What the Boss’ Body Language Says is from Yahoo Hot Jobs and is well worth the read. I’m a sucker for these tells, to use poker parlance.
A quick taste from the short article:
Eyes, Head, and Face
Positive:
- Looks you directly in the eye.
- Muscles around the eye are relaxed.
- Facial muscles are relaxed. Lips are their normal size.
- Pleasant face and friendly smile.
Negative:
- Rapid eye movement, does not look at you; has a cold, glaring, staring, or glazed-over look.
- Blinks more than normal.
- Raises one eyebrow as if in disbelief or doubt.
- Facial muscles are tight; lips thin out.
- Jaw muscles and clenched, and temple or neck veins throb.
- Smile is stiff and forced.
Blinking is a good giveaway especially in conjunction with darting eyes. Of course, you do not need advanced empathetic aptitudes to understand the negative nature of throbbing neck veins. Or bright red faces. Or clenched jaws.
I have worked for managers who simply told me to my face, in loud words, their negative disposition towards me. Body language interpretation was not needed for those individuals.