Body Language Analysis No. 3958: Vladimir Putin interview with Megyn Kelly - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Megyn Kelly recently interviewed Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The video above is but a portion - and it's crammed full of nonverbal tells. Some particularly interesting ones are discussed below.

Beginning at 2:51, Megyn Kelly asks, "President Putin, there, there are reports today, in the American press that, that the Trump Administration took active steps to ease sanctions on, on Russia, almost immediately after Trump took office. Ah, was this possibility ever discussed between the Trump team and your representatives prior to President Trump being inaugurated?"

President Putin displayed multiple hard swallows and other similar signals of a dry mouth/dry throat during this interview. A particularly notable hard swallow occurred during 3:11 - 3:13, as Megyn Kelly finishes her question.

It's extremely common for the throat to become suddenly dry during high anxiety. We subconsciously swallow to stimulate the production and distribution of needed saliva.

During 3:16, just as he speaks the first words of his answer, Vladimir Putin performs a "Butt Adjustment" - wherein he lifts his posterior off of his chair 4-5 centimeters. This dynamic is very strongly indicative of high anxiety.

The Russian President also momentarily closes his eyes and displays an elevated central forehead contraction (CFC). Given the context of his simultaneous neutral mouth display, this cluster is highly correlative with insincerity.

Then Putin displays what is known as an "Ear Screw" (3:17 - 3:18) as he inserts his index finger into his ear canal (external auditory meatus). This nonverbal signal, in the context of his declarative "No" answer, has a very high correlation with deception.

Note, again, another eyelid closure at the same time as an elevated central forehead contraction (insincerity).

A few moments later the camera pans out into the audience. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, can be seen sitting in the distance in the front row. The above image is included as a reference photo - it was taken at a different time in the interview. Minister Lavrov is third from the left (with glasses).

Beginning at 3:38 Putin is continuing his answer, "... Our ambassador has met someone, and what is an ambassador supposed to do? That's what he gets money for ...".

At 3:45, just as the Putin's interpreter says, "... That's what ...", you will see Sergey Lavrov, also sit up and forward in a Butt Adjustment (High Anxiety Tell) - as well as display a Forward Lip Purse. A forward Lip Purse is a signal of clandestine disagreement and/or a clandestine plan. Minister Lavrov's body language is very bluntly calling out own his leader - Vladimir Putin - in a deception.

What significant paralanguage red flags did President Putin also use?


Summary: Based on the nonverbal and paralanguage tells displayed during this interview, there is a high probability President Putin is being deceptive and that the easing of US Sanctions on Russia were indeed discussed between Donald Trump and/or his surrogates and Vladimir Putin and/or other Russian government officials prior to President Trump's inauguration.

Group Appearances and One-on-One
Online Courses Available 
1-702-239-8503
Jack@BodyLanguageSuccess.com

See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 3957: Sergei Gorkov, Jared Kushner, and Secret Meetings

Body Language Analysis No. 3955: Jeff Sessions, Russia, and Sergey Kislyak

Body Language Analysis No. 3953: Vladimir Putin and Emmanuel Macron meet in Versailles

Body Language Analysis No. 3951: Angela Merkel, Donald Trump, the G7 Summit, and The Paris Agreement

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3911: Simone Biles gets Pranked on "Ellen"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3841: Tom Brady's and Roger Goodell's Handshake after Super Bowl LI

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3760: Rory McIlroy's "Little Interviews"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3693: Grace VanderWaal Wins America's Got Talent Season 11

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3669: Jordan Spieth, Bill Murray and the Asymmetrical Smile


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Body Language Analysis No. 3941: H.R. McMaster’s Press Conference, Part II — Donald Trump, Russia & Classified Info — Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Although often ignored, a crucial nonverbal fundamental is to always correlate signals with simultaneous or near-simultaneous verbal language and paralanguage. Within the video above there lies a profound example of this principle. 

The word "Appropriate" (when used in its adjective form) is a highly subjective word, which, on the vast majority of occasions, is used in a context so as to posture and feign objectivity. It's also an attempt at projecting authority. However, with extremely high frequency, the use of "appropriate" is also simultaneous with nonverbal signals - such as regret, contempt, disgust, and/or anger.

Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being subjective, but when subjectivity is camouflaged as objectivity - it should always raise red flags.

Toward the end of H.R. McMaster's press conference yesterday, the following question was asked:

JOURNALIST (beginning at 16:26): General McMaster, thank you. General McMaster, um, to put a finer point on it - is there now, an active investigation, into how this information was leaked? And can you tell us about who's running that investigation? And I'd also like to ask you, um, given that President Trump is now going to meeting face-to-face with - literally dozens of foreign leaders, if there are sensitivities - to his discretion and what sort of information to decide to declassify - um, how is that something that you are advising him ahead of this foreign trip?

MCMASTER: Yeah, well, I mean, there, there are no sensitivities in terms of, ah, me, or anybody who's been with the President in many of these engagements. He shares information in a way that is wholly appropriate. And I should just make, I should just make, maybe this statement here that, that the President wasn't even aware, you know [laughs], of where - this information came from. He wasn't briefed on the source or method of the information either - so... ah, I'm sorry this going to have to be the last question. Because we do have the, we do have the President of Turkey coming - I think - momentarily.

During 17:06, coincident with his speaking the last two syllables of the word, "appropriate", and captured in the image above, the National Security Advisor displays a classic expression mixture of regret (primary) and contempt (secondary). This is very evanescent, and thus it's also an example of a microexpression. Please watch this several times at normal speed and then in slow motion.

General McMaster's nonverbal display of regret just as he says, "He shares information in a way that is wholly appropriate", shows us a dramatic disparity between his nonverbal and verbal signals. If he sincerely felt Donald Trump's information sharing was wholly "appropriate", why did he display regret and contempt when making this declaration?

Moreover, a paralanguage tell here, is his use of the qualifier "wholly". McMaster is trying too hard. He's being over-compensatory. If an action is appropriate, the use of the adverb "wholly" further indicates McMaster is rationalizing.

Summary: Despite what he said in yesterday's press conference, General McMaster's nonverbal behavior demonstrates he has significant regret and contempt over the manner in which President Trump shares information.


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


See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 3400: National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster's Press Conference regarding President Trump's Sharing of Classified Intelligence with the Russians - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence

Body Language Analysis No. 3398: Donald Trump regarding asking James Comey for his Loyalty

Body Language Analysis No. 3396: Donald Trump's first interview after Firing James Comey

Body Language Analysis No. 3394: Donald Trump's (False) Praising of James Comey

Body Language Analysis No. 3932: Raúl Labrador's Town Hall statement, "Nobody dies because they don't have access to healthcare..."

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3594: Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Fareed Zakaria

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3534: Taylor Swift's (Vogue's) Rapid-fire 73 Q & A Session

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3664: Benjamin Netanyahu, Viktor Yanukovych, and Vladimir Putin

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2313: Elisa Lam Video in Elevator at Cecil Hotel - What Her Body Language Tells Us ....


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Body Language Analysis No. 3937: Mr. Lavrov Goes To Washington - “Was he fired? You’re kidding!” - Sergey Lavrov, Rex Tillerson, and James Comey - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

This past Wednesday, 10 May 2017 - only a day after Donald Trump fired FBI Director, James Comey - Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov and Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kislyak visited with President Trump in the Oval Office. The video clip above was captured in the US State Department on that same day. Many people have noted and commented regarding Minister Lavrov's sarcastic quip - but almost no one saw what feelings he betrayed on his face just prior to his retort.

What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis.

After Secretary Tillerson's Statement, Journalist Andrea Mitchell asks Minister Lavrov (beginning at 0:27), "Does the Comey firing cast a shadow over the talks, gentleman?"

Minister Lavrov answers, "Was he fired? You're kidding? You're kidding?"

For a split-second, as Ms. Mitchell says, the word, "... talks ..." (0:30), the Russian Foreign Minister displays an excellent example of a what is known as a microexpression. This reaction is involuntary and subconsciously driven.

Note that his eyelids open very widely - albeit extremely briefly. His mid-face also contracts - primarily in his "mustache area" as well as with flaring of his nostrils. Lavrov's mouth only moves a trace amount.

Thus this particular Microexpression is that of Fear. Something Andrea Mitchell said triggered in Lavrov an evanescent emotion of fear.

