The Power of Touch in the Workplace

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>> In business, touch is the quickest way to establish personal rapport. A study on handshakes found that people are twice as likely to remember you if you shake hands with them. I'm Carol Kinsey Goman, author of ALLICThe Nonverbal Advantage: Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work. Sometimes the simple act of touching someone to show support, sympathy, or gratitude adds the personal warmth to our communication that is otherwise lacking. Try increasing your communication impact by adding a touch now and again. But remember to use your common sense about proper behavior in a professional setting. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Make the touch light and short, only long enough to establish a positive, nonverbal signal; limit contact to the hands, arms, shoulder, and back and be aware that touching bare shoulders or backs, which female summer attire may expose, can be perceived as a personal rather than a business gesture; try touching something when requesting assistance. Can you get me that report? Research shows that a touch as short as onefortieth of a second will increase that other person's willingness to help. It's called the compliance effect. Lastly, use touching as a communication technique. For example, touch the listener on the forearm to add emphasis to key parts of what you're saying. Because touch is used most often when we believe strongly in what we're saying, touching can subconsciously enhance your credibility. Start paying attention to the amount of touching that's acceptable in your organization's culture. Notice who the touchers are and the positive or negative responses they get. You may be amazed to discover how much touch plays a part in your daily work life.

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