Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3235: Jim Webb Announces His Presidential Bid .... and some Body Language Weakness (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Late Wednesday yet another candidate announce his bid for the 2016 Presidential Race. Jim Webb - a democrat - who served in the U.S. Senate for Virginia from 2006 - 2012. He announced his decision via Twitter and the video above was posted on his website and on YouTube shortly thereafter. What follows is a partial nonverbal critique.

Webb has been described as "having a gruff personality", a "stiff campaigner", a "stoic military personality" and "standoffish" among others.

From a production standpoint, the resolution of the video is of low. It's not framed in the typical 16:9 aspect ratio (utilized by YouTube any many other media sources) - subsequently the sides of the video are black. This looks amateurish.

On the right side of the video the medium-blue background moves in a slow wave-like manner. This is visually distracting both physiologically and psychologically. On the left side of the screen the much darker background blends in with the candidate - and acts as a visual metaphor making Webb appear weak and indistinct. This very same mistake was made famous by Richard Nixon in his first Debate with John Kennedy in September of 1960.

Throughout the entirety of this 14 minute video, whenever Sen. Webb is shown - he's virtually in the same position. Webb essentially never moves his body (although we see a slight shrug-like nonverbal exception during the 1:04 - 1:05, when he says, "Over the past few months, thousands of concerned Americans from across the political spectrum have urged me to run for president." In this context, what does this shrug signify?). Sen. Webb is indeed stone-like and stoic.

One key mistake is that Webb's hands are not visible. When we cannot see a person's hands - it is human instinct to trust them less. This principle cannot be over-stated. Indeed when hand and arm gestures (known in body language colloquial as "illustrators") are used in a nuanced, contextual and proportional manner - they will lead to improved rapport, they project assertiveness and confidence - as well as engendering better listening and greater recall of those who hear them.

What do Senator Webb's facial nonverbals tell you? Stay tuned.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3234: Whole Foods Market, Message to Customers, Damage Control and Body Language Faux Pas

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2016: Hillary Clinton, Roosevelt Island, Building Rapport and Body Language

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

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3177: Carly Fiorina Announces her Candidacy for the 2016 Presidential Race - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3134: Ted Cruz to Announce his Candidacy for 2016 Presidential Race - Why He Will Never Win

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3226: Bobby Jindal Jumps In the 2016 Presidential Race - Puts "Family Meeting" online

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2134:  A Watershed Body Language Moment:  Nixon - Kennedy Debates 1960

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2322:  Jeb Bush & Matt Lauer - Which one is the Narcissist? Red Flags

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3063: Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell Sentenced to Two Years for Corruption (PHOTOS)

Bob McDonnell is pictured here outside a federal courthouse in Richmond with his daughters on Tuesday, 6 January 2015. He was just sentenced to two years in prison on corruption charges.

In this moment, the former Virginia Governor's face is expressing two emotions. His primary emotion is that of regret - characterized mainly by the lateral and slightly downward vectoring of his mouth corners.

Note also the downward and inward movement of McDonnnell's eye brows, the slight tension of his lower eyelids, the tension of his "mustache area" and his mild nostril dilation (flaring). The cluster beacons his secondary emotion - that of anger.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3062: Phylicia Rashad interview regarding Bill Cosby - Body Language Tells

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3061: Jimmy Fallon Blew a Chance to Date Nicole Kidman

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. 2320: Estonian Skier Andrus Veerpalu Denies Performance Enhancing Drugs - What his Body Language Tells Us

Nonverbal Communication Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2259:  Game Show Killer Rodney Alcala Gets Two More Sentences - His Body Language Warning Signs

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2919: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama - Friends? - will they Hug it Out?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2665: Nick Saban's "Tongue in Cheek" Body Language - What Does It Mean?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2973: Rand Paul's Body Language Tells Us His Plan B for 2016


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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2577: Bill Clinton and Terry McAuliffe - Alpha and Beta Body Language (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

In this image below, captured during the 3:54 - 4:03 segment in the above video, Bill Clinton is shown campaigning for Terry McAuliffe - who is running for Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Here we see an example of two different hand nonverbals - one is advisable while the other is not.

Note: The original video has, since the original post, been removed from its online source. The image below however, wascaptured from this video.

Bill Clinton is exampling a "Basketball" steeple. In a simplistic way of thinking, the basketball steeple is a "watered down" version of a "conventional steeple". However, while basketball steeple is certainly less alpha - it also has the effect of building rapport, conveying confidence and assertiveness - without being hyper-alpha as would be projected an extended conventional steeple. Conventional steeples should be used very briefly - otherwise they will destroy rapport, alienate and project arrogance.

The basketball steeple is one of the best examples of a class of body language signals (here specifically an illustrator) known as alpha-beta hybrids. Alpha-beta hybrids are the nonverbal equivalents of "having one's cake and eating it too". Knowing when and being able to dial down the alpha emotions a bit or fine-tuning the beta body language - is paramount in projecting leadership and confidence without alienating ... something few people can do.

What other alpha-beta hybrid body language combos can you name? How many and how often do you use these?

