Body Language Facial Expression Can Build Trust

Body Language Facial Expression Can Build Trust – this is something I’m still learning. We know that happy employees can lead to happy customers. So, there’s a good reason to smile and be happy.

In fact, I’m trying to smile more often because my face usually looks like this:

So, now you see why I’m trying to smile more. The crazy thing is that my kids have noticed. I’ve received comments like:

• “Dad is so happy”
• “I love you daddy”
• “I want to be with you daddy all the time because you make me happy”

Okay, I’m being dramatic. But seriously, my kids have noticed that I’m smiling more and they are happier because of it.

With any type of organizational change, resistance is often a barrier that creeps into the dynamic. The antidote to resistance is trust. Trust comes from your character, how you present yourself, and what you do – people will have a sense and perception of who you are that either builds trust or not.

But, our face also plays a part in whether others perceive us to be trustworthy or not.

Princeton University¹ psychologists conducted research on the facial features that build trust and which facial features don’t build trust.

Below is their facial-trust scale (my term).  Where do you fit in the scale?

According to the study, these are the facial features that are not perceived as trustworthy:

• Low inner eyebrows
• Deep indentation above nose, between eyes
• Shallow cheekbones
• Thin chin

On the other hand, here are the facial featured perceived to be trustworthy:

• High inner eyebrows
• Shallow indentation between eyes and above nose
• Pronounced cheekbones
• Wide chin

What does your face say about you?