140 Part III: The Trunk: Limbs and Roots
said. When the speaker delivers the same message with the palm facing
downward the positive response rate drops significantly. And when the
speaker points her finger directly at the listener the positive response becomes
practically non-existent. The listener reacts negatively toward the speaker,
tunes out what she’s saying and makes personal judgements about her.The open palm ....................................................................................
The open hand is an ancient sign of trustworthiness. It’s a positive position and
is helpful for establishing rapport with another person. It is also a submissive,
non-threatening gesture. The next time you walk past a pleading street beggar
look at how her hand is positioned. Chances are the palm is facing upwards.Showing honesty
If you want a simple way to tell if someone is being open and honest with you
look at where her palms are facing. If one or both of the palms are facing up
it’s a pretty good sign that you’re hearing the truth (see Figure 9-1). When
people hold their hands in a front facing open position the words that would
match this position would be along the lines of, ‘Honestly, I mean what I’m
saying. You can absolutely trust that I’m telling you the truth.’Figure 9-1:
The open
palm
indicates
honesty
and trust-
worthiness.