Startling Little Known Facts About Non-Verbal Communication Over the Phone

How would you like 100% of my unconditional support, love, acceptance, and attention while you tell me about yourself, your concerns, your dreams, your hopes, and your goals?

This type of concentration is more available by phone because there are not the kinds of visual distractions usually present during an in-person meeting.

It has been said that 97% of all communication is non-verbal. Albert Mehrabian, in his comprehensive research on communication found that in a face-to-face encounter, 7% of a verbal message comes from the words used; 38% is from the vocal tone, pacing, and inflection; 55% of the message is reflected by the speaker’s appearance and body language.

That translates into 45% or nearly 1/2 of all communication is accomplished without any visual input at all.

Have you ever been surprised as to how much a blind person can tell about another individual? It can be absolutely astonishing! Their hearing, acuity or keenness, and perception have usually become extremely fine-tuned.

I maintain that most of the 55% that is visual can be figured out by paying close attention to what is really heard.

I’ve had people worry that doing sessions by phone would limit communication because you couldn’t see the other person. In fact, a whole wealth of information about a person can often be deduced through the phone alone. 

How a person may be dressed, for example, ultra casual to corporate/professional, their emotional state, level of alertness and attentiveness are just a few of the characteristics that can be determined about a person over the phone. 

Body language would simply be another dimension of communication that can be assumed from all the other non-verbal signals.

The energy in a person's voice tells me a lot. The more energy, the more “up” a person is often feeling. There is a whole continuum or voice range which can reflect a person’s sense of well-being. 

Voice tempo, pitch, and forcefulness of tone can also give me clues as to a person’s emotional status. Examples include telling me if the person is feeling anxious, panicky, or in pain, whether they feel shy or confident, excited or calm, whether they are angry, scared or feeling overwhelmed. A pleasant sounding voice can reflect a smiling face.

I can tell a lot about how a person is breathing from his or her voice patterns and strength of tone. The breath and emotions are directly related.

For example, when an individual is trying to stuff their feelings, their breathing tends to be shallower, their talking style gets a little flatter, words are more clipped, and there is more tension in the voice. 

Alternately, when a person is thrilled, the breathing will be quicker and stronger, the voice will be more animated, and breathing will be more rapid.

Here is an illustration. Suzy is speaking a little more quickly than usual—she has a slightly higher pitch to her voice, and I can almost hear the suppressed laughter between the lines, “...you’re sounding really excited about something today, Suzy ... is there something special going on?”

If a person is speaking more slowly than usual, with a lowered, low energy, quieter voice, he or she may be sad, tired, or depressed. That person could be visualized as slouched, eyes looking down, with disheveled clothing and possibly neglected grooming. 

On the other hand, the person may simply be in a contemplative mood. That is why sharing my perceptions with the client can keep that channel of communication fully open.

Listening for word choices can also provide me with streamlined knowledge for creating better communication and rapport.

People initially process information through their visual (what they see), auditory (what they hear), and kinesthetic (what they are feeling / touching / tasting / smelling) senses. 

We use all of our senses to reach an understanding or conclusion; however, one of the above modes will usually predominate.

In the case of modes of processing, some people are mostly visual; some are mostly auditory, and some are mostly kinesthetic.

Giving feedback to the client as to my impressions, and receiving clarification and verification from the person, can give me more meaning and understanding as to what I am actually noticing. In addition, the client can also share his or her impressions and ask questions of me!

Everybody picks up and deduces an amazing amount of information about a person over the phone. You do the same thing only it is usually at a more unconscious or subconscious level.

A trained professional is not only aware of all these various features; he or she is able to identify emotional and cognitive thinking patterns which serve as a guide for formulating insightful questions, and for offering effective Holistic Counseling and Advanced Hypnotherapy by phone, help, and guidance.

Often, clients report that they find it easier to talk about more personal problems over the phone. When they are in a face-to-face session, they sometimes tend to feel too embarrassed or self-conscious to bring up and discuss whatever is troubling them.

Feeling intimidated by the Holistic Counselor & Life Coach when working in-person, is another issue some clients struggle with. Starting with our mothers and fathers, we are taught to be fearful of adults from the time we are toddlers, especially adults in authority. 

This can include parents, teachers, police officers, bosses, and so on. Unfortunately, this fear can continue into adulthood creating huge emotional blocks that stop a person from moving ahead.

When talking on the phone, the client can often more easily resolve this fear without having to experience it with their Holistic Counselor & Life Coach. In other words, your Coach can be perceived more as an ally or friend that can help you, rather than as an authority figure to be feared.

So, is phone communication effective? You bet! ;o)