Watch this several times with a full screen and in slow motion. You'll also see his eyes, briefly looking forward, focus on the middle-distance, and rapidly fixate back-and-forth several times. This is an epiphenomenon of rapid cognitive and emotional processing when faced with something unexpected. This nonverbal dynamic is profoundly valuable in the negotiation, sales, and legal professions - for it's a signal of panic. And this is a textbook classic response.

What happens next is also very telling - for in his recovery from fear, Minister Lavrov makes a very universal and very human mistake - he overcompensates.

During 0:35 Mr. Lavrov:

• Closes his eyelids for a long duration. This action indicates a dismissive emotional tone, physiological blocking, and also acts as a contempt amplifier.
• Tilts his head quickly to the side - projecting dismissiveness (e.g., You are dismissed, this is beneath me, etc.). This emotion shares a large overlap with Contempt.
• Displays a very open and classic Contempt expression on his face (his right side)

       0:36 

• Turns and shakes his head quickly, side-to-side and then walks away

Summary:

Sergey Lavrov was rattled by something in Andrea Mitchell's question. It's as if, for a moment, his psyche feared he had been caught (perhaps he even misunderstood something she said). Then he recovered - but in his defensiveness, Lavrov over-steered with his response. This nonverbal-verbal-paralanguage cluster display is absolutely classic for this behavior.


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


See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 3396: Donald Trump's first interview after Firing James Comey

Body Language Analysis No. 3394: Donald Trump's (False) Praising of James Comey

Body Language Analysis No. 3932: Raúl Labrador's Town Hall statement, "Nobody dies because they don't have access to healthcare..."

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3930: Emmanuel Macron, Hacking, and Anger

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3912: Keri Russell's Schadenfreude, Matthew Rhys' Fear, and a Hesitancy to Disclose

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3887: Why Does Donald Trump Point at People So Often?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3857: Taunting a Snowplow Driver - Belleville, Ontario

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3835: Beauty and the Beast – Official Final Trailer

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3561: Catchphrase, Andy Samberg, Bryce Harper, Gigi Hadid and Body Language


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Body Language Analysis No. 3935: Donald Trump and Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak in the Oval Office - Nonverbal and Emotional Intelligence (PHOTOS)

Not only is this image of Donald Trump shaking hands with Sergey Kislyak in the Oval Office one of the most ironic in recent American history, it also contains some very telling nonverbal clues.

Mr. Kislyak, the Russian Ambassador to the United States, is, of course the person with whom Michael Flynn was in communication with and connected to - in one of the several allegations of Trump-Russian collusion. Ambassador Kislyak and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov both visited President Trump and Ambassador Rex Tillerson yesterday in the White House. This meeting came only one day after James Comey, who was investigating possible Trump-Russian ties, was fired as the FBI's Director. This image (and the cropped close-up below) were taken by Tass, the Russian news agency. No members of the American Press were allowed in the room.

It's crucial to note that President Trump (nor candidate Trump) has rarely been photographed projecting a sincere smile. In this specific moment, Donald Trump's expression is crescendoing to - or decrescendoing from a sincere smile - he's very close to one here - but it's not quite a sincere smile in this second.

To nuance further:

• Trump's forehead is relaxed (although he has had Botox treatments in this part of his face, so it's difficult to assess his forehead status objectively)
• The area between his brows appears a bit drawn together with vertical creases (however these are longstanding and the creases are passive [not contracted]) - if we did not have this prior knowledge, this finding may lead us astray
• His eyelids are partially (mostly) closed - consistent with a sincere smile
• He has evanescent, concave-up furrows in each of his lower eyelids - also consistent with a sincere smile
• Although his mouth only displays his upper teeth (also indicative of sincerity), the corners of his mouth are vectored a bit too much laterally to indicate full sincerity in this instant (they should be pulled up a little more). Again, this finding, taken in isolation, could indicate the moment just prior to, or just after a moment of sincerity 

         However ...

• Donald Trump's baseline skin tone aside, The President is blushing in this moment. Blushing cannot be "acted" or faked. Thus his blushing indicates his smile was just a sincere smile (Duchenne smile) - or just about to be sincere.

So why was the President Blushing?

Although neither are applicable in this example - people often times blush during moments of anger and sexual attraction. Thus we are left with etiology of Embarrassment.

