I’ve long been intrigued by “the nod,” the slight
downward or upward bob of the head exchanged by two persons passing one
another. It’s a versatile form of non-verbal communication that can convey
respect, admiration, thanks, simple greeting or a shared understanding of a
separate, third-party action both have witnessed.
Maybe it’s an urban thing. It regularly happens
between pedestrians who don’t know one another on busy Chicago streets.
Often, the nod occurs
between strangers. Sometimes, friends across a large crowded room acknowledge
one another’s presence with the nod, even if they don’t exchange words at an
event.
My unscientific research and observations over 20
years working in downtown Chicago reveals the following characteristics of the nod:
- The nod requires focused eye contact, as a prelude
to and during the motion. So, if you are walking down the street and don’t look
anyone in the eye, you probably haven’t experienced the nod with a stranger.
- The nod is reminiscent of the almost-extinct
tipping of a hat by a man. Real cowboys still do this and it’s delightful.
- The nod almost never happens between two women. Two
women passing on a busy Chicago street are more likely to say "hello" to one another or smile as they pass one another.
- Men in their 20s and 30s who know one another are
the most likely to acknowledge one another’s presence with an up nod, in which
they establish eye contact and bob their heads up and slightly angled to one
side. Often, the eyebrows raise as the head nods up.
- Women and men of a certain age can safely share a
nod with a stranger of the other gender, because the nod requires no speaking,
no touching, and no stopping as they pass on the street. Of course, I imagine
the nod has also been the initial lob in a volley of flirting, but that’s a
different kind of nod, requiring much more intense eye contact.
What does this have to do with public relations or
communications? Well, organizational leaders and spokespersons can enhance
their reputations by mastering the art of the nod. How?
- Using the nod means you are paying attention to
others, and they notice.
- When you initiate a nod, you are perceived as
friendly, and if you exchange a nod with someone who looks up to you, they feel
respected.
- If you attend a venue with a large crowd, the nod
allows you to establish a connection (albeit momentary) with individuals you
may not have a chance to engage in conversation, because you are unable to move
across the room. You get more mileage out of your public appearance.
- When a well-known, recognizable person – such as a
business leader or elected official – invests a moment to share a nod with a
stranger on the street, the other person is likely to characterize the
recognizable person positively to others.
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