A relatively new term, microexpression,describes a facial expression typi-
cally lasting a microsecond. Microexpressions are highly accurate emo-
tional responses, which often indicate a socially unacceptable response or
may reveal a highly charged emotional state that is best concealed, thus
their short duration. In research, even when observers are coached to look
for microexpressions, they actually identify them less than 30 percent of the
time. Yet microexpressions are extremely accurate and revealing. In sales,
a particularly high price might reveal a prospect’s naïveté, which she may
immediately attempt to conceal behind a veneer of indifference (literally
“lack of emotion”). The discovery of the microexpression is due to advanced
film technology. With more sophisticated tools, greater precision is possi-
ble in assessing facial expression.
Facial blending is the term used to describe the fact that, very often, we
express more than one emotion at a time.This notion is critical to the so-
phisticated sales professional. Given the propensity to minimize facial ex-
pressions (much more common to males than females) in a sales meeting
or negotiation session, subtle cues indicating positive or negative responses
become even more valuable. Enlarged pupils, chin stroking, or a combina-
tion of pursing of the lips and slightly nodding the head are favorable in-
dicators. Breaking eye contact, furrowing eyebrows, or shaking the head
side to side indicate negative responses.
Bilateral symmetry indicates level of intensity and possible deception.If
you draw an imaginary line down the center of a person’s face and then
compare or, more likely, contrast the facial responses on both halves of the
face, you will often gather revealing information. With very few exceptions
(my own estimate is less than 2 percent), the left side of the face is more
emotionally honest. If someone gives you a half smile by raising the right
cheek and turning up the right corner of the lips, the expression is literally
halfhearted. Simply stated, the right side of the body is controlled by the left
hemisphere of the brain—the conscious or logical side—and the left side of
the body is controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain—the subcon-
scious or emotional side. By assessing the level of involvement of each half
of the face, you can pretty accurately read how genuine the response is. In
a sales situation, a full, balanced response is the most desirable response, in
that it indicates a higher level of involvement and commitment. A predom-
inantly right-sided response indicates a potential lack of emotional commit-
ment. And a left-sided response suggests some level of internal conflict that
may need to be resolved before reaching a satisfactory conclusion.
There are three identifiable smiles.The upper smile exposes only the
upper teeth and is the most socially acceptable smile showing a balance of
The Face You See / The Face You Show 151