THE TOOLKIT
Facial Expressions

Often it’s a person’s face that truly tells the story. Did you know that communications researchers have documented more than 250,000 facial expressions?

Studies have shown that positive facial expressions–like gentle eye contact–increases trustworthiness and encourages future cooperation, while a happy/pleasant gaze will increase emotional trust. And keeping your eyebrows up and your eyes open and alert will help you appear upbeat.

Here’s some additional tips and trivia about facial expressions:

• If you smile at your audience, they will generally smile back.
• Smiling is usually interpreted as being warm, cooperative, and docile.
• Women tend to smile more than men.
• Smiling women are interrupted more than smiling men.
• Smiling as a listener can suggest ridicule for the arguments of the speaker.
• Staring suggests authority.