7 non-verbal indicators of stress
Incredible journey of self-discovery
1. Social smile: Even if the situation is not of a "laughing matter," we often smile politely to smooth over our communication. The social smile indicates an attempt to build a "communication bridge" with your interlocutor to either pacify them or prevent an unnecessary escalation in conversation. The social smile is the staple of the peacemaker as it works to make others feel more comfortable - but sometimes their comfort comes at the price of your own underlying feelings. Look beyond the smile – is it how you or the person in front of you are dealing with stress?
2. Closing the mouth and swallowing: this expression is an indicator that you are holding back or suppressing your emotions, avoiding saying what is really on your mind. If you find yourself reaching for the glass of water when the conversation becomes difficult, you could be suppressing your true emotions. Remember: the opposite of depression is expression.
I have seen this indicator time and time again during the interviews when the conversation was touching the areas of concern.
3. Eyes wide open, eyebrows up: this expression is the go-to facial cue of the Mover, the
Communication Personality that is motivated by action and result. If you typically resort to this expression, you may tend to be responsive, solution-oriented, and driven by finding innovative ways to accomplish your goals. You may find a lack of action to be your greatest communication obstacle. You tend to work towards escalating conversations to facilitate open discussion, and you don't shy away from conflict. The person displaying this stress indicator will drive to the resolution of the situation through the climax.
4.Biting down: this expression is typically either a sign of determination or suppression of frustration on a subconscious level. If you think about it, you are literally biting yourself to restrict yourself from taking action. When you do this, you internalize your aggression.
2. Closing the mouth and swallowing: this expression is an indicator that you are holding back or suppressing your emotions, avoiding saying what is really on your mind. If you find yourself reaching for the glass of water when the conversation becomes difficult, you could be suppressing your true emotions. Remember: the opposite of depression is expression.
I have seen this indicator time and time again during the interviews when the conversation was touching the areas of concern.
3. Eyes wide open, eyebrows up: this expression is the go-to facial cue of the Mover, the
Communication Personality that is motivated by action and result. If you typically resort to this expression, you may tend to be responsive, solution-oriented, and driven by finding innovative ways to accomplish your goals. You may find a lack of action to be your greatest communication obstacle. You tend to work towards escalating conversations to facilitate open discussion, and you don't shy away from conflict. The person displaying this stress indicator will drive to the resolution of the situation through the climax.
4.Biting down: this expression is typically either a sign of determination or suppression of frustration on a subconscious level. If you think about it, you are literally biting yourself to restrict yourself from taking action. When you do this, you internalize your aggression.
5.Pulling back, retracting the head: this expression exhibits the need to take distance, think of a strategy, and then respond. If this reaction occurred when discussing a person, you are putting an emotional barrier between yourself and the person being discussed.
6. Prolonged blink: this expression places a barrier between you and your interviewer, showing that you are uncomfortable and want to get away from the current situation. Often it balances the message – when you say yes when you really mean no, the body offsets the internal conflict by showing this signal.
7. Frowning: This expression symbolizes engagement with the conversation with a pre-
judgment regarding the subject being discussed. You don't have all the arguments yet to express your opinion, so you allow the conversation to go on, but the frown will be there until your internal dilemma is solved and you are clear on the next steps.
Which of these stress indicators have you noticed yourself using the most? Self-observation will teach you a lot about yourself. You will also learn start recognizing the true feelings of people around you.
If you want to learn more about how to achieve superb communication skills with the help of non-verbal behavior competency, check out our online courses at www.face-value.us
Preparing for an interview or need an assessment of your non-verbal impact on your career development? Reach out to schedule a free consultation: at katerina@face-value.us
6. Prolonged blink: this expression places a barrier between you and your interviewer, showing that you are uncomfortable and want to get away from the current situation. Often it balances the message – when you say yes when you really mean no, the body offsets the internal conflict by showing this signal.
7. Frowning: This expression symbolizes engagement with the conversation with a pre-
judgment regarding the subject being discussed. You don't have all the arguments yet to express your opinion, so you allow the conversation to go on, but the frown will be there until your internal dilemma is solved and you are clear on the next steps.
Which of these stress indicators have you noticed yourself using the most? Self-observation will teach you a lot about yourself. You will also learn start recognizing the true feelings of people around you.
If you want to learn more about how to achieve superb communication skills with the help of non-verbal behavior competency, check out our online courses at www.face-value.us
Preparing for an interview or need an assessment of your non-verbal impact on your career development? Reach out to schedule a free consultation: at katerina@face-value.us
Written by Katerina Gerdeman.
Katerina is HR Consultant and Executive Coach, She co-founded the FaceValue method – supporting the art of interpersonal communication. Through FaceValue, you will learn how to read non-verbal facial cues to identify the Communication Personality and engagement strategies of any person you interact with. As a Global HR Leader, Katerina has coached and supported people's development in Fortune 500 companies across industries, cultures, and continents, including the United States, Europe, and Asia for the past 20 years.
Katerina Gerdeman