Unconscious communication is below the threshold of conscious awareness; it’s what we’re not paying direct attention to at a given moment. And yet, it can be just as powerful as what’s said out loud.

That’s according to Stephen McGarvey, founder and president of Solutions in Mind in Oakville, ON. McGarvey, author of the new book “Ignite a Shift: Engaging Minds, Guiding Emotions and Driving Behavior,” educates and speaks around the world on the topic of unconscious communication, positive persuasion and influencing others with integrity, all of which can strengthen professional teams and lead to more sales.

“The person’s intention is what’s most important,” says McGarvey. “It’s happening all the time. … If I say, ‘Don’t think of an elephant,’ the first thing in your head is an elephant. So, we’re constantly communicating; the key is what’s the intention behind the communication.

McGarvey uses a simple example from professional settings: If a manager says, “What we’re trying to accomplish is …,” they’ve inadvertently “installed a presupposition of failure,” says McGarvey. A better choice of words could be “what we’re working on accomplishing is …” or “the target for what we want to accomplish is …”

He explains: “The language has a big impact on what we’re actually installing at a subconscious level.”

In this episode of Promo Insiders, McGarvey speaks with Executive Editor Sara Lavenduski on the ins and outs of unconscious communication, positive persuasion and influencing with integrity, and how they’re powerful tools in both professional and personal settings.