body_language.pdf
body_language.mp3
Neil
Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I’m Neil.
Sam
And I’m Sam. When Neil and I record 6 Minute English face-to-face in the BBC
Learning English studio which, I am happy to say, we are doing right now, we look
at each other as we speak. We smile and use hand gestures and facial expressions
in a type of communication called body language.
Neil
But during the Covid pandemic, everyday meetings with work colleagues, teachers
and friends, and 6 Minute English recording - all moved online.
Sam
Video meetings using software like Zoom and Skype became the normal way to
communicate with family and friends. And whatever happens with Covid in the
future, it seems they’re here to stay.
Neil
In this programme, we’ll be asking: how has body language changed in the world
of online video meetings?
Sam
We’ll meet the person who wrote the rulebook for clear communication in the
digital age – Erica Dhawan, author of a new book, ‘Digital Body Language’.
Neil
But before that, I have a question for you, Sam, and it’s about Erica Dhawan. She
may be a communications expert now, but growing up in Pennsylvania she was a
shy and quiet schoolgirl. So how did Erica beat her shyness and become the
confident communicator she is today? Did she:
a) attend public speaking classes?,
b) copy the body language of the cool kids at school? or,
c) raised her hand to answer the teacher’s questions, even if she didn’t know
the answer?
Sam
I’ll guess that c – she raised her hand to answer the teacher’s questions.
Neil
OK, Sam. We’ll reveal the correct answer later in the programme.
Sam
In face-to-face meetings, we immediately see someone’s reaction to what we’ve
said through eye contact, where two people look into each other’s eyes as they
talk.
Neil
Unfortunately, using a web camera to make eye contact is almost impossible in
online meetings and this often creates a kind of ‘distancing’ effect.
Sam
Erica Dhawan makes several suggestions to help with this. See if you can hear the
final suggestion she makes to Michael Rosen as part of BBC Radio 4’s Word of
Mouth.
Erica Dhawan
And last but not least, slow down. Remember when it was completely normal to
have a one-minute pause in a room with one another because we knew when we’re
thinking and brainstorming. If we don’t hear someone speak on video, we ask them
if they’re on mute. Practise what I call the five-second rule – wait five seconds
before speaking to make sure that individuals have time to process the ideas,
especially if there may be technology or accessibility issues.
Sam
Did you hear Erica’s last piece of advice, Neil?
Neil
Yes, she recommends slowing down, something we do naturally face-to-face
when we’re thinking or brainstorming – that’s discussing suggestions with a
group of people to come up with new ideas or to solve problems.
Sam
Slowing down gives us time to process new information – to understand it by
thinking carefully and reflecting on it.
Neil
Erica compares online body language to learning a new language - it takes
practice, especially when it comes to smiling and laughing, something Michael
Rosen finds hard to do in video meetings.
Sam
Listen to him discussing this problem with Erica Dhawan for BBC Radio 4’s, Word
of Mouth.
Michael Rosen
Do you think it’s killing off people laughing and smiling in the way we do when
we’re altogether in the live situation?
Erica Dhawan
I would say that it is much less likely that we laugh and smile on camera for a few
reasons. Number one, laughing is often done in unison where we can quickly pick
up the energy of someone smiling or laughing and feed off of that and laugh
ourselves. When it comes to screen delays, the fact that it’s not natural to see
our own camera – being distracted by that – we are much less likely to laugh and
smile. One of the ways we can overcome this is by creating intentional moments
in our meetings for the water cooler effect.
Sam
Erica points out that laughing often happens in unison – together and at the
same time.
Neil
Yes, if someone starts laughing it makes me laugh too.
Sam
She also thinks it’s important to make time for employees to chat informally
about things unrelated to work – their weekend plans or last night’s TV show.
Neil
And she uses the expression, the water cooler effect which comes from the
United States where office workers sometimes meet at the water fountain to
chat.
Sam
So, the water cooler effect refers to informal conversations that people have in
their office or workplace, maybe in the lift, the office kitchen or, if there is one, by
an actual water cooler.
Neil
Erica Dhawan seems very comfortable communicating online, but she’s had lots
of time to practice since her schooldays.
Sam
Ah yes, Neil, in your quiz question you asked how Erica conquered her shyness at
school. I guessed that she raised her hand to answer the teacher’s questions.
Neil
It was a good guess, Sam, but the correct answer is b – she copied the body
language of her cool teenage classmates, so probably lots of rolled eyes and
slouching!
Sam
OK, let’s recap the vocabulary from this programme about online body language
– non-verbal ways of communicating using the body.
Neil
Eye contact is when two people look at each other’s eyes at the same time.
Sam
Brainstorming involves a group discussion to generate new ideas or solutions.
Neil
When we process information, we think about it carefully in order to understand
it.
Sam
In unison means happening together and at the same time.
Neil
And finally, the water cooler effect is an American expression to describe
informal conversations between people at work.
Sam
Neil is looking at his watch, which is body language that tells me our six minutes
are up!
Neil
Goodbye for now!
Sam
Goodbye!
VOCABULARY
body language
communication though the movements and gestures of your body, rather than
with words
eye contact
two people look at each other’s eyes at the same time
brainstorming
discussing suggestions with a group of people to come up new ideas or solve
problems
to process
to understand information by thinking about it and reflecting on it carefully
in unison
happening together and at the same time
water cooler effect
informal conversations and chats between people in their office or workplace
(US)
