opportunity to become a better observer? When we face the prospect or
client, we can witness the subtle indications of heightened awareness sug-
gestive of positive feedback as well as signs of tacit disapproval. Both are
critical for initial sales success and for maintaining long-term professional
relationships.
Communication researchers have determined as many as 38,000 dif-
ferent combinations of facial expressions involve over 20 muscles. And yet,
despite this wide range of possibilities and the impact of cultural influences,
facial expressions are not only readily identifiable, they are surprisingly re-
liable indicators of emotional responses.
Researchers Paul Ekman and Wallace Friesen have identified six uni-
versal facial expressions: surprise, happiness, fear, anger, disgust, and sad-
ness. Of all possible emotional states, only these six expressions are displayed
similarly throughout the world. Researchers also find that these expressions
are typically identified with very high levels of accuracy.
FACIAL LITERACY
Acheson warns that although facial expression is the primary means by
which we transmit information about our emotional state to others, it has
some potentially limiting factors. Following are some key points to consider
regarding body language.
Facial expressions may be consciously controlled.Ekman points to three
basic rules in the social consensus about which feelings can be shown and
when they can be shown. Three common displays are minimizing, exag-
gerating, and substituting. Individuals can choose to withhold information
by minimizing their facial expressions, projecting an emotional response
where none is actually present, or project a false emotional state. Each of
these choices can greatly impact the quality of communications in a profes-
sional setting. In many scenarios, you can gain a distinct advantage by re-
stricting emotional expression. Feigned interest is an unstated goal of the
sophisticated buyer.
Facial expressions are notoriously short in duration.Although we tend to
display a general emotional state to those around us, a genuine facial re-
sponse is short-lived, usually less than several seconds. The expression of
shock has the longest duration, lasting over three seconds. To achieve an
accurate assessment of facial expression in a sales situation, one must focus
on the face as information is shared. Otherwise the actual response is easy
to miss, or it may be consciously manipulated either to conceal or mislead
the sales professional to maintain some degree of negotiating power.
150 SELLING WITH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE