The Art of Detecting Lies: Understanding Nonverbal Cues
Speaking the truth in professional contexts causes a slew of problems at work. Teams that trust each other and form relationships based on honesty and the common objective of obtaining the greatest results on the job create a productive work environment. But, there will always be coworkers, clients, potential hires, and executives who lie. There are additional techniques to determine if someone is being dishonest with you or your firm.
The clear signs are non-verbal, without a word spoken sometimes. What are these non-verbal cues?
Nonverbal communication refers to all of the ways we communicate without using words. Facial expressions, for example, are a code or signal that indicates how a person feels from moment to moment. Micro expressions are brief expressions of the face. They are a natural reaction to an uncontrollable situation and a method of determining the actual honest feelings that others are experiencing.
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The majority of people do not recognize the emotions expressed in these micro-expressions. People can, nevertheless, learn to see them. Learning to understand facial emotions provides you an advantage in business as it enables you to connect with business partners more efficiently.” Body language is another type of nonverbal communication. This includes how you move your body, including unconsciously. It is not unusual for our bodies to convey information that our words cannot.
Detecting Lies
Do you ever suspect that someone is not being truthful with you? Perhaps you can’t put it into words, but you have a feeling something isn’t quite right. You are most likely right. You are most likely conscious of shifts in the person’s nonverbal communication.
You must observe individuals in order to improve your ability to identify lies. Whenever your body language and nonverbal communication are in sync, the words you express have far more meaning. People tend to dismiss spoken words and focus on body language when your nonverbal message is inconsistent with your words.
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Gestures To Look Out For
When you suspect someone is being dishonest, look for emotional inconsistencies. Anger, disdain, disgust, fear, and melancholy are all signs of discomfort. Stress can also imply lying, as the feeling causes adrenaline to be released. Adrenaline gives the limbs greater energy, which can cause fidgeting.
It is also beneficial to look out for unusual gestures. Often, these will appear in “clusters,” which are two or more nonverbal signals that indicate discomfort. These could be as simple as a brow wrinkle, a facial tick, or a shoulder lift. It becomes much easier to see into someone’s inner world if you learn to recognize discomfort.
One of the most common signs of lying is avoidance of eye contact. If someone is avoiding your gaze, it could be a sign that they are trying to hide something. Another common body language indicator of lying is a forced smile. If someone is smiling or laughing unnaturally or too often, it could be an indication that they are not being honest. If someone is shifting their weight from one foot to the other, it may be a sign that they are uncomfortable and may be trying to deceive you.
Furthermore, someone who is lying may also be more likely to touch their face or adjust their clothing. This could be a sign that they are nervous and are trying to hide something. By learning how to read these body language signals, you can gain insight into whether or not someone is telling the truth. Keep in mind that these signs don’t necessarily indicate that someone is lying, but they can be useful clues to help you determine if someone is being honest.
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Conclusion
These are all possible signs of dishonesty, not confirmations of the same. Lying detection is not as simple as seeing someone touch their nose. Precision, practice, and training are integral parts of it. Still, you can have many of the tools needed to make a clear judgment of the truth by using your own critical thinking abilities, observation, experience, and background information about a person and scenario.
