Your facial expressions speak a thousand words!
Your facial expressions can convey a whole host of messages to people about your emotions, your feelings, your confidence levels and your interpretation of their message. Some people are naturally very expressive and open in their facial expressions. Others tend to be less expressive and more ‘private’ – these people don’t give much away at all in terms of what they’re thinking or how they’re feeling.The human face is incredibly expressive. It can communicate countless emotions without even saying a word ... and unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are universal. The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and dislike are the same across cultures.
Try thinking for a moment about how much a person can convey with just a facial expression. For instance a frown can signal dislike or confusion, whereas a smile can indicate approval or understanding. And don’t forget of course that sometimes, your facial expressions can reveal your true feelings about something without you realising. During a meeting You might say you’re happy and you understand what to do, but the look on your face may tell people otherwise.
Try watching people you know who are good at speaking in public – look carefully at their facial expressions – simple actions like a raised eyebrow, a smile or just a sideways glance can make a huge difference to the message they want to send out.
So being expressive and using your face to maximum advantage is an essential part of good body language. It helps you to clarify your message, use less words and communicate your emotion.
Don’t forget too to watch out for any negative facial expressions you may be making. Some people naturally have a rather deadpan expression which others may read to indicate insensitivity or disinterest – whereas in fact it means nothing of the sort. It’s just the impression the person gives through their natural expression. You’ll need to bear this in mind this in mind if it’s true of you and think about using your facial expressions to give a more positive message.
So good luck with your facial expressions!
Mike McClement
