短信成为商务沟通隐形杀手

    多项研究显示，不管是商业交流还是私人交流，都有50%-65%的信息是以非文字的形式传递的。也就是说，沉迷于发短信和发邮件的人往往只传达了一半的信息量，而接收短信或邮件的人往往连这一半也会误解。

    尽管如此，随着更多80后进入职场，加上全球短信发送率不断攀升，用于商业用途的短信还是越来越多。据统计网站Quora介绍，2011年全球共计发送了7万亿条短信，平均每秒钟就有22.5万条短信发送出去。

    不过短信真的是一种有效的、适宜的商业工具吗？对于有些信息来说，身体语言也是不可或缺的一部分，那么对于这些信息而言，短信就绝对不够用。以下就让我们看看那些最普遍认可的身体语言，以及它们在在商业上的运用。

    眼神交流：眼神是身体语言最强大的部分，能够表达包括快乐、恼怒、兴趣、痛苦在内的各种感情。频繁的眼神交流意味着诚实与直率。直勾勾地盯着对方则显得十分具有攻击性。这些信息在面对面交流的时候是非常明显，但在短信中却缺失了。

    站姿：如果你想表现得具有统治力和权威性，那就昂首挺胸，身体站直。软塌塌的站姿往往表明这个人缺乏安全感、内疚或软弱。然而如果一条短信的语气显得居高临下的话，对方就很难接受，甚至会激起怒火。

    平起平坐：如果人们采取平起平坐的姿势，大多数人会觉得更放松、更坦诚。比如在会见关键供应商时坐着与对方谈话，而不是站着居高临下地发号施令。优秀的经理人在人事问题上也会应用这一点。

    握手：交流开始时，握手表明了自己的开放和善意，交流结束时，握手表明了双方意见一致。握手象征着真诚，因此很重要，而这一文化符号在短信和电子邮件中却完全缺失了。

    抓耳挠腮：即便谈话内容听起来很乐观，但手托下颚或抓耳挠腮等动作仍然暗示了内心的忧虑或信心不足。如果一个人在对你讲述什么事的时候用手掩着嘴，那么他有可能在说谎。

    面部表情：同样的一条重要的信息，带着笑脸或是带着愤怒说出来会造成完全不同的影响。短信里“微笑的表情符号”就是为了这个目的而发明的，但是它们并不总是管用，因为符号缺乏面对面交流时的真诚。  四肢的姿势：抱着手臂或双腿交叉，也许还稍稍地别过脸去，可能表示这个人对你的话缺乏兴趣或心不在焉。如果这个人的胳膊和腿不再交叉了，可能意味着他同意了你的立场或条件。外向的人脚尖向外，内向的人脚尖向内。但这些都没法通过短信察觉。

    四肢的姿势：抱着手臂或双腿交叉，也许还稍稍地别过脸去，可能表示这个人对你的话缺乏兴趣或心不在焉。如果这个人的胳膊和腿不再交叉了，可能意味着他同意了你的立场或条件。外向的人脚尖向外，内向的人脚尖向内。但这些都没法通过短信察觉。

    Whether it's a business or personal interaction, multiple studies show that as much as 50-65% of the communication is nonverbal. That means that people who are addicted to text messaging and email may be sending only half the message, and receivers often misinterpret even that half.

    Yet the use of text messaging for business purposes continues to grow, in concert with more of Gen-Y entering the workplace, and a continuing increase in the global rate of texting by everyone. This total rate for 2011 has been estimated at 7 trillion, or nearly 225,000 text messages sent every second, according to the Quora statistics website.

    But are these text messages an efficient and appropriate business tool? Where body language is part of the message, it definitely is not. Let's look at the most commonly recognized forms of body language, and see how they apply to business:

    Eye contact. The eyes are the most powerful part of our body language, and can express everything from happiness, annoyance, interest, to pain. Frequent eye contact is interpreted as honesty and forthrightness. Staring is interpreted as too aggressive. These are obvious in person, but lost in a text message.

    Posture. If you are trying to appear dominant or authoritative, stand erect with shoulders back. A slumped position usually indicates insecurity, guilt, or weakness. A dominant sounding text message, on the other hand, generates anger rather than acceptance.

    Mirroring. Most people feel more comfortable and open with people in a similar position to themselves. An example would be sitting down to meet with a key vendor, rather than standing to deliver demands. Good managers practice this one for personnel issues.

    Handshake. This, of course, comes into play to signal openness or goodwill at the beginning of an interaction, and agreement at the end. Palm-to-palm contact is important for sincerity. This cultural icon is totally missing from text messages and emails.

    Hand-to-face. Even when the words sound good, hand-to-face movements such as holding the chin or scratching the face shows concern or lack of conviction. If a person is covering his mouth while telling you something, he may be lying.

    Facial expression. A critical message delivered with a smiling face will have a totally different impact than one delivered with an angry face. 'Smiley face emoticons' were invented to simulate this in text messages, but they don't always work, because the sincerity is lost.

    Arms and legs position. Folded arms or crossed legs, perhaps turning away slightly, indicates a lack of interest and detachment. Later uncrossed arms and legs may be a sign of acceptance of your position or terms. An extrovert will have toes pointed out, introvert will keep them pointed in. None of these come through in texting.