In dramatic distinction to the former President, Terry McAuliffe is not projecting confidence by picking his fingers and fingernails. This is an excessively beta, nervous and acquiescing body language. Even when standing next to a Head-of-State - no one should be doing this. McAuliffe knows better. This nonverbal display projects weakness, anxiety and insecurity. It in no way projects anything resembling strength, power or leadership. It also does not convey respect to the speaker.

What simple maneuver would you advise to prevent this demure, self-touching faux pas?

What undesirable nonverbals did the former President display in this video?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2569: Hillary Clinton, Visibility, Trust and a Harbinger of 2016

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2564: Hillary Clinton Stumping for Terry McAuliffe ... but Did She Hint at Running in 2016?

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2523:  Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the 2016 Presidency -  Rapport Builder vs. Rapport Destroyer

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2534: Bill and Hillary are going to be Grandparents; President Clinton's Body Language is Telling Us that Chelsea is Pregnant

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2487:  Chelsea Clinton's Beta Body Language -  The Elevated Fig Leaf

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2490:  Hillary Clinton and the Two-Handed Point - The American Bar Association, Body Language and  Variations on a Theme

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2360:  Bill Clinton and the Body Language of a  "Loose Hand, Palm Up Point" 

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2569: Hillary Clinton, Visibility, Trust and a Harbinger of 2016 (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Hillary Clinton was campaigning for Terry McAuliffe on Saturday and therein revealed a multitude of Body Language take-away points. One was that Hillary is absolutely running for President in 2016 (see Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2564: Hillary Clinton Stumping for Terry McAuliffe ... but Did She Hint at Running in 2016?).

In this image captured from the video above, the former Secretary of State is seen introducing Virginia Gubernatorial Candidate Terry McAuliffe.

Note she is standing behind a lectern which is composed of a thin central metal beam. This allows for much greater visual exposure of the speaker. Greater visibility translates to heightened levels of trust felt by the audience. People trust what they can see, and hiding behind a conventional wide and high, wooden lectern blocks the view of most of one's body. Along with Plexiglas lecterns, these minimalist designs are becoming increasingly popular in the last several years - particularly among political candidates.

Intriguingly, all factors being equal, those who use a minimal lectern - or even none at all - will speak with a higher energy level, a greater confidence and enjoy a greater flow and ability to "think on their feet" compared with other times when speaking behind a lectern. This change in tactic, while seemingly trivial to some is extremely beneficial.

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2490:  Hillary Clinton and the Two-Handed Point -  The American Bar Association, Body Language and  Variations on a Theme

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2523:  Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the 2016 Presidency -  Rapport Builder vs. Rapport Destroyer

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2534: Bill and Hillary are going to be Grandparents; President Clinton's Body Language is Telling Us that Chelsea is Pregnant

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2363: Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the Political Point -  Hand Tension Correlations with Facial Tension

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2385:  Hillary Clinton & Henry Kissinger at  Atlantic Council's Leadership Awards  Her Body Language Betrays Anxiety at a Key Moment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 1923:  Hillary Clinton's Body Language re: Syrian Government - The Self-Righteous Head Wiggle 

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2379:  Bill Clinton's Speech at the  George W. Bush Presidential Library Opening  Body Language of Former and Current President

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Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2564: Hillary Clinton Stumping for Terry McAuliffe ... but Did She Hint at Running in 2016? (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

Former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went stumping today for Virginia Gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe. There were many nonverbal and paralanguage qualities of her speech which signaled Mrs. Clinton's intention of running for Presidency in 2016 - some of which are described below.

At 0:47, Hillary Clinton continues, " ... What kind of leadership is required to keep in great ... "

At 0:50, the former first lady displays a prolonged eyelid closure as she says the word, "... required ..."

This prolonged closure as she says this strongly suggests she is referring to herself, not Terry McAuliffe.

At 0:52 Hillary Clinton displays a partially suppressed smile. Seconds later it blooms to a full "Duchenne" aka sincere smile as she is unable to squelch her joy.

At 0:53 we see the former Secretary of State maintain an open mouth as she draws out a pause - while inhaling.

Her deliberate pause facilitated by this prolonged inhalation after this specific verbal delivery in order to allow an applaud to crescendo - is another indicator that it was herself to which she was referring rather than candidate McAuliffe.




No doubt about it - Hillary Clinton is running for President in 2016.

What other body language tells did you see in this video?

See also:

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2534: Bill and Hillary are going to be Grandparents; President Clinton's Body Language is Telling Us that Chelsea is Pregnant

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2490:  Hillary Clinton and the Two-Handed Point - The American Bar Association, Body Language and Variations on a Theme

Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2523:  Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the 2016 Presidency -  Rapport Builder vs. Rapport Destroyer

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2363: Hillary Clinton, Body Language and the Political Point -  Hand Tension Correlations with Facial Tension

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2385:  Hillary Clinton & Henry Kissinger at  Atlantic Council's Leadership Awards  Her Body Language Betrays Anxiety at a Key Moment

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2202:  Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and the Body Language of the "Fig Leaf"

Nonverbal Communication Analysis # 2379:  Bill Clinton's Speech at the  George W. Bush Presidential Library Opening  Body Language of Former and Current President

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