In negotiation situations, most people analyse the body
language of their counterpart to gauge their trustworthiness. But as
researchers from University of Southern California recently discovered, this
can be a dangerous mistake. Other factors play a much larger role.
Experts say the fact that someone smiles doesn’t mean
they’re trustworthy. Other factors are much more important than their facial
expressions.
They note that people place too much trust in facial
expressions. Linking it to behavioral pattern during interviews, experts say,
“Almost everyone knows that uncomfortable feeling before an interview, or an
important negotiation: ‘How should I behave, and what kind of first impression
will I make on my interviewer?’
“To make a great first impression, most people believe the
secret is simply to smile…”
“It’s thought that people who smile are considered to be
trustworthy. People who struggle to curve their lips upward are considered by
their counterparts to be unreliable. But a nice smile isn’t everything. It can
also be deceptive, and sometimes even hurt your career,” the experts warn.
In a study published by researchers from the USC in November
2016, researchers found that when it comes to assessing the trustworthiness of
a colleague or business contact, the majority of people have a flawed sense of
judgment.
”They place a lot of trust in facial expressions when it
comes to gauging the honesty of their counterpart,” the report states.
Yet, just because someone seems friendly doesn’t mean that
he or she is telling the truth, the report warns.
It adds that smiling people often lie, or share misleading
facts in order to gain an advantage in a negotiation.
In summary, this means that managers shouldn’t place too
much value in the emotions of their counterparts. It could be a good indicator,
but it also might be a deterrent, the report says.
Male or female, managers should avoid smiling too large, in
an exaggerated fashion, according to body language expert Tatjana Strobel.
“A leader must have clarity, and should embody a certain
severity,” says Strobel.
Strobel believes it’s very important to celebrate successes,
and to bring a little humor and joy to the office.
“But the boss should always remain the boss, and the first
responsibility is always to lead,”he warns.
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