It's all about context: view them in clusters, evaluate them in relation to what is being said, assess them for consistency and filter them for cultural influences
Humans are genetically programmed to look for facial and behavioural cues and to quickly understand their meaning. We see someone gesture and automatically make a judgment about the intention of that gesture. And we've been doing this for a long time. As a species, we knew how to win friends and influence people – or…
Inspiring loyalty takes leaders with insight into the human heart and sensitivity toward the hopes and aspirations of others
Think loyalty is dead? Think again. Loyalty may not look like it did 20 years ago – when companies offered career-long employment and workers unquestioningly followed orders – but loyalty is far from deceased. Loyalty is an intrinsic human characteristic based on emotional attachment that can be tapped, nurtured and developed. Inspiring loyalty takes leaders…
Why you can't stop anyone from making these snap decisions
Knowing whom to trust is an important social and business skill. But it’s not that simple – although it’s fast. It took me just seven seconds to assess your confidence, competence, status, likability, warmth and, yes, your trustworthiness. You can’t stop me (or anyone, for that matter) from making these snap decisions. The human brain…
We tend to follow charismatic leaders because they’re perceived as confident, upbeat and inspirational
In business dealings, charisma counts. A lot. And charisma is as much about impressions and body language as it is about issues and substance. I've seen many qualified people get passed over for promotion (or lose a sale or fail an interview) simply because they couldn’t project an engaging attitude. Max Weber, the father of…
Build a culture of candor by expecting your people to be honest, to communicate openly and to treat people nicely
Lies in the workplace are expensive. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, a typical organization loses five per cent of its revenue to fraud – a potential global loss of $3.5 trillion dollars. But the cost of out-and-out fraud pales in comparison to the monumental cost of the erosion of trust that occurs…
The amazing thing about nonverbal communication is that sometimes the smallest body language change can bring powerful results
Evidence from psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and anthropology has given nonverbal communication new credence in the workplace. One example is a study at the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Cognitive Neuroimaging that discovered it takes the brain just 200 milliseconds to gather most of the information it needs from a facial expression to determine a person’s…
Three things you can control as you drive your career forward – and three things completely out of your control
You may have a leadership title or tremendous leadership potential, but that in itself doesn’t give you leadership presence. Here are typical comments I hear when asked to coach an up-and-coming female whose career has stalled: “It isn’t that she couldn’t do the next job. It’s that no one on the executive team sees her…
You have just 7 seconds to make a good first impression
You're at a business conference and you turn to the stranger standing next to you. He turns to face you and in that instant your brain makes a thousand computations. Is he someone to approach or to avoid? Should you flee or be friendly? Will he harm you or help you? In about seven seconds…
Most of the observable signs of lying (helping to spot a liar) are dependent on the liar feeling a negative emotional arousal and an uncomfortable sense of conflict
A short time after The Truth About Lies in the Workplace was published, I received this email: I had just begun reading your book, and had gotten to the part about body language signs that point to someone who is lying when I was confronted with a real life situation. A parcel (that was meant…
6 changes you can make to your body language that can turn that networking experience from frightening to fun
Imagine that you are at a networking event with the intent of doing business with some of the other attendees. In your mind, how’s that going for you? Do you see yourself socializing with ease and grace, or – if you are anything like me – has the very word “networking” increased your stress level…
Humans are genetically programmed to look for facial and behavioural cues and to quickly understand their meaning. We see someone gesture and automatically make a judgment about the intention of that gesture. And we've been doing this for a long time. As a species, we knew how to win friends and influence people – or…
