Body Language Analysis No. 4230: Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump, and the Home Field Advantage - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTO)

On Thursday 8 March 2018, President Donald Trump announced he will meet with North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un. The next day, White House Press Secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders cast some considerable doubt on such a meeting when she said, "We're not going to have this meeting take place until we see concrete actions that match the words and the rhetoric of North Korea."

Kim Jong-un is accustomed to meeting on North Korean soil. Like Vladimir Putin, he skillfully uses his geography as a valuable "third negotiator" to very much give him the home field advantage. But to the careful observer, such behavior also betrays a weakness.

In the choreographed image above we see Kim Jong-un, third from the left - together in Pyongyang (the capital of North Korea) with five members of the South Korean envoy.

Note the position of Kim's feet. They are further apart than any of the men in the South Korean delegation. This indicates his more alpha emotional tone. Yet he's already on his home soil - why does he need to "feel" more alpha?

One reason Kim is standing like this - is because he (again, like Putin) is not very tall. He's trying to be more alpha/more confident - but he's over-compensating. Kim is listed at 5'7" - but he's actually one to two inches shorter (e.g., Donald Trump is listed at 6' 3", however, he's 2.5 inches shorter at 6' 0.5").

Kim Jong-un's hand position is also quite telling. Clasping one's hands behind one's back - while generally speaking, is certainly is more alpha - like garlic, it's often used in excess. In this particular setting, his hand position carries greater nuance. Here, his configuration sends signals of a non-compromising stance and a failure to disclose. In the context of a negotiation, an unwillingness to show one's hands is a reliable signal of a clandestine motive.

The photo is also uncentered and poorly-cropped. This quality makes it look odd, unprofessional, and unbalanced. Why did North Korea's minister of propaganda release this picture? Because Kim wanted the powerful symbolism of the image of the Sun above his head.

Intriguingly, his photo is also unbalanced because Kim Jong-un is - respect to the other individuals - not in the center. This positioning, choreographically at least, forces Kim has to "share his power".

Summary: This and nearly all pictures of Kim Jong-un are not candid - but highly choreographed. These betray his low confidence, low emotional comfort, over-compensatory behavior, and his obsessive need to control his public image and projection of power. He relies more heavily than most leaders on the "Third Negotiator" of home-field advantage. Thus, one prerequisite upon which Donald Trump should absolutely insist - is having the meeting either in a third country's capital - Reykjavík, Geneva, or Paris - or, more preferably, in Washington, D.C.


Group Appearances and One-on-One
Online Courses Available 
702-239-8503
Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com


See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 4229: Sam Nunberg (Part II) • Roger Stone, Robert Mueller, and Lies

Body Language Analysis No. 4227: Sarah Huckabee Sanders comments regarding Stormy Daniels and President Trump

Body Language Analysis No. 4225: Sam Nunberg Interview - Part I • Roger Stone, Donald Trump, and Russia

Body Language Analysis No. 4223: Donald Trump to Republican Senator, "You're Afraid of the NRA"

Body Language Analysis No. 4136: Seminole Heights/Tampa Florida Serial Killer - Criminal Profiling 

Body Language Analysis No. 4006: Vladimir Putin and Melania Trump at the G20

Body Language Analysis No. 4058: Cara Mund, Miss America 2018

Body Language Analysis No. 4165: Kim Jong-un's New Years Faux Pas

Body Language Analysis No. 4051: Predicting Kim Jong-un's Behavior


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3289: Jorge Ramos, Donald Trump Event, "Get Out of My Country" and De-Escalation - Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Yesterday, just after Donald Trump told him to, "Go back to Univison!", Jorge Ramos was forcibly removed from the republican candidate's press conference (He was allowed back in after a few minutes). Subsequently, Mr. Ramos also had an interesting encounter with a man in the hallway. From a body language perspective, this incident provides an interesting example in escalation vs. de-escalation.

After this Trump supporter said, "You were very rude. It's not about you. Get out of my country! Get out!"

(over-lapping dialog)

Mr. Ramos responds, "It's not about [inaudible]. This is not, I'm a, I'm a U.S. citizen."

Trump supporter, "Well, whatever. No, Univision, no!" His palms are then held outward - toward Mr. Ramos. As this is used here, this palms-out illustrator is aggressive and confrontational. He is drawing a metaphorical line in the sand and daring Jorge Ramos to cross it (escalating). Mr. Ramos declines. 

