about someone, whether like them, trust them, envy, are nervous of them, want to be like them. Remember that when you first meet someone. By the time you've shaken hands or whatever it's largely all decided. And remember you leap to the same instant conclusion about others. 

7%

Just 7% of your entire communication is based on the words that actually come out of your mouth. You might just as well burble or recite nursery rhymes for all the attention your words get. The other way of looking at that is to ensure that every word counts, since it's going to get a small amount of attention, make it really be worth that attention. 

38%

That's how important your voice is. Your voice can be an absolute weapon, so work on it, the tone, the speed of delivery, whether you sound relaxed and entertained or whether you're impatient and frustrated - it all comes out in the voice. 

55%

Big number huh? That's how important body language is. How you hold yourself when you're standing or sitting, how still or fidgety you are, how defensive your gestures or posture, whether you 'manspread' or tie your legs in knots, whether your head is up or buried deep in your chest. Pay attention to your body because it's a reflection of your mind. 

Smell

Finally, smell. We can smell fear, literally, just as animals can. If you're interested it's a sort of metallic scent, in the same area as the smell of blood. We can smell other emotions too, in tiny volumes that no amount of Lynx is going to cover up. We can smell, believe it or not, one drop in the equivalent of 20,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. It's a reminder to not just seem the real deal but to be the real deal. Because others will sniff out your fakery.