the benefits of face-to-face communication

THE BENEFITS OFFACE-TO-FACE2016 EDITION

More than half of message interpretation is from facialexpression and body language. (Forbes)

Even as technology increases the methods we have tocommunicate with one another, nothing can replace thevalue of a face-to-face conversation.

James Borg, author of Body Language, says that humancommunication consists of 93% body language andparalinguistic cues, while only 7% consists of words.

Nonverbal Communication

7%

93%Spoken Words

Everything Else

Someone who is frequently checking their watch or yawningwould tell you it’s time to wrap things up, and someonenodding and sitting forward let’s you know they’re invested.Body language takes out much of the guesswork.

Reading Body Language

You can also use non-verbal communication to youradvantage. Here’s a tip:

"Writing" Body Language

Waiting in the lobby to join an important meeting? Put themobile device away and read a newspaper–doing so willencourage a “power pose” and project confidence. (Forbes)

Personal TouchForbes surveyed 760business executives andfound that 84% preferredface-to-face communications.Out of those, 85% said theirreason was that it buildsstronger, more meaningfulbusiness relationships.

Building Relationships

Making eye contact is crucial toshow sincerity and establish a firmconnection. The result is especiallyvaluable when trying to create alasting business relationship.

Meeting Effectiveness:Things Get Done

When an issue arises that needs a decision, face-to-faceenables you to reach a consensus more quickly. One simple, 5-minute conversation can eliminate 15 back and forth emails.

Oftentimes there’s a momentum that results from group face-to-face collaboration. People are more willing to engage, buildoff of each other’s creative energy–and don’t sit back on muteand read emails.

Meeting Effectiveness:Less Misunderstanding

“Great, this is just what I need.”

Sarcasm can be difficult to detect in written, non-verbal, andsometimes even verbal communication. On the other hand,when speaking face-to-face there is less chance ofperceiving a statement to be rude or sarcastic when thatwasn’t the intention.

The result? Meeting face-to-face helps to eliminatemisunderstandings, and therefore conditions trust.

Increased Time : Value Ratio

Meeting face-to-face by video conferencing offers the benefitsof meeting in-person, without the significant travel expenses.

Read Cloud-Based Video Conferencing For Dummiesto learn how to use cloud-based video conferencingcreatively within your business.

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