Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2037: When Chanel Suits Don't Match the Body Language - Christine Lagarde's High Anxiety

Christine Lagarde may wear Chanel and other high-fashion, but she repeatedly gives away the house when it comes to her body language. Here she is seen at 2011 G20 Meeting in Cannes, France. Lagarde is overhearing a conversation between David Cameron and Steven Harper. This was obviously not a private conversation. The IMF managing director is experiencing extreme anxiety during this double-head touch MAP (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier). It is similar to nonverbals commonly seen by the losing team and fans at sports competitions.

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1896: IMF Managing Director - Christine LagardePseudo-Prayer & Pursed Lips

Pictured here is Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). She replaced Dominique Strauss-Khan after his abrupt fall from grace and is ranked by Forbes as the ninth most powerful woman in the World. But she has a poor poker face.

The "Pseudo-prayer" can signal several meanings. Like all nonverbal communication - it is crucial to decode other co-existing body language with which it is clustered.

When you see a pseudo-prayer gesture, it's a good idea to look at the eyes and mouth for clues. Although from this angle it is a bit difficult to tell, Ms. Lagarde's eyelids are slightly closed - in this context (see below) this partial closure is significant of contempt-arrogance-distancing.

The IMF MD's mouth demonstrates a moderate amount of lip-pursing. A lip purse is an extremely valuable nonverbal tell. It's a highly reliable beacon that the person has considerable disagreement with what she/he is hearing, has an alternative plan/idea - and is (usually) keeping their opinion to themselves (at least for the time-being). There is a high likelihood that the lip-purser will institute their plan in a clandestine manner - or at least arrange the "game pieces" ahead of time - such that their actions will have increased probability of success. Only a "relative alpha" makes a lip-purse - they are a perceived (perhaps only self-perceived) superior within the group/context. In short, the lip purse is a body language signal of clandestine disagreement with an action plan. Watch out.

Thus Ms. Lagarde's pseudo-prayer is a variation that many of those in power and/or in leadership positions misuse. It's a cousin of the "conventional high steeple" and it's patronizing and condescending - particularly when there is an up-and-down chopping motion of the hand & forearms. It's a potent rapport destroyer.

See also:

Analysis # 1083: Brewer's MAPs Flag Foreboding

Analysis # 119: Pseudo Prayer in Thailand' Prime Minister

Analysis # 1138: Jennifer Hudson's Whitney Houston Tribute

Analysis # 1181: Helle Thorning-Schmidt & her False Praying Gesture

Analysis # 1555: Ann Romney Hits it Back Over the Net to Hilary Rosen

Analysis # 1698: Susan Rice, Bashar Ja'afari & Kofi Annan's Six Point Peace Plan for Syria

Analysis # 1055: The Subtle Lip Purse - Tom Brady

Analysis # 1715: Jay Carney's Lip Purse - Bin Laden is Dead and General Motors is Alive

Analysis # 9: Nancy Pelosi's Lip Purse

Analysis # 9 - Redux: Condoleezza Rice's Lip Purse

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Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1261: True Surprise - Rarely Captured IMF Director Christine Lagarde

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is captured here in a moment of true surprise. Sincere surprise is the most evanescent of all emotions, thus images of it are rarely captured. If surprise lasts longer than a second or two - there is usually a forced (feigned) component present. Surprise nearly always rapidly gives way to another emotion - very commonly, joy-laughter, anger, fear or embarrassment. Therefore, the lack of a second, quick, follow-up emotion - is another factor which should raise the suspicion of falsified surprise. Ms. Lagarde has all the facial components of surprise in this photo - the classic oval-round mouth opened with a dropped jaw, the contracted and elevated forehead (and thus has furrows across its entire width), raised eyebrows - and the most difficult to fake - widely opened eyelids. Many people will often insincerely try to express the emotion of surprise - however they rarely open their eyes in this "white and wide" manner.
 

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Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1177: Lagarde's Neck Tell

Christine Lagarde, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is seen here scratching her lower neck. This self-touching is yet another body language example of a Manipulator, Adaptor or Pacifier (aka MAP). The vast majority, but not all self-touching indicatives the presence of negative emotions, most notably anxiety. The Neck and tissue overlying the sternum & manubrium region are much like the face - loaded with blood vessels and nerves. Negative emotions lead to dilation of this vasculature and irritation of the adjacent nerves - thus we touch/scratch/rub our neck, face, etc. The "itch", "irritation", etc. is very real - but the root cause of it originates in the emotional brain.

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