Research indicates that words provide the receiver with what percentage of the message?

The assertion that words convey a certain percentage of the overall message is derived from research in communication, particularly the work of Albert Mehrabian. His studies suggested that the effectiveness of communication is often broken down into three components: words, tone of voice, and body language. In this context, the percentage attributed to words—commonly cited as 7%—highlights that while verbal communication is important, it constitutes only a small part of how messages are interpreted.

This statistic emphasizes the significance of non-verbal cues and vocal tone, which account for a larger portion of how messages are conveyed and understood. Understanding that only a small percentage of communication relies solely on the words themselves is critical for effective communication in any context, including fire service leadership and operations. This can have profound implications for how fire officers convey messages to their teams, suggesting that attention must also be given to body language and tone to ensure effective communication.