Its Not What You Say,It’s How You Say It [Video]

According to the “7-38-55 rule” developed by noted psychologist Albert Mehrabian, 55% of communication is considered visual; meaning that the majority of a message is conveyed through body language and facial expressions, while only 7% is conveyed through spoken words and 38% through tone of voice. In other words, as Dr. Mehrabian put it, “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.”

My conversational speech is different from my writing style. When I’m speaking with friends I’m not worried about run-on sentences (or non-sequiturs) or even punctuation. I use my hands when I talk. I might use certain facial expressions. For me, speaking in person is a much better way to communicate than by phone, text, or chat. Being able to see and listen to the other person means you have a better chance of truly understanding each other.

Your tone of voice is a major part of how people perceive what you are saying. Pitch, volume, pace, …