Sure thing. When you're talking, a lot of us, not knowing it, use our hands. When you speak with hands, a general rule is to have your palms up. It shows confidence in knowing what you explaing to a prosepctive student and gives an overall positve outlook.
Thsi si strong benefit to people who generally cross their arms, it changes their body language from a neagtive to a positive.
Great insight, Byron. Having open posture in a group is one way of demonstrating your openness to meeting with people. Your smile and eye contact can definitely help put people at ease, as well. I'm curious about your statement of palms up. Can you share with me what this looks like and how it's helped you in the past?
My body language would be ESSENTIAL when talking to one or more groups.
You have to have an open posture, palms up smiling eye contact to both parties.
You have to make sure you speak clearly and highlight the detaisl. If you have to repeat yourslef, you may lose one or more people during the appointment.
I like your confidence in communicating with groups Renee. What specifically do you do to ensure you're getting your point across and inspriring engagement from all participants?
In groups you can always get your point accross, and everyone will be involved in the topic.
Well said, Antigone. It sounds like you take care to be respectful of all members of a group despite any differences that are present. This is a great practice, keep it up.
When communicating with more than just one person at a time in a group, I like to give the speaker my undivided attention and I would hope the others do the same. Before interrupting, I would let the person finish what they have to say before I add in my two cents. I think it's very important for everyone to be on the same level as each other, so it's important to listen carefully and not be bias.
This is a great technique to get a group engaged, Gladys. Besides making eye contact, what are some additional things that you do in a group to continue to engage it's members?
I like to keep eye contact with the entire group and ask open ended questions. I don't move to the next step till I get everyone to participate on some type of answer or question on what is being discussed. It keeps every one engaged in the conversation.
By interacting with everyone in the group and making eye contact when an individual is speaking,is the best means of group communication.
Excellent observation, Shan. Having the group share their perspectives in a discussion is one way of getting a group to communicate. Have you ever had a group that didn't want to share? What did you do to help put them at ease?
I think asking the group to interact in discussion gets everyone involved with different viewpoints
These are excellent ways to engage a group? What types of questions do you use to get small talk started with a groupnof people that might not be familiar with each other?
I use eye contact with all people involved. I also ask questions and make small talk to all members of the party so they feel included.
I have to increase my listening skills. I make sure i listen twice as much. I make sure I recognize both od their both language and I am not going to categorize the issues and concerns in one category as if they were one. I have to acknowledge both of them.
Making eye contact with each person in a group is a great practice, Lindsay. You mention that making eye contact helps make sure everyone is listening, have you found it also helps your listening skills? What are some other tips that you have for engaging a group?
It is very important to speak to the person who has asked you the question. However when there are more than one person in the room, I always make eye contact with each of them, to let them know I am interested in all of their ideas/questions, etc.
I also think this helps to make sure eveyone is actually listening to you. I want the whole group to be engaged.
Making contact with group members can be a great way to show you're interested. I get the sense that you like to give your primary customer your attention. How do you adapt when you have more than one primary customer to ensure your attention is given equally?
I have ability to make eye contac with each individual, but I focus on the primary customer.
Great practices, Portia. It sounds like you make it a priority to include all members of the group in the discussion and do your best to demonstrate your interes through eye contact and engagement. Keep up the good work!
