[Job-Discussions] Question about Non-verbal communication with sighted people

[Jess Shek]

This is very helpful. As a totally blind person, I actually cannot
control movement of my eyeballs. This is especially hard when I have
to take a professional photo for my LinkedIn account, where I cannot
look at the camera. Any tips to share on take a professional profile
photo?

Also, I've come across that sighted people have hand gestures when
speaking. Anyone can share more about how to use hand gestures
naturally?

Thanks!

On 6/7/23, Sandra Gayer via Job-Discussions <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello,
> Great advice above, I couldn't have put it better myself! I teach,
> "face the face."
>
> IE, if there's noise coming out of someone's face, face that way. You
> can convey a comfortable level of appearing, not sighted as such, but
> knowing their rules, with the right head movements and facing the
> right direction for people speaking. It's tuff going in an interview
> panel if you're all seated at a circular table but worth the effort!
>
>
> I meant to say that, if you're not sighted, you cannot create eye
> contact as eye contact is the interplay between two sets of eyes. It's
> a visual dialogue and cannot be one way. If one person can see and the
> other can't, there is no contact. The best we can do is face them and
> they are happy with that. There are other things we can do to
> communicate interest as has already been shared in the previous email;
> an open posture, an expressive face, (get sighted feedback about
> this), little or no restlessness. I won't go on.
>
> HTH,
> very best wishes,
> Sandra.
>
> On 6/6/23, Dick Davis via Job-Discussions <job-discussions at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>> I always taught my blind careers students to look in the direction of a
>> person who is talking to them. Nodding your head and leaning toward them
>> shows interest too. Slouching conveys boredom.
>>  Persons born blind do not usually develop those habits, so must work at
>> them.
>>
>> Staring is looking at a person without nodding or doing anything to
>> humanize
>> the process. It is considered spooky, as is looking off into space,
>> although
>> looking up from time to time is a sign of thoughtfulness. Ask your sighted
>> friends to work with you and give you feedback. It may seem artificial
>> first, but it will become a habit.
>>
>> Body language is 70 percent of all messaging. Looking away, to a sighted
>> person, means you are not telling the truth. Looking down means you are
>> ashamed or hiding something. Or that you are afraid.
>>
>>  If you have a central vision problem like Mac-d, you may have to explain
>> to
>> people that you need to look away to see things better. That will make
>> sense
>> to them. Always tell sighted people why you do things if they are
>> different
>> from the way things are normally done.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Jun 6, 2023, at 11:55 AM, Karen Rose via Job-Discussions
>>> <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Sorry, Siri messed up. Lol is a person born totally blind,
>>>
>>> Karen Rose MFT/LPCC www.career-therapy.net
>>>
>>>>> On Jun 6, 2023, at 9:50 AM, Karen Rose via Job-Discussions
>>>>> <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>> As a person born to lead blind, I have always wanted to know how to
>>>> make
>>>> a contact in the first place. Any tips much appreciated :-)
>>>>
>>>> Karen Rose MFT/LPCC www.career-therapy.net
>>>>
>>>>>> On Jun 6, 2023, at 9:37 AM, Andrew J. Harmon via Job-Discussions
>>>>>> <job-discussions at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>> 
>>>>> Hello
>>>>> I’m currently taking a class online about effective communications in
>>>>> the workplace, and I had a question about non-verbal communication.
>>>>> I’ve
>>>>> always heard how important it is to make eye contact with an individual
>>>>> you’re trying to communicate with, but I wanted to know if there is any
>>>>> additional “unwritten rules” about this? Is it better to only maintain
>>>>> it while speaking, or while also listening to the other participants in
>>>>> the conversation? Can you make people uncomfortable if you try to
>>>>> maintain eye contact too long or too little?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thank you in advance for any help on this topic.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sincerely
>>>>>
>>>>> Andrew Harmon
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
> --
> Sandra Gayer DipABRSM, LRSM.
>
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