Learning to Smize Better

One skill has become incredibly important in 2020: the art of the smize.

In the days of mask wearing, smiling with one’s eyes has become an indispensable way to communicate.

Dustin York, an associate professor and the director of undergraduate and graduate communications at Maryville University, also suggests a few more ways to enhance communication when you can’t put your colleague, client or other conversational partner at ease with a simple smile.

📣 Pay attention to your tone of voice. Speak up to get past the mask muffle, and be aware of conveying accurate emotion with your tone.

🤫 Practice active listening. Make eye contact. Nod at appropriate times. 

👯‍♂️ Practice mirroring. This is a non-verbal behavior that builds rapport. 

I suspect that as we move forward into a post-pandemic reality, we’ll all get a lot better at both verbal and non-verbal communication. 😁