SOMETIMES NONVERBALS SIMPLY UNDERSCORE THE DEPTH OF FEELINGS.
Melinda Marcus, M.A., CSP
Shows leaders how to read Body Language and Influence Decisions? Speaks and Consults on how to win new clients, career opportunities and support of stakeholders ? Author of "Read The Zoom"
I got an urgent phone call during the press conference introducing former Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic to his new fans in L.A. It was the Dallas ABC television affiliate asking me for an interview as their body language expert. They wanted my perspective on the nonverbals of the player and his new Lakers’ GM as well as the body language of his former Mavs’ coach and GM from an earlier press conference.
It was short notice, so please excuse my appearance. YIKES – not much time for hair and makeup! Focusing on them (and not me) there were a number of subtle and not-so-subtle nonverbal cues that confirmed Luka’s deep disappointment and hurt feelings. Even more telling than his slumped posture and lowered head was the sadness in his voice. Keep in mind that vocal patterns are also nonverbals. He spoke in a much lower pitch with lower energy and very quietly – that’s different from his vocal pattern in previous after-game press conferences. These nonverbals underscored his verbal messaging, where he said that loyalty was important to him, and that he had wanted to spend his career with the Mavericks.
The body language of the Mavs’ coach Jason Kidd was interesting for a different reason. He showed a lot of stress signals at the start of the press conference. His GM apparently made the deal without ever consulting him. While the GM talked about how he didn’t need to confer with Kidd because he knew what kind of players his coach liked, Kidd just stared blankly and had a stone face. Not what you’d expect if Kidd agreed.
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Like the Mavs’ GM, the Lakers’ GM seemed confident and positive about the trade. Of course, those two guys engineered the deal, so they were the only ones not surprised by it. However, the Lakers’ GM did show some nonverbal stress cues when talking about the complexity of the deal and keeping it a secret. If you want to hear specifics on the nonverbal signals I observed, you can watch the full interview online at WFAA.com.
No mystery about the verbal and nonverbal communications from Dallas Mavericks fans: they are shocked and angry. What’s your take on this major trade that sent shock waves through the NBA?
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A creative professional, planner, strategist, implementer in establishing & managing entire organization in large corporate sector and startups. Also devoted to the welfare of children- physical & emotional, - worldwide.
2 天前Absolutely true. I personally feel non verbal communication is more powerful.
Retail Improvement Project Manager
1 个月Melinda, this is awesome. Hopefully we can discuss this sometime soon. I’d love to learn some more of your techniques!
Leadership, Executive Coach, Team Facilitator, Strategic Advisory
1 个月Melinda, I'd be interested if you've had a chance to see Luka Doncic getting off the plane and the nonverbals there as the cameras were rolling as he came down the stairs. These mid-season surprise trades to star players make it impossible to hide nonverbal feelings of sadness, anger, betrayal and questioning. These are often emotions that top players might want to hide as they don't want to burn bridges nor start with their new team and fans on the wrong foot.
Your secret weapon to attract top talent, build a thriving workplace culture, and retain the right people. | Keynote Speaker | Workplace Researcher | Amateur Comic | Former Meeting and Event Planner
1 个月Love it! Thrilled the media is reaching out to you for insights on body language!
New book: Blackman, J. & Dring, K. (2023). Developmental Evaluation of Children & Adolescents: A Psychodynamic Guide. New York: Routledge
1 个月Quite right! I recall after the Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Yankees in 1955, I was ecstatic. I felt loyalty to the team as though they were my family. When the dodgers announced in 1957 that they were moving to California, I not only felt betrayed, I used a defense mechanism (I now know and have written about) called “identification with aggressor” and rejected them and the whole game of baseball! The loyalty has Lots of love, if personal symbolism, reflected in the nonverbal and body language you astutely discuss. Warm regards, Jerry