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E-ssential
Message # 053:
The 7%-38%-55% Myth!
If you've ever been told (or taught) that content is only worth 7% of your overall communication -- and that body language and tone of voice are more important than what you actually say -- then you've been fed the same misquoted communications research that I hear time and time again.
In this E-ssential Message, I am going to set the record straight so that the next time someone tries to feed you the same misquoted research, you don't have to stomach it. (Thank you to Ed Scannell, author of "Games Trainers Play", for telling me about this.)
The original work was done by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, a social psychologist at UCLA. In research carried out in 1967 and then outlined in his book, Silent Messages, (Wadsworth Publishing, Belmont, CA, 1971), he described the impact of different factors in communication. He was especially interested in 'congruency' -- that is, how listeners get information about a speaker's general attitude (positive, negative, neutral) in situations where facial expression, tone and words might send conflicting signals.
Dr. Mehrabian's conclusion was that in his highly controlled, face-to-face laboratory experiments, when conflicting signals are given by the communicator, the listener will assess the communication according to the following weighted averages:
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Body Language: 55%
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Tonality: 38%
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Actual words: 7%
Unfortunately, these statistics have been exaggerated and inappropriately extrapolated to all kinds of situations for which they were never intended -- such as presentations, training and even normal interpersonal communication.
There is certainly no evidence in these studies to suggest, for example, that 38% of the information conveyed in a spoken message is carried in the tone. And the assertion that 'what you wear is more important than what you say' -- which a fashion consultant told me a few weeks ago -- is utter nonsense.
One conclusion you can take away from Dr. Mehrabian's research, however, is helpful for communicating an emotion such as care and compassion more powerfully. Simply put, you'll be most convincing when you don't just say it, you also show it in your body language and tone of voice -- like when you really mean it! (grin)
But I bet you knew that already...
Cheers,
PS: Don't miss the upcoming free teleclass, in which we turn the tables around and you get to interview me!
FYI
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