A seemingly dying art; the ability to express oneself with words is earth-shatteringly powerful. Techniques such as Non-Violent Communication (NVC), as well as active listening skills can become incredible tools when trying to accomplish a goal. Verbal Communication skills are directly correlated to learning retention as well as relationship-building and overall happiness.
ver·bal
/ˈvərb(ə)l/
adjective
1. relating to or in the form of words.
What’s Verbal Communication?
com·mu·ni·ca·tion
/kəˌmyo͞onəˈkāSH(ə)n/
noun
1. the imparting or exchanging of information or news.
Despite living in an age of ever-evolving technology; Verbal Communication remains the cornerstone of human connection. The ability to communicate an idea using a combination of spoken words, tone, pace, body language, eye contact and more, is the foundation of Verbal Communication. Many studies suggest that as much as 70% of Verbal Communication consists of body language alone, but word selection, eye contact, tone and pace can all have significant impacts on delivering a message clearly. What makes something Verbal Communication depends on the level of intimacy of the given conversation. For instance; although words are not spoken aloud, conversations had using Sign Language are considered Verbal Communication due to the way language is used to convey a message. Phone conversations can be considered Verbal Communication as well; despite there being no body language or eye contact being exchanged. There are many systems that attempt to structure Verbal Communication into useful processes; one of such systems is known as Non-Violent Communication, and is practiced during our Science of Habits event.
How’s Verbal Communication useful?
The ability to communicate effectively using Verbal Communication is positively correlated with personal and professional success. Students who have stronger communication skills tend to perform better in school than their peers, and are generally happier. People who utilize effective Verbal Communication techniques like Non-Violent Communication experience symptoms of anxiety and depression at far lower rates than their counterparts who do not. Generally speaking, using your words to express yourself effectively is an incredibly powerful habit to learn, and it is statistically life changing.
Says who?
Harvard, Princeton, and Yale all have extensive works on the benefits of Verbal Communication. You can read a few here, here, and here! Check out this PDF we put together of 100 more university studies that pertain to the habits in our Science of Habits event, including 20 Ivy League entries. Here’s the Higher Ed Coordinator at the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence; Maria Engels to help explain the incredible ways the habit of Verbal Communication, and more specifically, Non-Violent Communication can be positively life changing:
How can students make it a habit?
There are some great and creative ways that a person can begin to practice strong Verbal Communication. Begin by taking notice of any unwanted habits you might already have, such as using filler words (um, uh, etc..), avoiding eye contact, and not speaking clearly and directly. Notice what things you might change in order to better communicate your thoughts to others, and use Mindfulness and Presence of Mind to actively work on these behaviors during your day-to-day interactions. As you become more advanced and confident in your Verbal Communication skills; you can begin to learn the process of Non-Violent Communication. This process involves having an open heart and mind, taking notice of our emotions, taking accountability for how we feel, and using precise language to convey exactly what we think, feel, and want from others.
“Great communication begins with connection.”
– Oprah Winfrey