Nonverbal Communication Competence

Encoding skills

Sending nonverbal messages

Consistency

Avoid extremes

Take the situation into consideration

Maintain eye contact

Be careful with touching

Avoid strong smells

For example, don't say no and nod your head yes

Yes, its a Justin Bieber reference ;)

Communicates politeness

Too focused and prolonged can makes someone uncomfortable

Depending on the relationship it could be seen as inappropriate

The smell of your cologne or perfume can be overpowering and found unpleasant to someone; keep it simple and light

Things to stay away from

Crossing your arms

Weak handshakes

Bad posture

Nodding to much

If you nod to much, the speaker may think you aren't being serious or listening

A firm handshake means business and strong willed to most people

Can be found to be a sign of defense

Decoding skills

Interpreting

Mindful judgements

Look at all message channels

Measure behavior

Listen with an open mind

Pay attention to the verbal and nonverbal cues and messages

Resist judgement

Don't make a judgement until you know exactly what is said