Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3780: Donald Trump's Chief Strategist Steve Bannon Time Magazine Pic - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTO)

Time Magazine named Donald Trump as the "2016 Person of the Year". When conducting the cover photo shoot of President Elect - the Time photographers also took pictures of Trump's inner circle.

The message communicated here by Steve Bannon's body language is certainly not to be ignored.

Trump's Chief Strategist right hand is being held in a variation of the "Double-L" configuration. This is called the Double-L because of two simultaneous right angles - one made by the index finger and middle finger - and the second between the thumb (not visible) and the index finger. This is one example (and a classic one at that) of a "Critical Evaluation" expression. Although Bannon may be partially listening, he doesn't like what he's hearing (and he's forming a plan).  His left hand covering his right further amplifies his tone of critical emotion.

The slightly downward angle (forward bending) of his head and neck are yet another components of this Nonverbal Critical Evaluation Cluster.

Bannon's eyes are not looking at the camera - but fixed at middle distance - signifying focused thought, contemplation and planning. He's not fully present.

It's also profoundly important to note that Bannon's middle finger is covering his lips. This is an example of what is know as a "Partial Emblematic Slip". Here the "Emblem" is the middle finger (when extended, the meaning of which is universally recognized). It is termed "Partial" because here it's not being used in the "Full Bird" form (e.g., held high in front of the body with the middle finger extended and isolated). The "Slip" terminology is included because it's subconsciously initiated (or occurring at the edge of consciousness) - rather than fully conscious and deliberate. In addition, the finger position over his lips indicate his desire for the other person to "shush".

Summary: This image of Steve Bannon coveys a classic critical evaluation cluster with an additional component of subconscious profanity. He wants the person with whom he's interacting to stop talking . Moreover he's contemplating a specific "counter-punching" tactic.


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3779: Donald Trump Cover Shoot - Time Magazine's Person of the Year

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3777: Donald Trump, Ben Carson - and Mike Pence's Poor Poker Face

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3775: Women Try 'Manspreading' For A Week

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3765: Conjoined twins Jadon and Anias McDonald - See each other directly for the first time

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3719: Donald Trump's "Apology" - Crisis Management, Body Language and Emotional Intelligence

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3704: Hillary Clinton, Likability and Presidential Debates 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3674: Drake Presents Rihanna with Vanguard Award - 2016 MTV Video Music Awards

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3620: Cristiano Ronaldo's Injury, UEFA Euro 2016 and Body Language


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3779: Donald Trump Cover Shoot - Time Magazine's Person of the Year - Body Language and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTO)

On Wednesday Time Magazine announced it had selected Donald Trump as their 2016 "Person of the Year".

While some people may find Trump's pose"artsy" - from a nonverbal point of view, the image on Time's cover is particularly unusual in several ways.

We don't look directly at people who we don't like, don't believe or don't trust - and this body language is exemplified here in the extreme. Trump's lower body is pointed in the opposite direction. His abdomen is rotated a bit - and his torso a little more - yet they are still pointed approximately 90 - 100 degrees away from the camera.

On this cover we are getting Trump's proverbial "Cold Shoulder". And although such a hand position (as Trump shows here) is natural and common when rotating in a chair - it still conveys a closed-off emotional tone.

Mr. Trump's face is configured in one of his common default expressions - that of a combined anger and incredulity.

It's also very intriguing that Trump's chair is quite obviously worn and damaged. Although it's not part of him or his clothing - here the chair very strongly acts an extension of the President-elect. This is a visual metaphor, a nonverbal analog and most certainly is not accidental.

Summary: This pose, image and chair are very poor choices on the part of President Elect Trump. Its nonverbal message is: "I don't like you, I disrespect you, you're an afterthought and I've turned my back on you."


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3778: Steve Harvey Recounts His Miss Universe Mistake

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3776: VP Elect Mike Pence Defends Trump's Claim of Voter Fraud

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3774: Luke Bryan Hits/Slaps a Fan For Flipping Him Off

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3763: Matt Smith, Claire Foy and Where NOT to be stung by a Wasp

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3745: Kris Bryant Smiles Throughout the Entire Last Play of Game Seven

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3736: Newt Gingrich and Megyn Kelly re: Donald Trump

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3687: Katy Perry Surprises Fan-Survivor of Orlando Nightclub Shooting on Ellen 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2331 Sheryl Sandberg on Time Cover - Magazine Brass Picked Completely Wrong Image - Her Body Language has the Opposite Message of the Article 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3152: Hillary Clinton First Campaign Ad - "Getting Started"


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3612: Sam Querrey defeats Novak Djokovic at Wimbeldon - Body Language (PHOTO)

 







Sam Querrey upset Novak Djokovic in the third round of Wimbledon last week (7–6^(8–6), 6–1, 3–6, 7–6^(7–5)). Querrey was ranked 28th in the World while Djokovic's ranking was 1st. Djokovic had also won his previous thirty grand slam matches. 

