Demonstrative Communication
Berlo (2010), in the Communication Process has defined communication as a method of passing information and messages from the sender to the receiver. To effectively communicate, one must incorporate verbal and non verbal modes of communication. In addition, one should use visual and written modes of communication to pass on thoughts, speech, information, writing, behavior and speech. Verbal communication includes many aspects including written and oral means of communication. On the other hand, non verbal communication may include eye contact, gestures, body posture as well as facial expression. Demonstrative communication combines unwritten and nonverbal ways through which verbal communication is reinforced. Therefore, demonstrative communication is a way through which an individual can pass on and receive wordless information.
Demonstrative communication is the most effective way of conveying messages where verbal communication has failed. Sometimes it is the best way of sending and receiving messages to reveal more about an individual. For instance, during job interviews a friendly demeanor, handshake and proper dressing can tell much about a person. Indeed, the best way to learn who a person is can be by observing the way he/she uses demonstrative communication. Demonstrative communication ways like facial expression or the way a person smiles will tell more about that person if you were meeting him/her for the first time. The way an individual uses tone variations is very vital in communication, an individual who speak cheerfully is better placed to convince and counsel people who are in need of counseling therapy. For sure, through demonstrative communication, a person has got a chance to express his/her personality. This is why you will find individuals in big offices wearing executive clothes to prove their dominance and outline their abilities as real leaders.
The positive communication skills and feedback that results from demonstrative communication can be very useful in professional and personal situations. Indeed, as explained above most people develop lasting ideas based on their first impressions regarding the demonstrative communication like dressing that they see. This is why if one comes across someone who is interesting to be around; the person will have positive everlasting memories of the person. On the other hand if people bores you during the first time of your conversation, it is not easy neither is it possible that you will talk to the same person again (Roy, 2010).
As much as demonstrative communication is very effective in a number of ways, it also has some limitations. To start with, demonstrative communication do not involve verbal communication, thus it is only a wordless kind of communication. In this regard, it has failed to meet the complexity that language offers. Through verbal communication we have managed to know our past and history. Indeed, our fathers and grandfathers used these means of verbal communication to tell every story about their lives to us. Therefore, without verbal communication one can’t tell the whole story about his/her life. In other words, demonstrative communication through pictures can’t completely tell an individual’s life story since many gaps will remain unaddressed.
Other important components of demonstrative communication are listening and giving wordless response to the sender of the information. Through listening and responding, one is at risk of missing so many things. Our silent communication by listening attentively can mean a lot, however it may give a wrong feedback. For instance, when you are actively presenting your points in a serious meeting and the in attendances instead of responding to your points they just stare at you, definitely you will feel moved and hurt. The main feeling that you’ll likely develop is that, these people are not being attentive, how can I say all those points and they just remain still and unmoved? In other words, when we give others non-engaging body language, they tend to misinterpret and think that we are not interested in the interaction. This view might be wrong since nonverbal communications are not intended to show our displeasure at the interaction, but it is how others perceive listening without verbal response (Montana and Charon, 2008).
Demonstrative communication therefore fails in this area since it is very easy for an individual to misinterpret what the sender replies. And since people use demonstrative communication daily, knowing and without knowing, it is very important that the messages be interpreted well. Body language, facial expression, listening, waving, dressing and smiling are thus very crucial as they support half of the daily communications, but to avoid misinterpretation, one must pay keen attention. Without paying keen attention, one can easily misjudge and misinterpret good intentions for bad ones. In addition, facial expressions like smile can sometimes be used sarcastically and this may be misleading.
When you display negative body language, people can make poor impressions on you and get those wrong feedbacks. Thus failing to make good eye contact during the conversation, shifting and crossing your arms may make others think that you are distracted in the conversation. Furthermore, other behaviors like checking your watch during conversation or looking around when others are presenting may look so rude and can hardly be taken with goodness.
Reference
Berlo, D. K. (2010). The process of communication. New York, New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
Montana, P. J. and Charon, B. H. (2008). Communication Management. New York. Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
Roy, M. B. (2010). Communicating. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
