"Silence is a fence around wisdom.” German Proverb
One of the best ways to get to know someone is to understand how they communicate. Communication is made up of many different parts. Only 7% of communication is what we say to someone. The other 93% is non-verbal and somewhere in there falls silence. Out of the 93% only 38% is vocal (volume, pitch, rhythm, etc). The other 55 of the 93% is body language and facial expressions. To fully understand a message we must look at all of it. Effective communication is the combination of both verbal and non-verbal actions.
“Silence is a source of great strength.” Lao Tzu
Silence can say many things to a person and can possibly be the most powerful of all non-verbal communication skills to use. It can say that you value what that person has to say. Silence says that you are open to being 100% present in the moment, that you are completely open to the other person sharing ideas and that you want to understand them fully, including their thoughts, feedback, input, and feelings. It also can say that you are open to learning. In silent moments sometimes we learn more about that one person in that moment then we will the rest of the time we know them. It is in silence that I think people are the most open and transparent to another person. Silence says more about a person than any word they say ever could.
“Silence is as deep as eternity; speech, shallow as time.” Thomas Carlyle
Some people are so worried about what they are going to say next, or about when it will be their turn to speak that they don't even fully hear, understand or appreciate what the other person has to say. How different would our lives and conversations be if we all stopped worrying about ourselves long enough to shut up and really hear and understand what others had to say? Also wouldn't it be so much different if everyone slowed down enough to show others that they appreciate what is being said? There are few people who actually take the time to show these signs of appreciation, and openness to what others have to say.
“An inability to stay quiet is one of the most conspicuous failings of mankind.” Walter Bagehot
One of the best ways to get to know someone is to understand how they communicate. Communication is made up of many different parts. Only 7% of communication is what we say to someone. The other 93% is non-verbal and somewhere in there falls silence. Out of the 93% only 38% is vocal (volume, pitch, rhythm, etc). The other 55 of the 93% is body language and facial expressions. To fully understand a message we must look at all of it. Effective communication is the combination of both verbal and non-verbal actions.
“Silence is a source of great strength.” Lao Tzu
Silence can say many things to a person and can possibly be the most powerful of all non-verbal communication skills to use. It can say that you value what that person has to say. Silence says that you are open to being 100% present in the moment, that you are completely open to the other person sharing ideas and that you want to understand them fully, including their thoughts, feedback, input, and feelings. It also can say that you are open to learning. In silent moments sometimes we learn more about that one person in that moment then we will the rest of the time we know them. It is in silence that I think people are the most open and transparent to another person. Silence says more about a person than any word they say ever could.
“Silence is as deep as eternity; speech, shallow as time.” Thomas Carlyle
Some people are so worried about what they are going to say next, or about when it will be their turn to speak that they don't even fully hear, understand or appreciate what the other person has to say. How different would our lives and conversations be if we all stopped worrying about ourselves long enough to shut up and really hear and understand what others had to say? Also wouldn't it be so much different if everyone slowed down enough to show others that they appreciate what is being said? There are few people who actually take the time to show these signs of appreciation, and openness to what others have to say.
“An inability to stay quiet is one of the most conspicuous failings of mankind.” Walter Bagehot
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