An Activity for Teaching the Effects of Nonverbal Communication

This article describes a novel teaching activity that allows students in diversity, leadership, and communication courses to observe the powerful effects of nonverbal communication. The nonverbal experiences female leaders may encounter as they rise through the ranks of organizations are simulated and consequences discussed. Two student volunteers give impromptu speeches acting as “leaders,” while the rest of the students in the class provide positive nonverbal feedback to the first leader and negative nonverbal feedback to the second leader. Data collected in undergraduate student courses demonstrated that, as expected, the leader in the negative nonverbal feedback condition expressed reduced interest in performing future leader-related tasks thereby demonstrating how negative nonverbal reactions to leader behavior have serious consequences. Preand postdemonstration surveys clearly indicated that the students’ knowledge of gender, leadership, and nonverbal behaviors increased, and that students found the activity to be both effective and enjoyable. These findings suggest that this activity can be integrated into curricula with positive learning outcomes.