How Does Your Face Look?

Have you ever thought about how your face looks when talking to others?


Although most of the type we don't think about this too much  it is critical in communicating with other -- because along with our words and body language people use what they see in deciding whether they like us or not and if they are going to bother to listen to what we are trying to say. All within the first 90 seconds of meeting us!


That does not mean that we want to speak to people with a neutral or expressionless face. Nothing will turn an audience off faster than that. We want to use your face to share and emphasize your  feelings with our audience. 


There is another facial expression we want to avoid or minimize (It could be appropriate in some brief situations.) which  some speech coaches like Arch Lustberg, author of Winning When It Really Counts,  have  described  as the "closed face" or the  grimace, when you freeze the muscles around our eyes and forehead creating narrowed eyes and a deep vertical crease between your eyes.


Most of the time you want to have  that " open face" with a natural, friendly expression on our face. Watch almost any newscast or talk show host -- particularly the morning shows like  Regis & Kelley shown on channels in the U.S. and Canada for good examples of this. Even when they are discussing tragic, sad or serious topics their faces are never "closed" and menacing.


The trick is to keep your facial muscles relaxed and then focus your attention on your topic which will help your facial expressions to come naturally as you discuss your topic.


This closed  or neutral face -- or even just keeping your forehead raised in a heavy creases for long periods of time are traps or habits that are easy to fall into.


If you are having any trouble with these mannerisms work on eliminating them  -- and keeping your face "open" and alive with appropriate smiles and other expressions   in front of a mirror or a speech coach (friend or professional).


Practice, practice, practice. And as you do visualize yourself  actually speaking to that audience. Then when you are up on the stage it effective facial expressions will be more likely to come spontaneously -- just like when you are talking to that close friend.