It's profound to point out that during moments of embarrassment-blushing, the person is in a beta emotional tone. They are feeling beta to another person(s) alpha. Blushing is a moment of involuntary, psychological acquiescence.

Now, look at Sergey Kislyak's face. His "smile" is false. It's not sincere. And, as with many feigned smiles, it's asymmetrical. While some may call this a "smirk" - that term is a slang - and misses the mark. Ambassador Kislyak is expressing contempt on his left side (camouflaged, for it's the side furthest from Trump).


Summary:

Sergey Kislyak feels contempt towards Donald Trump.

Donald Trump in this moment is either crescendoing to or decrescendoing from a sincere smile. He is also blushing from embarrassment. While we do not know the specific reason of his embarrassment in this instant, we can say, unequivocally, he is feeling beta to Sergey Kislyak's and/or Sergey Lavrov's Alpha status. This embarrassment is being displayed - and felt - on Trump's home-turf, inside the Oval Office.

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


See also:

Body Language Analysis No. 3394: Donald Trump's (False) Praising of James Comey

Body Language Analysis No. 3932: Raúl Labrador's Town Hall statement, "Nobody dies because they don't have access to healthcare..." - Nonverbal Communication and Emotional Intelligence Faux Pas

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3930: Emmanuel Macron, Hacking, and Anger

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3928: Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron Debate

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3921: Kim Jong-un, North Korea, Alpha Status, and Clapping

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3901: Jared Kushner in Iraq

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3872: "Fearless Girl" Statue in Manhattan's Financial District

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3534: Taylor Swift's (Vogue's) Rapid-fire 73 Q & A Session

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3688: Vladimir Putin, Phone calls, Body Language and Emotional Intelligence 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3922: Vladimir Putin and Michael Flynn in Moscow


_____________________________________________________________________________________

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1041: Russia's Dominance over Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserts his and his country's dominance in this recent handshake and subsequent meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Lavrov's hand is rotated about 70 degrees from the neutral position - with his clearly on top. When each palm is perpendicular to the floor, the ability of a handshake to engender rapport is maximized. The Russian is not interested in rapport however, as this image clearly demonstrates he has come to display authority and power for the motherland.... and again the Syrian acquiesces to The Bear.

See also: Leadership Secret # 112: Pakistan Trumps Iran

___________________________________________________________________________________

Negotiation Nonverbal Communication Secret # 1095: al-Assad Feels a Weak Link with Russia

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, is pictured here with Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. It is quite evident from al-Assad's body language, that he does NOT feel strength in Syria's relationship with Russia. While it is certainly true that Russia (along with China) recently vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution which would have condemned Syria, Lavrov does NOT feel comfortable meeting with al-Assad. Something is amiss.

In another place and time, this could very well be a photo of an employee pleading for his job in the midst of a reprimand. The Syrian's feet and legs are very close together, in a configuration typical of an acquiescing, beta persona. Moreover al-Assad's feet are pointed at Lavrov, and thus showing us that he holds the Russian/Russia in high respect. Meanwhile, the Foreign Minister's feet are crossed at the ankles, betraying his closed and standoffish attitude. Sergey's feet are pointed away from Bashar. In a romantic context, we point our feet toward the person whom we find most attractive. In all other scenarios, such as the one above, the subconscious points our feet toward those we like or respect, and away from those we don't like and/or disrespect. It is very obvious who needs whom here.

Mr. Lavrov's hands are palms-down, demonstrating his relative authority, assertiveness and comfort - while the Syrian's right hand is palm-up, in a very beta, pleading-his-case manner.

The Russian's eyebrows are down turned, particularly medially and taken together with his mid-facial tightening, and the down-turned corners of the mouth - his expression is that of anger. 

Al-Assad's central eyebrows are upturned - while the corners of his mouth are also slightly elevated. This particular facial nonverbal cluster is ALWAYS a warning signal - and Bashar uses far too often. 

Taken in total, this photo tells us that al-Assad needs Russia - BADLY - which is obvious to everybody, but he feels as if their patience is wearing thin ... or worse. The Syrian's nonverbals strongly betray his low-confidence level. Al-Assad is asking, not telling. He's backpedaling. He's been given a yellow card.  He is feeling a bit desperate. This Russian-Syrian relationship is more tenuous than most know or believe.

___________________________________________________________________________________