With regards to de-escalation, Mr. Ramos's only mistake was walking toward the other man (escalating). Although he did so with a calm vocal tone, a lower vocal volume than his confronter - and he had his arms clasped behind his back the entire time - all De-escalating (while this is not directly visible, if you view the video carefully you will see this indirectly and that his visible arm and shoulder positions don't change during the entire confrontation). This behind the back hands clasp is a great alpha-beta hybrid in this situation - for it projects a significant strength of confidence and yet it is non-confrontational (De-escalating).

From a nonverbal point-of-view in this scenario, hands clasped (loosely) behind the back says, "I am strong, I am confident and I don't have to be battle-ready" - De-escalating. (Conversely, most people have their hands in front, held high and/or in fists - which escalates the tension and likelihood of a fight - escalating).. Of course it does place Mr. Ramos at a disadvantage if the other man were to hit first (For this reason, law enforcement personnel rarely hold their hands behind their back in such a manner, even when off-duty - although in certain circumstances they should consider it).

Mr. Ramos also turned his head down and away - after initial more direct eye contact (De-escalating). The other man kept a much more direct eye contact with a very low rate of blinking - indicative of his anger, high adrenaline and near-fight-mode (escalating).

When he begins to point, the Trump supporter initially points to Mr. Ramos's chest (escalating).

The other man has a mixture of anger (obvious to most) - yet also contempt and disgust. This triple threat is a dangerous combination - for it carries with it a significantly elevated risk of loss-of-temper and subsequent physical altercation (escalating).

Then quickly he uses this same index finger point (forefinger) to point at Jorge's face. The law enforcement officer senses this escalation and moves in between the men and verbally interjects. This is a profoundly escalating gesture.

An index finger point is a highly offensive and inflammatory nonverbal display. This is true across every single culture on the planet.

Here we can see the index finger persisting, even as Mr. Ramos is walking away.

We can see here Jorge's arms behind his back. Importantly, his gate (his walk) is also not confrontational - but meandering and slower, with a significant side-to-side motion (De-escalation).



See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3288: Donald Trump & Jorge Ramos - "Go back to Univision"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2818: The Caring Hand, Palms Up and Building Rapport  

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2584: Darnell Barton - Hero with Body Language of De-Escalation

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2991: Gavin Siem flags down Grant County Deputy Dustin Canfield 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2993: Fight in Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport - Passengers Break Up Homophobic Attack - Threat Assessment Warning Signs 

_________________________________________________________________________________

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2883: Kim Jong-un's Low Self-Esteem and the Over-use of Alpha Body Language (PHOTOS)

Kim Jong-un is shown here recently watching a missile (KPA Strategic Rocket) test (“tactical rocket firing”) on 29 June 2014 near Wo'nsan, North Korea (Kangwo'n Province).

The North Korean leader, as many have observed, has a low self-esteem. And as with many with this problem, Kim Jong-un overcompensates with alpha body language. When hands are clasped loosely behind one's back - it signals an alpha attitude - both to others and to one's own psyche. It lets other people know you have confidence as well as up-regulating your own emotional tone. Yet, like all alpha signals, this must be used sparingly, lest it backfires and has the opposite effect. Many "leaders" (elected and otherwise) over-use alpha nonverbals and rather than signaling confidence - it transmits arrogance, aloofness and patronizing motives.

Interestingly, when a leader uses this body language - his or her subordinates will never use it in their presence (for fear of offending their superior). Kim Jong-un's father (Kim Jong-il) and his grandfather (Kim Il-sung) both used it to excess as well. This is not specific to the culture of North Korea - but an example of a nonverbal that for family/environmental reasons became indoctrinated - and works to their disadvantage.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2881: LeBron James and What He Learned About the Way He Switched Teams - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2364:  Kim Jong-un Tells a Lie to His Generals  North Korea, Body Language and Third Rate Vetting

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2760: Kim Jong-un, Low Confidence and Cigarettes - Body Language of an Anti-Leader

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2672: Dennis Rodman, Kim Jong Un and the Finger-Point Hand-Chop, Body Language from North Korea

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1085:  Low Confidence vs. High Confidence  Kennedy and Eisenhower

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1503:  The Conventional Steeple vs. The Basketball Steeple -  Seeking a Balance

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

________________________________________________________________________________