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Whenever you are at work, there are going to be times when communication is critical. There are also going to be times when communication is not available, or you aren't going to be able to talk to someone about what is going on. You know what I mean, those times where you can't say anything because you are going to be harming yourself, or being unprofessional if you actually say what is on your mind. So what cues should you be looking for?

How do people approach you at work? When you are well liked, people will naturally approach you and say hi, or start a conversation. It might just be a how are you, or something quick like that, but you aren't going to avoid people you don't like right? If you notice that people won't look at you in the eye, or they always are avoiding you, you might want to find out what you did wrong.

If you aren't doing what you need to be doing in the office, you will know by the non-verbal communication going on. Either people aren't going to ask you for extra favors, or they simply aren't going to ask you to do any extra jobs. Luckily though, if you find yourself in one of these positions, you can always get people back on your side simply by working harder. No one is going to tell you that they hate you because your always late, but people will let you know if you aren't doing well.

One of the best non-verbal cues that you are going to find is when the boss closes the door when he has to have a meeting with you. If the boss simply wanted to ask you about your day, or how to minimize the screen on the computer, you wouldn't have to close the door would you? Chances are that he wants to have a private chat, and those usually aren't very good. If the door closes during a chat, run, but you won't have that chance.

The majority of the communication that goes on in life is non-verbal. We might not say that you aren't liked, or that you aren't really in the plans, but you can tell by how people use non-verbal cues. Do people smile when you are around, or do they simply ignore you? Do people care when you are in the room? What is the mood like? Do people start to tense up when you are around, or do they feel loose, and like they can get work done?

Learn to see the non-verbal cues that you are going to encounter when you are at work. These will help you gain a better sense of what you are going up against. Work is most political when you think about it, so knowing what people are feeling as well as saying can be a critical influence in how your life at work turns out.

Learn more about this author, Cody Hodge.
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