Visual Communication Skills at Work: The Silent Career Skill That Changes How Others See You
Long before you introduce yourself in a meeting, give a presentation, or send a single email — someone has already formed an opinion about you. Not because of what you said. Because of what they saw.
Research from Princeton psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov found that people form judgments about trustworthiness, competence, and likability within 100 milliseconds of meeting someone and every one of those judgments is rooted in non-verbal cues (Willis, Todorox, 2006). That might seem extreme but it's also incredibly useful information, because it means you now know you have to be more intentional about your professional reputation than you might think.
Last fall, I was brought in by a corporate marketing team to facilitate a workshop on remote communication. What started as a conversation about Zoom etiquette quickly became something deeper: how their team was showing up in ways that were quietly shaping how they were being perceived in front of clients. Blurred backgrounds, taking meetings at busy coffee shops (not on mute), cameras at unflattering angles, questionable outfit choices, team members visibly typing mid-conversation. Nothing innately wrong. But the perception was that they were inexperienced and unprofessional.
That workshop reinforced something I speak to often: non-verbal communication is just as important as verbal communication. You can stop talking, but you cannot stop communicating.
How You Dress Is a Form of Communication
Let’s start with the easiest target in the visual communication conversation… your clothes and what you choose to wear on a daily basis. Whether you like it or not…how you dress is a form of communication. I’m not here to police anyone's wardrobe. In fact, I always get backlash when I bring up dress code in the workplace. And for good reason! I’ve been a victim of unrealistic dress code expectations (heels every day, full face of makeup, no pony tails…). But unfortunately, under the current workplace standards, the way we dress speaks for us. Research on non-verbal communication in employment settings consistently shows that appearance factors into first impressions significantly and sometimes more than the actual content of a conversation.
The professionals I've worked with who struggle most with this aren't the ones who don’t care about their appearance, they just don’t spend precious time overthinking their wardrobe. I’m the same way! I didn’t think my style and the clothes I wore had anything to do with my skills, smarts, or how effective I was at my job. But I learned that depending on the work environment I was in, my style preceded my intelligence.
Simply ask yourself “does this outfit communicate the level of professionalism I want to be associated with?” before heading out the door in the morning.
And when you find yourself in positions of leadership at various times throughout your career, ask yourself if dress matters to you anymore. Don’t agree with the standard norms? Once you have decision making powers, you have the ability to change the standards of today’s workplace (I’m looking at you GenZ).
Body Language Tells A Story
And then we have body language…80% of first impressions are based on non-verbal cues, and those impressions typically form within the first two minutes of entering a room. Two minutes! That’s it! And I’d bet even less time via email or on social media.
In that same workshop last fall, one of the recurring themes was how team members were showing up on camera in ways that signaled disengagement. Whether it was leaning back, looking off to the side, or minimal facial expressions, these little non-verbal cues signaled they may be distracted (even when they would argue they were fully present mentally).
The same plays out in person. A team member who sits with arms crossed, eyes down, not contributing, regardless of how they are processing the information, is sending a message. And sometimes they aren’t in control of that message.
Here’s how to be more intentional with your body language in the workplace (if possible):
maintain consistent eye contact in one-on-one conversations or communicate that you will be looking else
sit towards them if you feel comfortable with engaged posture
match your facial expressions to the tone of the conversation
nod or use brief verbal affirmations to show you're engaged.
If these non-verbal communication cues are difficult for you, communicate that you engage in conversation differently but that you are fully engaged. It can look like this, “I’m fully paying attention even if I appear otherwise”
Your Virtual Presence Is Still Your Presence
Remote work hasn't eliminated the importance of non-verbal communication. It has simply moved it to a screen. In virtual settings and remote work you need to pay close attention to meeting backgrounds and multitasking.
A cluttered or chaotic background pulls focus before you've said a word. A clean, minimal background (real or virtual) communicates that you prepared and that you take the interaction seriously.
Second, multitasking is even more visible than most people realize. The eye movement, the typing sounds, the slight delay before answering…people notice. And what it communicates, unintentionally, is that something else is more important than this conversation.
As a manager, set explicit expectations about the expectations of your team members in meetings. It can look like this,
"Hey team, moving forward we need to all be fully present with each other during our calls. This means cameras on, notifications off. It makes a real difference in the quality of our conversations and our productivity. If there's ever a time you truly can't be present, just let me know in advance. I'd rather we be honest about that than distracted throughout."
The most effective professionals treat virtual meetings with the same level of presence they'd bring in person. Camera on, Do Not Disturb enabled, fully in the conversation. Use technology to your advantage - Let your notetaker take the notes for you!
Not sure how you may be coming across in virtual meetings? Ask a trusted coworker -
“I've been thinking about how I come across in meetings and on calls, and I'd genuinely value your perspective. Is there anything about my communication style or how I show up on video meetings that you think I could be more intentional about? I'm open to honest feedback."
Visual communication isn't a soft skill… it’s a necessary skill to have in your professional toolbox.
Adjust your camera before your next call. Turn on Do Not Disturb. Think about what you're wearing to that big presentation. Take a breath before walking into a meeting and check your posture. None of these are dramatic changes. But done consistently, they shape how others experience you and that's what builds a professional reputation over time.
If your team is navigating this at an organizational level, this is exactly the kind of work I do through communication workshops and consulting. Let’s have a conversation! You can reach me at jenna@careercivility.com.
