Body Language Analysis No. 4164: Emmanuel Macron's Rapport Destroyer - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTOS)

Emmanuel Macron just gave his New Year's Eve address. The new French President is a more skilled communicator than most heads-of-state, yet during his speech, he repeatedly committed a nonverbal faux pas.

All too often, there's a considerable disconnect between what truly engenders rapport - and a leader's behavior. And although the vast majority of people are guilty of not recognizing their emotional intelligence foibles, with politicians we see this divergence daily. Moreover, as the size of the audience grows, this phenomenon is displayed with more frequency and severity.

Outside of a few specific cultural exceptions and within the contexts of religion - hands should never be held in Prayer configuration when communicating. Termed the "Pseudoprayer", this nonverbal behavior conveys a patronizing, arrogant, and condescending emotional tone. Moreover, the additional dynamic of an up-and-down chopping motion amplifies these negative feelings. It's a rapport destroyer.


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See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4163: Donald Trump and Xi Jinping - (Relatively) Beta and Alpha

Body Language Analysis No. 4162: Is Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Going to Run for President in 2020?

Body Language Analysis No. 4160: Detecting Liars When They're Not Lying

Body Language Analysis No. 4158: Michelle Williams regarding Kevin Spacey - "All the Money in the World"

Body Language Analysis No. 4138: Matt Lauer, Intimidation, and Aggression

Body Language Analysis No. 4106: Jordan's Queen Rania meets with Rohingya Refugee Children

Body Language Analysis No. 4061: Pennywise,"IT", and Bill Skarsgård's Demonic Smile - Why is IT so Scary?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3885: Vogue's 73 Questions with Selena Gomez

Body Language Analysis No. 4048: Lady Di - Ambassador of Empathy



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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3383: Barack Obama and Francois Hollande Shake Hands - Body Language (PHOTOS)

Today François Hollande was a guest of Barack Obama. The French President is visiting Washington D.C. in an effort to build a stronger coalition in the fight against Daesh (aka Islamic State, ISIL, ISIS). Yesterday he met with David Cameron, Wednesday he will meet with Angela Merkel - and on Thursday the Mr. Hollande will meet with Vladimir Putin.

In the above image, Hollande and Obama are shown in a Handshake-Hug Hybrid. Note that although the two men are touching (and thus within each other's personal space - and more specifically, their intimate space) - and of course their heads are also quite close together - in contrast, their eyes are directed away from the other man.

The vast majority of the time - when we enter another person's personal space, our gaze naturally and rapidly averts. One exception to this strong tendency is with close family members or with others for whom we have considerable affection. Can you name any other nonverbal scenarios where this rule doesn't apply?


See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3382: Donald Trump's Mask

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2354: Rutgers' Basketball Coach Mike Rice - Body Language of Averting Gaze 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2678: French President François Hollande, Valerie Trierweiler and Julie Gayet - Of Affairs, Affection and Body Language Tells  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2914: François Hollande, Anxiety and Dialing up his Alpha 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2935: David Cameron and ISIL-ISIS-IS, Body Language Tells 

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3325: Vladimir Putin, the United Nations, Russian Soil and Confidence Levels  
 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2718: Obama: "I can do whatever I want" Body Language with French President François Hollande (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

French President François Hollande is visiting the United States. President Obama, who normally has very good body language, committed a major faux pas as the two leaders walked outside Monticello today. Keeping his hands clasped behind his back nearly the entire time he walked outside of Jefferson's Home, the President said, "... Sorry we're breaking protocol here. That's alright. That's the good thing about being President, I can, I can do whatever I want." (0:01 - 0:08)

POTUS used the hyper-alpha display of long-duration hands clasped behind-the-back nonverbal - despite the fact he's the most powerful man on the planet. When you're at the top of any pecking order, one should want to build rapport, not destroy it. Barack does not need to remind anyone he's President. As with all high-alpha body language, if over-used it will backfire and send patronizing and arrogant signals. This nonverbal configuration is powerful and thus it should be used very sparingly - essentially choreographed for particular and brief moments. Moreover, walking in this manner, particularly with another head-of-state, has the effect of amplifying its condescending message.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2717: LA Reporter Confuses Samuel L. Jackson with Laurence Fishburne - and a Common Body Language Misconception

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2620: President Obama Tells a Couple Fibs - "Norming" Barack's Body Language

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2646: Does Barack Obama Want to Go to the Sochi (Russia) Winter Olympics? What His Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2678: French President François Hollande, Valerie Trierweiler and Julie Gayet - Of Affairs, Affection and Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1705:  François Hollande & the French Presidential Election - The Pistol Steeple and Emotional Dissonance 

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Negotiation Body Language Secret # 531: Sarkozy's Mouth Tells Us What He's Feeling

The following photos of French President Nicolas Sarkozy are relatively similar with respect to his mouth appearance - to the unobservant. But it is very important not to "lump" nonverbals together. I want to take this opportunity "thin slice" and contrast these expressions and their underlying emotions.

In this first image of Sarkozy we see deliberate and theatrical doubt displayed. When this extreme mouth configuration is shown, especially with the unilateral eyebrow and forehead contracture (as Sarkozy is doing on HIS right) there conscious and deliberate doubt present. Politicians often use this extreme lower lip "pout" and the "skeptical eyebrow" to telegraph their (often feigned) disbelief. It's melodramatic - but it's the nature of the political beast.

In this second photo of President Sarkozy, we see an "Inward Lip Roll" - in which the lips are being "gently bitten" (compressed) by the teeth. This is highly consistent with significant anxiety. Depending on the other nonverbals it is clustered with, the ILR can also be a signal of attempting to control and/or suppress other negative emotions - such as anger, fear, etc. 

In this third image of the French President, he shows us what some refer to as the "Miserable Smile" (Ekman).  Incredibly, even though this is an "upside down smile" - in the moment this body language is displayed, the person will believe they're making a slight smile. This is a fantastic example of just how unaware we all are of our emotional displays - particularly in the midst of negative emotions. In this variation of the inward lip roll, the lips stay in front of the teeth (rather than "gently bitten" by them as shown in the second image). His gaze is up and to his left, indicating he is probably visually recalling an event. This Body Language cluster strongly indicates Nicholas is experiencing the emotion of regret.

In this forth photo, we see a mouth expression consistent more with anger. The lips are visible (unlike the the second and third examples) but are stretched very thin in a classic (but misinterpreted by most) anger expression. The partially closed eyelids in this cluster-context are highly consistent with contempt-arrogance. President Sarkozy is experiencing anger-contempt in this moment.

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Romance and Dating Secret # 217: Who Wears the Pants in France?

Who wears the pants in France? Carla not Nicolas! She's the real alpha, even though he's the leader of the French people - Nicolas Sarkozy is the beta in this marriage. How can we tell? Her hand is in front and covering his as they walk hand-in-hand at this ceremony. This is a very reliable dominance display.

See also:

Negotiation Body Language Secret # 531:  Sarkozy's Mouth Tells Us What He's Feeling

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