????多項研究顯示，不管是商業交流還是私人交流，都有50%-65%的信息是以非文字的形式傳遞的。也就是說，沉迷于發短信和發郵件的人往往只傳達了一半的信息量，而接收短信或郵件的人往往連這一半也會誤解。

????盡管如此，隨著更多80后進入職場，加上全球短信發送率不斷攀升，用于商業用途的短信還是越來越多。據統計網站Quora介紹，2011年全球共計發送了7萬億條短信，平均每秒鐘就有22.5萬條短信發送出去。

????不過短信真的是一種有效的、適宜的商業工具嗎？對于有些信息來說，身體語言也是不可或缺的一部分，那么對于這些信息而言，短信就絕對不夠用。以下就讓我們看看那些最普遍認可的身體語言，以及它們在在商業上的運用。

????眼神交流：眼神是身體語言最強大的部分，能夠表達包括快樂、惱怒、興趣、痛苦在內的各種感情。頻繁的眼神交流意味著誠實與直率。直勾勾地盯著對方則顯得十分具有攻擊性。這些信息在面對面交流的時候是非常明顯，但在短信中卻缺失了。

????站姿：如果你想表現得具有統治力和權威性，那就昂首挺胸，身體站直。軟塌塌的站姿往往表明這個人缺乏安全感、內疚或軟弱。然而如果一條短信的語氣顯得居高臨下的話，對方就很難接受，甚至會激起怒火。

????平起平坐：如果人們采取平起平坐的姿勢，大多數人會覺得更放松、更坦誠。比如在會見關鍵供應商時坐著與對方談話，而不是站著居高臨下地發號施令。優秀的經理人在人事問題上也會應用這一點。

????握手：交流開始時，握手表明了自己的開放和善意，交流結束時，握手表明了雙方意見一致。握手象征著真誠，因此很重要，而這一文化符號在短信和電子郵件中卻完全缺失了。

????抓耳撓腮：即便談話內容聽起來很樂觀，但手托下顎或抓耳撓腮等動作仍然暗示了內心的憂慮或信心不足。如果一個人在對你講述什么事的時候用手掩著嘴，那么他有可能在說謊。

????面部表情：同樣的一條重要的信息，帶著笑臉或是帶著憤怒說出來會造成完全不同的影響。短信里“微笑的表情符號”就是為了這個目的而發明的，但是它們并不總是管用，因為符號缺乏面對面交流時的真誠。??四肢的姿勢：抱著手臂或雙腿交叉，也許還稍稍地別過臉去，可能表示這個人對你的話缺乏興趣或心不在焉。如果這個人的胳膊和腿不再交叉了，可能意味著他同意了你的立場或條件。外向的人腳尖向外，內向的人腳尖向內。但這些都沒法通過短信察覺。

??? 四肢的姿勢：抱著手臂或雙腿交叉，也許還稍稍地別過臉去，可能表示這個人對你的話缺乏興趣或心不在焉。如果這個人的胳膊和腿不再交叉了，可能意味著他同意了你的立場或條件。外向的人腳尖向外，內向的人腳尖向內。但這些都沒法通過短信察覺。

????Whether it's a business or personal interaction, multiple studies show that as much as 50-65% of the communication is nonverbal. That means that people who are addicted to text messaging and email may be sending only half the message, and receivers often misinterpret even that half.

????Yet the use of text messaging for business purposes continues to grow, in concert with more of Gen-Y entering the workplace, and a continuing increase in the global rate of texting by everyone. This total rate for 2011 has been estimated at 7 trillion, or nearly 225,000 text messages sent every second, according to the Quora statistics website.

????But are these text messages an efficient and appropriate business tool? Where body language is part of the message, it definitely is not. Let's look at the most commonly recognized forms of body language, and see how they apply to business:

????Eye contact. The eyes are the most powerful part of our body language, and can express everything from happiness, annoyance, interest, to pain. Frequent eye contact is interpreted as honesty and forthrightness. Staring is interpreted as too aggressive. These are obvious in person, but lost in a text message.

????Posture. If you are trying to appear dominant or authoritative, stand erect with shoulders back. A slumped position usually indicates insecurity, guilt, or weakness. A dominant sounding text message, on the other hand, generates anger rather than acceptance.

????Mirroring. Most people feel more comfortable and open with people in a similar position to themselves. An example would be sitting down to meet with a key vendor, rather than standing to deliver demands. Good managers practice this one for personnel issues.

????Handshake. This, of course, comes into play to signal openness or goodwill at the beginning of an interaction, and agreement at the end. Palm-to-palm contact is important for sincerity. This cultural icon is totally missing from text messages and emails.

????Hand-to-face. Even when the words sound good, hand-to-face movements such as holding the chin or scratching the face shows concern or lack of conviction. If a person is covering his mouth while telling you something, he may be lying.

????Facial expression. A critical message delivered with a smiling face will have a totally different impact than one delivered with an angry face. 'Smiley face emoticons' were invented to simulate this in text messages, but they don't always work, because the sincerity is lost.

????Arms and legs position. Folded arms or crossed legs, perhaps turning away slightly, indicates a lack of interest and detachment. Later uncrossed arms and legs may be a sign of acceptance of your position or terms. An extrovert will have toes pointed out, introvert will keep them pointed in. None of these come through in texting.