From a body language perspective, note the configuration of the two men's torsos at the end of the match. Querrey, the victor, leans into the "handshake", whereas Djokovic's torso is leaning slightly backward. Sam Querrey even leans over the while Djokovic's hand only comes up to the plane of the net. And although Djokovic is certainly an alpha male, in this moment Querrey is, understandably, displaying an even greater alpha status (thus Djokovic, in this context, is the Beta). The loser will rarely lean in during an after-match congratulation. 

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3611: Salma Hayek, Danny Trejo and a Tattoo 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3608: Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Meeting with Bill Clinton

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3596: Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and Deadpool

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3584: Brock Turner's Mugshot, Duping Delight and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3573: Angela Merkel, the G7, Destroying Rapport and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3537: Stephen Colbert, Reince Priebus and a Flubbed Monologue - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3519: Vladimir Putin, The Panama Papers and Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3287: Hillary Clinton, Email Servers and Crisis Management


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2888: Hillary Clinton, Jon Stewart and Destroying Rapport (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

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Hillary Clinton was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Tuesday. By now there can be no doubt that she will run for President in 2016.

Critics and supporters alike have pointed out Hillary has had some difficulty at times bonding with her audiences. In the 2008 campaign, her numbers in the polls rose significantly when she projected high sincerity - and thus bonded with her audience.

There are many body language signals which build rapport - and many that destroy it. The former Secretary of State displays several nonverbal rapport destroyers in the video above - two of which are captured in images and described below.

Although she has a suppressed smile, here Hillary Clinton shows us emotional dissonance - for her hands are configured in a partial (near) "Double-L".

She is making a strong effort, yet is unable to suppress this display of critical evaluation for Jon Stewart.

Although she only does so relatively briefly, the conventional steeple (here a fairly high one) should almost never be used by a President or a Presidential Candidate - or anyone who professes to be a leader.

In small doses, the conventional steeple can project confidence and an alpha emotional tone. But it must be very evanescent and choreographed to specific and important moments - lest it project hyper-alpha emotional tones, arrogance and a patronizing attitude. Most people who use it - overuse it - and thus push those away whom they are attempting to influence.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2887 Derek Jeter, Smiles, Laughter and Body Language Nuance

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2783: Hillary Clinton asked again about 2016 - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2855: Hillary Clinton, 2016 Presidential Race and Duping Delight - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2569: Hillary Clinton, Visibility, Trust and a Harbinger of 2016

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2533: Angela Merkel's Low Steeple "Trademark" - A Major Body Language Mistake

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2751: Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp, Gina Meyers and Body Language  

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2860: Michelle Obama regarding the First Woman President - What Does She Really Think? (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

On Monday the first "White House Summit on Working Families" was held. Michelle Obama was asked:

" ... We have Nancy Pelosi, that was up here, we have women at the Supreme Court, and there are many feeling that if we're going to talk about leadership and that's what we're doing here, that a woman president is p-, is, is part of that and what and example that would set for your girls, and for young boys and for, for all of us. 

Mrs. Obama: "Absolutely"

Robin Roberts: "Do you foresee that happening and should that, when should  that happen? ....."

The first Lady answered, "That should happen - as soon as possible ...."

Just after Roberts said, "...that a woman president ..." and as she says, "... is p-, is, is part of that and ..."
Mrs. Obama rubs her nose

And while there are other nonverbals present here, this nose rub signals us that Mrs. Obama is in disbelief that this specific subject has been raised.

What other very specific body language do you see displayed in this video?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2859: Cristiano Ronaldo, The World Cup, Portugal vs. USA - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2750: Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp and Lies - Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2581: Syria, Ambassador Robert Ford and a Body Language of Deception

Negotiation Secret # 29:  Eye Rub When Someone Else is Speaking - Angela doubts Vladimir 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2855: Hillary Clinton, 2016 Presidential Race and Duping Delight - Body Language Tells

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2534: Bill and Hillary are going to be Grandparents; President Clinton's Body Language is Telling Us that Chelsea is Pregnant (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Bill and Hillary Clinton are going to be grandparents. You heard it here first: Chelsea Clinton is pregnant. Bill let the cat out of the bag yesterday when he was interviewed by Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell at a Clinton Global Initiative event. Not so much with what he said but with his body language and paralanguage. The following dissects a few key moments of the soon-to-be proud grandpa's nonverbal tells.

Note: The original video has, since the original post, been removed from its online source. The images below however, were captured from this video.

As Charlie Rose asks whether Hillary would rather be President or a grandmother, Bill blushes and laughs. This can be seen at 2:39 - 2:40 in the video. These two combined along with the stalling tactic of taking a drink (Bill anticipated this with Charlie's slow softball pitch question). Less than one second later at 2:40 we can even hear the coffee mug clank on the former President's teeth. This is a relative rare event for most people and this belies a high anxiety level which can be further evidenced by Mr. Clinton's hand shaking for a few oscillations as he navigates the cup near his mouth at 2:41.

Also at 2:41 we can see a mild surprise as Bill's forehead contracts and his lids open wider as he simultaneously suppresses this eyelid dynamic in order attempt to mask his surprise expression.

