Speak up!

Johann Von Goethe said, “Oral delivery aims at persuasion and making the listener believe they are converted. Few persons are capable of being convinced; the majority allow themselves to be persuaded.” From this perspective, one can deduce it is essential to master speaking skills in order to persuade and communicate a powerful message. In today’s world, where television and the Internet instantaneously relay information, image can strengthen or destroy a message. Mastering the art of verbal and nonverbal communication is a challenge that we all need to learn, politicians especially.

In her article “Nonverbal communication as a persuasion tool: Current status and future directions,” Maria Kopacz (2006) hypothesizes non-verbal communication plays a role more important than previously estimated in voters’ decision-making during political campaigns. She points to the significance television takes in relaying information and portraying candidates, whose image and personality weight now as much as political issues in the public’s perception. This tendency seems particularly relevant in uninformed or disinterested voters.

In light of this hypothesis, Maria Kopacz (2006) explains that research on the subject will provide insight to a new generation of political candidates, especially female and minority candidates. She adds that television is, until now, the primary media used by the public, and as such, exerts great power on other media.

Theories relating to nonverbal behavior and electoral choice suggest that an individual’s support for a specific candidate is influenced by the candidate’s media exposure, the individual’s affective relationship and identification to the candidate, and the individual perception of the candidate’s dominance (Maria Kopacz, 2006). Referring to the Elaboration Likelihood Model of Persuasion (ELM) framework, the author proposes that information can be processed via a central route, where the individual perceives the argument and forms a judgment on the politician. She also suggests that information can be processed peripherally, with senses and cues determining the perception of a candidate’s status, his credibility, ultimately shaping the choice of candidate.

Maria Kopacz (2006) relates her framework to other theories conceptualizing that facial expression, physical appearance, paralanguage, visual focus or gaze of a candidate may impact a voter’s decision based on affective process. Kopacz later points to potential future research experiments involving voter’s attitudes towards specific verbal and non-verbal stimuli, or the information processing of preconceived arguments. Kopacz concludes that her theory sought to complement previous research.

Maria Kopacz states that nonverbal behaviors, such as a speaker’s elocution or physical appearance, may influence an individual’s perception toward competence and trustworthiness. When I previously worked in a sleep disorders clinic, I noticed patients were impressed by the physician’s tenure, his authority and expertise expressed through his voice and body posture. As a result, patients view the physician as extremely competent and felt they would be well cared for.

I agree with Maria Kopacz who mentions that unfamiliar or unmotivated voters may turn to the candidate’s appeal to make their choice. This proved very true in the 2001 and 2004 presidential campaign during which Al Gore’s and John Kerry’s controlled postures did not convince voters as much as George Busch’s jovial tenure. I disagree with the fact that women’s physical appearance and vocal pitch may create bias assessments, which in turn, influence the competence and leadership ratings of female candidates. Karen Breslau reports in Newsweek’s current issue that “new research shows that voters give female governors significantly higher marks than their male counterparts on such qualities as honesty, cooperation and caring—as well as toughness.” (2007, p. 66)

Maria Kopacz’s article brought to my attention that judgment and attitude formation can come from a central route where the individual evaluates and processes information, or from a peripheral route where emotions affect the person’s attitude. I define persuasion as the art of encoding and delivering a similar message from a peripheral and direct route in order to influence an individual’s behavior and create a response. Since nonverbal communication accounts for more than 70 % of the message, I consider peripheral cues as a determinant factor in convincing an individual of an argument or actuate a specific action. In that respect, my definition quantifies the importance of nonverbal communication in the persuasion.

In my previous work setting, the employees seemed to respond to the information-integration theory. For example, the company was concerned with achieving the best quality care in sleep medicine, but some employees maintained unorganized and untidy work areas. Our manager explained to them, in a serious and attentive manner, that an excellent first impression was important in pursuing excellence. He, himself, set an example by cleaning up his office, and as a result of his argument and behavior, employees were more diligent in straightening up their office.

In the future, I will use my voice and body posture to reinforce the persuasive message so that I am more effective in communicating and achieving desired outcomes. I will also determine if the information delivered supports or refutes previous beliefs in my audience and how much critical thinking goes into my audience’s perception of my message.

To be a successful leader in the 21st century, I realize projecting a powerful image is very important. Persuading an audience is not just about a message but the way it is transmitted. I also think it is important to analyze how an audience perceives a message and to realize that new media, such as YouTube, will soon have an enormous impact.


References

Breslau, K. (2007, October 15). Now this is woman’s work. Newsweek, 66.
Kopacz, M. (2006). Nonverbal communication as a persuasion tool: Current status and future directions. Rocky Mountain Communication Review, 3(1), 1-19.