Verbal communication seems to drive business. A manager tells her staff what to do, the employees respond by doing it. If someone has questions about an assignment, he simply asks. Words and language provide a clear, straightforward means of communication, ideal for today’s business world.

Right? Not necessarily. It turns out some 90 percent of communication between people is non-verbal. Gestures and other “body language,” charts and diagrams—even the surrounding physical environment—can communicate far more clearly, eloquently and honestly than mere words alone. This is especially true in businesses where the native language of an employee is different than his or her supervisor’s.

Bob Barancik has designed an unusual exercise to help employees and managers become more aware of the power of non-verbal communication. He calls it “From Here to There: Communicating Non-verbally.”

In this exercise, participants pair up in teams. Then, they are told to give their partner directions to their house—without speaking. It sounds easy—just draw a map, right? But, here's the catch. They aren’t allowed to write words, either. For 20 minutes, people often find themselves struggling to make connections with each other without benefit of language. They may clutch their marking pens and draw symbol after symbol. They study their partner’s face for any glimmer of recognition. As the process of comprehension begins, the facial expressions and body and hand gestures become signposts, leading to the destination.

We need verbal communications to make business work. But in the business world, language is only part of the story. Bob Barancik teaches managers and staff how to effectively communicate the entire story, verbally and non-verbally. It's the best way to ensure that everyone gets the full message.