The message you actually want to send...
Let me tell you a story. Picture me, standing in front of a room full of people, ready to deliver the presentation of my life. I’d spent hours perfecting every word. But as soon as I opened my mouth, it felt like my body had entered a different meeting. My hands decided to perform an interpretive dance, my voice did this odd little wobble, and I’m pretty sure my face went pale enough to resemble a mildly haunted statue.
In those few minutes, I learned that verbal and nonverbal communication are like an unplanned duet, each essential to conveying the message clearly. They either work in harmony, or one of them takes the lead and turns your song into a solo of panic and mixed signals. That day, my words were saying “professional confidence,” but my body was saying “help.”
If you’ve ever felt that disconnect, you’re in good company. In this article, we’ll explore how verbal and nonverbal communication shape every interaction—how words and actions work together to create, or unravel, the message you actually want to send.
