We have a saying: "It's not what you say, it's the way that you say it." In other words, intonation and body language matter. In fact, psychological research suggests that they matter more than we may think. In one study, by Albert Mehrabian, where people communicated their feelings, tone of voice and body language together accounted for around 93% of the message communicated! Such findings challenge us to look at how we communicate. Most of us put effort into choosing the 'right' words, but what do we do, if anything, to select the best intonation, gestures, and facial expressions? Why not have some fun today practising your communication skills in front of a mirror? Try different things, and see what works best for you. Then start developing this aspect of your relational style in your interactions with others. Watch how their responses to you improve as you develop your intonation and non-verbal communication skills in an authentic way.