At 2:46, President Clinton looks down to his right (where most right-handed people look to during emotional moments - although Mr. Clinton is left-handed; so classically this would be interpreted as his own internal dialog - e.g. choosing his words in his head before he speaks aloud).

This is done just prior to Bill saying, "... But I have found it's best not to discuss that issue." His voice noticeably cracks during this particular sentence - strongly suggestive of anxiety.

But just prior to that the former President says, "If you ask her, I think she'd say grandf-mother ....". This is another manifestation of his anxiety. He is perhaps the best spoken politician of modern times, yet here he misspoke. He starts to say grandfather, but corrects himself and finishes the word out with "mother". Listen carefully for this subtle error. We all commit similar mistakes, yet here this paralanguage signal, taken together with other similar missteps and his multiple nonverbal signals, tell us of his natural excitement in his anticipation of becoming a grandfather.

In this image (with close-ups below) we see the former President sitting on his hands.

This is extremely rare for any alpha male and with the other signals seen in these crucial seconds, is very reminiscent of a schoolboy suppressing his excitement. He is trying hard to keep a secret.

A further manifestation of this same emotion (ergo part of this "nonverbal cluster" aka "body language sentence") are his locked ankles and legs rocking back and forth. 








Congratulations Bill, Hillary, Chelsea and Marc (Dad). Enjoy every minute.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2487:  Chelsea Clinton's Beta Body Language - The Elevated Fig Leaf

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2523:  Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the 2016 Presidency -  Rapport Builder vs. Rapport Destroyer

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2128:  Mitt Romney's & Bill Clinton's Body Language  during Mitt's Joke at 2012 Clinton Global Initiative

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 441:  Bill Clinton's Rapport and His Temporary Universe

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1499:  Bill Clinton's Empathy for Eric Fehrnstrom and  Mitt Romney ... What's Your Sincerity Quotient?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2363: Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the Political Point -  Hand Tension Correlations with Facial Tension

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2490:  Hillary Clinton and the Two-Handed Point - The American Bar Association, Body Language ...Variations on a Theme 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2523: Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the 2016 Presidency - Rapport Builder vs. Rapport Destroyer (PHOTO, VIDEO)

During her 2008 campaign for the Democratic Presidential ticket, one of the primary criticisms directed towards Hillary Clinton's was that she had difficulty connecting with people emotionally. Indeed one moment where she enjoyed a surge in the poles was after her eyes welled up with tears during a "town meeting" type gathering in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This act made her "feel more human" to the common person. It transmitted more sincerity and made her more emotionally accessible. In short this one act increased her rapport to the masses.

President Clinton was and still is a master at building rapport. Even staunch republicans will be enamored (for a while) upon meeting him. One of the many ways Bill builds rapport is within the context of his handshake. While he will shake fewer hands per minute during any given gathering compared with most other politicians - he connects more deeply with the emotions of those he does greet. So even if you don't get to shake his hand and exchange five or ten words with him - watching others do so (even if on a news video) will help build his rapport with you. Never forget - watching a sincere interaction engenders the same experience in others - by surrogate.

A key component of President Clinton's handshake (but certainly not the only one) is how he points every part of his body during the handshake. Note in this photo, Hillary's feet (although not seen directly) are not pointed at the man whose hand she is shaking. Neither are her hips. And her shoulders are also not square to him. Never mind that he's not doing so - in order to gain the maximum rapport and make a person feel, if only for a few seconds that they are the only person in the world of whom we are thinking, the feet, hips and torso should always point directly at them. Hillary is omitting this crucial communication component. Moreover, when the rest of the body is pointed away we must turn our head and/or eyes in order to look at them - as are hers. This "non-direct" gaze gives them the feeling they are not respected, not trusted, not valued and/or not believed.

Also notice carefully a component of Hillary's expression - her eyes are opened wider than baseline in a pseudo-surprise expression. During a sincere smile (Duchenne smile) the eyelids are partially closed in a very particular fashion - with a temporary coexisting concave-up furrow in each lower lid. The lack of these specific eye findings signals the existence of a false-smile. This is not to say that Hillary Clinton, another politician, you, I or any other person is "insincere as a whole" (e.g. the whole personality) - however it does indicate that in that moment she (or anyone else who expresses this or any other of the numerous varieties of non-sincere social smiles) is having to push out a less than sincere expression. People feel this false sincerity. They don't describe it in psychological bullet points, but they feel it none-the-less.

See also:

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 441:  Bill Clinton's Rapport and His Temporary Universe

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2360:  Bill Clinton and the Body Language of a  "Loose Hand, Palm Up Point"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2379:  Bill Clinton's Speech at the  George W. Bush Presidential Library Opening  Body Language of Former and Current President

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2128:  Mitt Romney's & Bill Clinton's Body Language  during Mitt's Joke at 2012 Clinton Global Initiative

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1499:  Bill Clinton's Empathy for Eric Fehrnstrom and  Mitt Romney ... What's Your Sincerity Quotient?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2126:  Bill Clinton on whether or not Hillary will run for President in 2016

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2125:  Presidential Debate Body Language - George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Ross Perot 1992



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