Non-verbal communication constitutes 93% of what we communicate. Master your tone, body language and listening skills to become a great communicator.

Effective communication improves productivity. And a message clearly communicated once will increase the time available to act on it. That's productivity.

Better communication comes from understanding and effectively utilizing its operative components. Lawyers are expert wordsmiths, the verbal component of communication. But few master the non-verbal components of tone, body language and listening.

Great Communicators

Three things happen when you communicate with others. You use words, tone, and body language. Research shows that words constitute only 7% of what's being communicated. Tone contributes 38% and body language provides the remaining 55%. That means 93% of outbound communication occurs non-verbally.

Two things happen when another communicates with you. You listen and use body language. We've all experienced good listeners, those who really take an interest in what we're saying. They're attentive and inquisitive, not distracted and dispassionate. In fact, a good listener makes it worth the effort to communicate!

Harnessing the non-verbal communication elements – tone, body language and listening – makes you a great communicator! We'll work on tone first.

The Power of Sound

To discover tone's importance, simply close your eyes and hear what a speaker is communicating. Are they glad, sad, frustrated, angry, confused? So much content comes through their tone!

Your effectiveness is largely dependent on the tone you use when communicating with others. A neutral to positive tone will produce the most positive results. The more upbeat you are the better response you will get, regardless of the message's verbal content.

Achieving better tone control depends on presence of mind. Here are some tips to improve yours:

• Stop, Assess. Before initiating significant communications, take a moment to stop and assess the existing emotional landscape. How do you feel? What's your message? What result are you seeking? How do you anticipate the listener will feel? How will your message likely be received? By assessing the situation before initiating communication, you'll be more effective.

• Breath. The best tone management trick in the book is to take a deep breath. That's right! Just take a deep breath before you begin speaking. This evens you out and increases your focus. It produces a momentary opportunity to assess the situation before moving forward.

• Project. Where do you want this communication to go? Find a positive end point and direct both the words and the tone towards that conclusion. It's a lot easier to achieve a positive result if you have one in mind before initiating the journey.

• Practice. All behavioral change takes practice. Commit to the effort. Start with small communications to achieve immediate success on which you can build.

You will xperience greater effectiveness if you maintain a neutral to positive tone when communicating. Greater effectiveness achieves higher productivity because the participants understand each other quickly and with a better emotional wrapper.

The Power of the Body

Homo sapiens have walked the earth for 130,000 years. Language was invented around 60,000 years ago. What did we do for the other 70,000 years? We waived and grunted at each other! Yep, we used body language. Entire treatises have been compiled on the subject. Our examination is limited to the most effective tools lawyers can apply in their day-to-day practices:

• Mimicking/Mirroring. Known by both names, mirroring is just what it sounds like – matching your energy and activity level to another's. This inspires confidence in the other. You are "on the same page."

• Introductions. Always, always stand during an introduction. Meet the person's eye and give a firm handshake. These behaviors make the event significant and establish you as equals.

• Leaning. Lean in for intimacy. Lean out for authority. Remain neutral for negotiations. Try it. It works!

• Use of Hands/Arms. Keep your palms facing up and your arms/hands below shoulder level. This conveys an open and non-aggressive disposition. It is inviting to others.

• Nodding. Nodding is a sign of acknowledgement. It is not a sign of agreement. Use your head to convey you are paying attention.

• Eye Contact. Always look at the other person when conversing, but don't stare. Deep eye contact is a sign of intimacy and inappropriate. Shift your gaze slightly and periodically – to the bridge of the nose, forehead, between each eye – to convey interest instead of intimacy.

Try these suggestions one at a time. You'll be surprised at the results.

The Power of Silence

Accurately perceiving what others are communicating also increases your effectiveness. Improving your ability to listen is the best way to sharpen your perception skills. There are three stages of listening:

• Level 1. You hear the words, interpreting them in the context of how they affect you. A good example is formulating a response before the other has finished speaking. You're focusing on yourself and not on what they are communicating.

• Level 2. You hear the words and focus on what the speaker is saying. You listen intently, asking questions to seek further understanding of the situation. You focus on the communicator and gather facts.

• Level 3. You hear the words, digest the body language, and empathize with the speaker. Questions go further than the facts as you put yourself into their position.

The vast majority of people listen at Level 1. To be effective, you must listen at Level 2 and Level 3. It takes practice. Start with friends. You know them better, which gives you a head start on empathizing. Focus on broadening your skills beyond your own feelings, extending them to the feelings of others.

The benefits to Level 2 and 3 listening are people respond to you more positively and you are more in tune with your surroundings. Those benefits convert directly to higher effectiveness and greater productivity in you and in others.

Putting It All Together

Improving the non-verbal components of your communication skills – tone, body language and listening – increases your effectiveness and your productivity. As others understand you better and you them, a strong bond of trust and confidence is developed making the flow of information more efficient.