Have you ever noticed that when a photographer says, “Smile!” people in the photograph often look a little fake?
Smiling, although natural, can be complicated. That’s probably why we don’t do it more often, even when being photographed.
But there are other reasons we don’t smile. The list is extensive and includes insecurity, lack of self-awareness, discomfort, low self-esteem, fatigue, and unhappiness.
Once in a while, I’ll accidentally catch a glimpse of my resting face when I reverse the lens on my cell phone.
Sometimes, I don’t like what I see.
My neutral or resting face is sometimes a bit stern-looking and not very warm. This is true for most people, especially when we’re doing business.
Something about being at work has us wearing our “game face” all the time.
It doesn’t take much to warm up that expression, so I’m going to get better at showing my “smiling eyes.”
It turns out that a specific muscle of the face is responsible for that warmer expression. It’s the mouth muscle known as the “zygomaticus major.” If you work with people, you want to exercise this baby every day!
A welcoming smile can replace a look of fatigue or frustration.
In general, it’s good idea to walk into meetings with “smiling eyes.”
Consider, a nice, natural smile will make others more receptive to what you have to say.
A friendly expression makes you more approachable and improves communication. Smiling more often can help you win friends and influence people.
I teach presentation skills. Of course, I know lots of nifty tricks for improving closing ratios and being more influential, but here’s a non-technical piece of advice I give all my clients: Smile more!
A little extra expression animates your face and helps you appear more lifelike.
Speaking of smiling, that corny smiley-face emoticon can warm up an email or text message, too.
A warm smile is an invitation to friendship and to do business. Why not wear one all the time?
Smart leaders and salespeople know that they can make more money with a smile.
In fact, what you do during a presentation is actually more important than what you say.
People in the professional development business take smiling very seriously. That’s why “smile training” is an essential component of a communication skill set.
I teach people how to use a smile and other non-verbals to effectively communicate their messages during presentations.
Check out my Present Like a Pro training when I come to your area or as a webinar.
As they used to say in the ‘60s: “Smile, it doesn’t cost anything!”
But not smiling at work can cost you a lot.
Michael Angelo Caruso, a leading keynote speaker based in Royal Oak, teaches presentations skills. He has spoken in 49 of the 50 states as well as South America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and the Middle East. He spends lots of time working and playing in California, Texas, Florida, and New York.
Sample his two-minute videos and subscribe to Michael’s channel for free on YouTube.