I do not know if a smile indicates trust (establishing/evaluating that in organizations is a bit more complex). It does make people feel welcome though. That's why some of the best front of house frontliners know the importance of a genuine smile.
With desk jobs it is maybe more important to smile. It shows that someone is welcome into their space, welcome to bother them and ask a question or connect. It shows that everyone is one team working together. It is a critical element of positive collaboration.
It is most critical for senior leaders, that you are there for them. That you matter, that your work matters, that you as an individual is valued.
People are more productive in a positive environment. Smiling is such an effective and simple way to increase retention, innovation, and productivity.
Unless maybe if you work at Lumon. May be frowned upon there.
💯 smiles are contagious ✌️so is kindness and compassion for others! We are all trying to be human and heading to the same place! Thanks for sharing this 😎
I am familiar with some of Paul Ekman's work. In Telling Lies he discusses how anxious all these different people were to learn his method/s (Ekman. 1985). The man found his niche. Good for him.
Unless, we're going to study under him or go travel the globe to study what he studied, we'd be wise to proceed with caution. I am skeptical of anyone who claims to be able to read micro expressions (without years of experience and practice).
That said, those that experience/ed hardship, trauma, etc... are pretty good at smelling BS.
To this day, I don't know if those instincts can be taught (effectively).
This is why a simple smile can change the world. It expresses openness, friendliness, and trust.
Good morning Tom,
I do not know if a smile indicates trust (establishing/evaluating that in organizations is a bit more complex). It does make people feel welcome though. That's why some of the best front of house frontliners know the importance of a genuine smile.
Unfortunately, with desk jobs not so much.
It's was a nice post.
It definitely made me chuckle and smile.
Thank you for your time and post.
-Joe
Joe,
With desk jobs it is maybe more important to smile. It shows that someone is welcome into their space, welcome to bother them and ask a question or connect. It shows that everyone is one team working together. It is a critical element of positive collaboration.
It is most critical for senior leaders, that you are there for them. That you matter, that your work matters, that you as an individual is valued.
People are more productive in a positive environment. Smiling is such an effective and simple way to increase retention, innovation, and productivity.
Unless maybe if you work at Lumon. May be frowned upon there.
Tom,
Thank you for your insight.
I am not familiar with Lumon.
I will look them up.
Thank you again
-Joe
Joe
This is a good reminder when using pop culture references.
Lumon is the company in the dystopian show ‘Severance’.
Learning to read people is such an important skill for a leader. Otherwise, how can you lead with humanity and warmth?
Recognizing facial cues comes from experience though, if you’ve never seen anyone look a certain way, it’s hard to recognize it.
💯 smiles are contagious ✌️so is kindness and compassion for others! We are all trying to be human and heading to the same place! Thanks for sharing this 😎
Amen
This is valuable information, and much appreciated.
Hi Lawrence,
Here is a fun 2 minute video that is a good addition to the practical reading of these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX7zIpHaAXE
Especially the one about reading disgust.
Fascinating read!
For those looking to practice this online - you might consider taking this test:
https://www.paulekman.com/quizzes/micro-expressions-test/
Good morning,
I am familiar with some of Paul Ekman's work. In Telling Lies he discusses how anxious all these different people were to learn his method/s (Ekman. 1985). The man found his niche. Good for him.
Unless, we're going to study under him or go travel the globe to study what he studied, we'd be wise to proceed with caution. I am skeptical of anyone who claims to be able to read micro expressions (without years of experience and practice).
That said, those that experience/ed hardship, trauma, etc... are pretty good at smelling BS.
To this day, I don't know if those instincts can be taught (effectively).
Thank you for your time.
Hi Joe.
Would your skepticism keep you from trying to get better at reading them?