Nonverbal communication affects our communication with others in powerful ways, yet nonverbal communication is often ambiguous and difficult to read. Much of the advice on nonverbal communication offered in the popular media is incorrect or overstated because a single nonverbal cue is given too much emphasis. Specific advice on communicating competently has been offered for each of the numerous types of nonverbal communication (physical appearance, facial communication, gestures, touch, voice, space, and environment), but general, overlapping advice also has been offered: Monitor your nonverbal communication, resist jumping to conclusions based on a single nonverbal cue, observe multiple nonverbal cues before drawing conclusions about others, recognize vast cultural differences in nonverbal communication, strive for consistency in your verbal and nonverbal communication to avoid mixed messages, and get in sync with others to improve connection.
