Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3317: Scott Walker Drops Out of Presidential Race - A Classic Body Language Tell (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Today Scott Walker withdrew from the 2016 Presidential race. There are now fifteen republican candidates vying for the White House.

Not surprisingly during his press conference, the Wisconsin Governor displayed many key body language moments - and multiple facial expressions of regret. In the video above this important nonverbal signal is very classic and quite noticeable during 0:16 - immediately after he says the crucial statement, "... I will suspend my campaign immediately ..."

Although he's looking down for more reasons than just to refer to his notes, some particularly essential distinctions to make here include the lateral (sideways) movement of Mr. Walker's cheeks and mouth - along with the corners of his mouth down-turned as the lips are stretching and thinning. This mouth configuration of regret is prototypical - and it's made all day long all - but it's nearly always glossed over or more often outright missed. Walker shows us his regret "on display" in a very expected context - so many more people will "see" it (even though they missed this same emotion hundreds of times on their loved-ones and business associates faces' just in the past few days).

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3316: Ben Carson does not think that a Muslim Should be President - Is He Sincere - or Mimicking Trump's Tactics?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3245: Gov. Scott Walker Jumps into the 2016 Presidential Race - Body Language Amplifiers and Misdirection

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3275: Carly Fiorina, The Republican Debate and Likability (or not) 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2586: Harrison Ford in "Ender's Game" - Microexpression and Macroexpression of Regret - Harrison's Brand and the Stanislavski Method

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2408:  Sen. Kelly Ayotte's Anxiety & Regret via  Senators Graham & McCain -  Republican Body Language in Response to  President Obama's National Defense University Speech

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2320:  Estonian Skier Andrus Veerpalu  Denies Performance Enhancing Drugs -  What his Body Language Tells Us

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2840: Shailene Woodley, Jon Steward Show and a Body Language of Sexual Interest Display

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3245: Gov. Scott Walker Jumps into the 2016 Presidential Race - Body Language Amplifiers and Misdirection (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Scott Walker jumped into the 2016 Presidential Race today. The Wisconsin Governor is the 15th Republican to declare his candidacy.

Above is Gov. Walker's initial campaign video - and it contains some crucial body language misdirects which will play a pivotal role in preventing him from winning national office (however there is time to correct them).

Scott Walker has droopy eyelids - the medical term for this is "bilateral ptosis" - a condition he most likely had when he was born (thus "bilateral congenital ptosis") or developed early in life. And although he has been able to twice win a gubernatorial race of a mid-sized state and survive a recall - the unintended nonverbal signals transmitted due directly from his congenital ptosis will prevent him from winning the Presidential election and with a very high probability the republican primary as well.

People will often misinterpret others' with bilateral ptosis of being constantly tired. And a low-energy persona is certainly a huge rapport destroyer. Others will get false feelings of constant aloofness. Moreover when a person is feeling (and projecting) even subtle anger, contempt or disgust - partially closing the eyelids will amplify these emotions. Of course we all (along with Governor Walker) feel these emotions from time to time and (hopefully) do well to contain them. However when one has droopy eyelids - people will interpret the levels of these emotions to be much higher than they truly are - and thus the observers will take on similar feelings.

The far right likes (even adores) Governor Walker - there can be no doubt about it. The far left can't stand him - no head scratching there either. Yet to win a national election a candidate from any party must capture a substantial portion of the center 1/3 of the electorate. These independent voters - more so than the political extremes - are governed by a candidate's likability - and the primary component of likability is body language. All things being equal, a person with bilateral ptosis is significantly less likable. There is of course enough time for the Governor to get plastic surgery. And while cosmetic surgery is dramatically over used - this is one example of a surgical procedure which will profoundly change the way people think and feel about another person's character.

There's many other nonverbal signals in this campaign video - what other fundamentals did you see? Which are rapport-building .... and which (other than the ptosis) are rapport destroyers?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3244: Serena Williams' on-court interview at Wimbledon - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3104: 2016 Presidential Candidate Hopeful Gov. Scott Walker - and a Body Language Signal which a Leader should NEVER adopt

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3200: Martin O'Malley announces Candidacy for 2016 Presidential Race - Body Language of Emotional Processing

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



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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3104: 2016 Presidential Candidate Hopeful Gov. Scott Walker - and a Body Language Signal which a Leader should NEVER adopt (PHOTO)

Scott Walker, the current Governor of Wisconsin, is pictured above on the North Lawn of the White House. Walker has formed a 527 organization in an effort to explore and/or initiate a run for the U.S. Presidency in 2016.

Governor Walker is obviously posing in this photo - yet his body language is configured in a manner which NO ONE who is a leader or fancies themselves a leader SHOULD EVER BE. Walker shouldn't punt or pretend here. But he is in sore need of body language expertise.

In this photo, Walker's body language is shouting he's not up to the job.

Many men and boys on the red carpet will pose with one or both hands in their pockets'. As with many things Hollywood - such clichés may spread through the culture. Yet this is only a parroting of others' acting - and thus is by definition at least two levels removed from sincerity.

It's rare to find a photo of a U.S. President or any head-of-state from any country or any political party - with any hands in his pockets. And it's one nonverbal over which they should always maintain veto power. Those who stand (or God-forbid walk) with one or both hands in their pockets at the very least transmit strong signals of distancing and disengagement. Depending on the other nonverbals with which they are clustered, hands in pockets will also very often indicate low emotional comfort, low confidence and a considerably beta/demure emotional tone. Try standing like this - its mere mimicking will evoke these feelings.

If you hold office, running for office, in any type of leadership position (or if you want or need to feel confident) - NEVER stand (or sit) like this and of course NEVER let anyone see or photograph you with your hands in your pockets.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3103: Dr. J's reaction to Zack LaVine's "Space Jam" Slam Dunk

Negotiation Body Language Secret No. 337: Michele Bachmann's Low Confidence Stance

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3048: Vladimir Putin's Press Conference, 18 December 2014, Economic Instability and Low Emotional Comfort

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2508: Anne Frank, Sincere Smiles and Emotional Comfort

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2947: Governor Rick Perry - Beta Body Language

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. 2595: Barack Obama's Emotional Dissonance, Low Confidence and the "Turtle Retreat" - He Does Not Want To Be There

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