Beyond conversation, there's a deeper way to communicate. We are already fluent in this language, though we may not be fully aware of it. The inflection of our voices, the slants of our bodies and our facial expressions often provide more feedback than the verbal cues we send when we speak. In fact, we can send all positive praises, but deliver a completely negative message through our intonation and body language.

Nonverbal messages, depending on how they are used, can fuel great leadership or stop would-be successes in their tracks. In Micromessaging: Why Great Leadership Is Beyond Words, author Stephen Young asks readers to tune in to the subtleties of the messages they send. By eliminating negative "micromessages," leaders can prime employees for growth and provide an environment stripped of bias and inequity.

Unfair advantages

Negative micromessages are "micronequities" that unfairly slant the playing field against one person, Young writes. In business environments, we've all witnessed and received microinequities.

For example, imagine a manager asks for your input in a meeting, then glazes over when you respond, shuffling papers. When you are done with your response, the manager barely blinks and says to the group, "Fine, any other suggestions?" When a colleague speaks, the manager's demeanor changes. He becomes engaged, nods and tops it off with an enthusiastic, "Great idea."

Vocabulary Focus 

in (one's) tracks (idiom) ---in the exact place where one is standing or moving

prime (v) ---to prepare for the next stage in a process

playing field (n. phr) ---a situation where people are competing

glaze over (phr. v) ---to stay still and stop showing any emotion due to boredom, exhaustion or inattention

demeanor (n) ---a way of looking and behaving

Specialized terms

verbal cue (n. phr) ---口头提示；口语暗示a spoken signal for someone to do something

lexicon (n) ---词典；字典a collection of all the words, or communication cues, used in a language