Demonstrative Communication
Anthony Fusi
BCOM/275
June 17, 2013
Time Wolfe

Demonstrative communication is the “non-verbal” component of communication that is just as important, if not more important then the act of verbal communication. Demonstrative communication can be more telling then the actual words that we speak. The components of non-verbal communication include eye contact, facial expression, posture, arm and hand gestures and head movements. Demonstrative communication is an organized way of expressing feelings or conveying a message to others. It is the best way to understand other’s points of view and their emotions or thoughts about the information they are conveying. In demonstrative communication, the sender is responsible for making the communication effective. The message must be conveyed effectively; it must be clear. It does not matter whether the communication is personal or professional, it is vital to have good demonstrative communication skills to express the core concept of the material one is trying to communicate. Along with speaking clearly, eye contact shows attentiveness and focus on the conversation. Effective non-verbal communication skills can be hand gestures and facial expressions. They help to lead the receiver in the right direction. The receiver needs to be interested in listening to the sender. Tone of voice is another non-verbal skill in communication. Different fluctuations in the voice help to engage the listener. It is important for our silent message (our demonstrative communication) to co-align with our verbal message. If these two lines of communication do not match misinterpretations can occur. The other side of demonstrative communication involves the receiver. The receiver is listening to the sender, but also watching him/her for non-verbal cues that convey the message. The receiver is watching the gestures, eye contact, listening to the tone of voice, and comparing these non-verbal forms of communication with what he/she is hearing. If the sender is talking about increasing moral in the workplace, but the tone of his voice is monotone, his eyes are looking toward the clock, and his hands are in his pockets, the receiver is not going to buy into the plan to increase moral. On the other hand, if the sender is upbeat, motioning with his hands, smiling and his tone projects excitement, the receiver is going to be more apt to hear the message and climb on board. In an article by Christian Health (2002), the author looked at the importance of doctors evaluating their patients verbally and non-verbally in their first consultation appointments. The article discusses how patients will usually gesture while talking to reveal emotional and personal experiences. The patient will often reveal their illness and how they are handling it through non-verbal cues. While verbally discussing symptoms, patients will tend to non-verbally show suffering from their medical illnesses. The patient will usually gesture to different parts of their body while describing his/her symptoms to the doctor. This gives the doctor a clear picture of what the patient is experiencing. Even without knowing,