(Omal gives a dissertation where communication is the focus. The point of his comments is on the observation of the person being spoken to and how their body language and other clues indicate the correct response.) 

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Omal: a brief dissertation Russ.

Russ: yes, communication skills I take it?

Omal: correct. And the necessary two-way street that is important in communication. When you are talking in your manner as eloquently and as well as possible and you have reached the point where you have finished your dissertation, monologue, speech, whatever and you open the floor up for discussion, it is important to A, remember what you have said and B, to listen and in listening you learn. Now Korton has discussed the necessary importance of communicating crisply, clearly and eloquently and I believe those are his words exactly. To add to this, it is necessary to remember what you have said and to listen and look, watch and react. React not on the spur of the moment, not with feelings, not with emotions but to react having listened to the question, thought about it, thought about what you’re going to say and responding without emotions and in a way that will not create problems. Do you understand?

Russ: yes.

Omal: okay, do you have any more questions?

Russ: yes. When you mentioned in responding in a way that doesn’t make any more problems, that’s not always foreseeable, it’s only a logical conclusion that it won’t.

Omal: correct but, for example, I am now formating an answer to your question. The reply is being thought out and sometimes there is no way to know how an individual is going to react and to take your words. But, by watching the individual…..

(the phone rings)

Omal: pause.

Russ: God, I almost hate to pause right here.

(the tape unpauses)

Russ: okay.

Omal: okay, by watching the person’s behavioral patterns, are they agitated? Are they suffering from anxiety? Are they frustrated? By watching their face and watching their body language you can see how they may react. Are they angry? Are they upset? By watching how they look, behave, how their posture is tells you a lot more about them than you realize. For example, you walk into a room, you see six individuals sitting down. One is with his feet up on the desk, what does this tell you?

Russ: he’s in charge.

Omal: not necessarily. It tells you that he is relaxed, depending on how is posture is, is he leaning back? Is he looking? Is he acting distracted? You have one individual sitting, slouched and looking at the floor, what does that tell you?

Russ: that he’s not really paying attention to the scene around him.

Omal: correct. You see one individual with his arms on the desk.....or on the table and on his hands is his chin, what does that tell you?

Russ: he's studying his surroundings.

Omal: uh-huh, that is good. You see a fourth individual sitting upright and stiff, what does that tell you?

Russ: he is ready for action.

Omal: it tells you that he is paying attention. You see a fifth individual sitting slouched but yet eyes fixed forward as if watching, what does that tell you?

Russ: he doesn’t care.

Omal: not necessarily, it tells you that he is paying attention but he is relaxed. You see a sixth and final individual sitting there slouched looking up at the ceiling, what does that tell you?

Russ: that he’s not paying attention and couldn’t care less.

Omal: exactly. That tells you half the picture. Now, by watching over a period of time may tell you more. Let us take the last individual that is sitting looking at the ceiling. Now, if he is constantly moving his head and looking around, it tells you that he is not paying attention. But, if he is looking at the ceiling and looking at what appears to be one spot, it could tell you he is deep in thought and listening very intently. Let us take the first individual with his feet up on the table that is sitting there, he could be the one that couldn’t care less. Facial expressions tell you a lot more about an individual. I don’t mean a lot more than their posture, it gives you more information. Now let us take the person sitting bolt upright that is looking forward, let us say that they have a bored expression on their face. More than likely they are bored. Let us take the individual that is slouched looking at the floor and his facial expression. Let us say that his face is relaxed and his eyes are closed. He’s not asleep, he could be listening very, very carefully and thinking. So it is important to A, look at their body posture, B, look at their faces and C, watch how they move. If somebody is fidgeting and in a position that suggests either relaxed or bored, more than likely they are bored. Any more questions?

Russ: yes, I guess the step D then would be as you mentioned to listen….

Omal: correct.

Russ: after you said something or they said something is to listen to their responses and get a better idea of what each person’s status or attitude is.

Omal: correct.

Russ: I see.

Omal: any more questions?

Russ: that will do it.

Omal: okay thank you.