I’ve found two factors that can lead to problems with facial expressions. The first is the person being completely unaware of the face they are donning. Individuals who are not conscious of the picture they’ve painted on their face for others to see are usually also not fully aware of the impact they have on their group. The second factor that can lead to problems is in misreading the facial expressions in front of us. Concern may be misconstrued as disapproval. A lingering furrowed brow from a prior meeting may be taken as frustration around the topic you are putting on the table.

Have you ever stopped and thought about the face you are wearing?

The expression it holds during a team meeting.

The signal it gives off that says ‘don’t talk to me right now’ as you’re walking down the hall.

The ‘I’m in trouble’ or ‘life is great’ face after you leave your manager’s office.

Unless you have a particularly good poker face and wear it all day long; you probably show a lot about what you’re thinking and feeling in your face, like the rest of us. While it’s usually not a problem to wear your emotions on your face; it makes sense to understand how people around you will perceive the expression you’re wearing. From a scowl to a smile your face paints a picture and the people around you read meaning into the pictures they see. If you manage others it’s particularly important to understand the messages you’re transmitting through your facial expressions.

Let me share with you another story. This one is about P.J., a mid-level manager of about 30 people. Part of what P.J. was known for was wearing his feelings on his sleeve. The employees used to wait for P.J. to walk by their desks after a management meeting. They were sure they knew what was going on by the look on P.J.’s face. When P.J. looked worried they all assumed something bad was about to come down the pike. They kibitzed and shuffled around for the rest of day and theorized about what was to come. Nothing productive was accomplished the rest of the day. Howeve

I’ve found two factors that can lead to problems with facial expressions. The first is the person being completely unaware of the face they are donning. Individuals who are not conscious of the picture they’ve painted on their face for others to see are usually also not fully aware of the impact they have on their group. The second factor that can lead to problems is in misreading the facial expressions in front of us. Concern may be misconstrued as disapproval. A lingering furrowed brow from a prior meeting may be taken as frustration around the topic you are putting on the table.

Have you ever stopped and thought about the face you are wearing?

The expression it holds during a team meeting.

The signal it gives off that says ‘don’t talk to me right now’ as you’re walking down the hall.

The ‘I’m in trouble’ or ‘life is great’ face after you leave your manager’s office.

Unless you have a particularly good poker face and wear it all day long; you probably show a lot about what you’re thinking and feeling in your face, like the rest of us. While it’s usually not a problem to wear your emotions on your face; it makes sense to understand how people around you will perceive the expression you’re wearing. From a scowl to a smile your face paints a picture and the people around you read meaning into the pictures they see. If you manage others it’s particularly important to understand the messages you’re transmitting through your facial expressions.

Let me share with you another story. This one is about P.J., a mid-level manager of about 30 people. Part of what P.J. was known for was wearing his feelings on his sleeve. The employees used to wait for P.J. to walk by their desks after a management meeting. They were sure they knew what was going on by the look on P.J.’s face. When P.J. looked worried they all assumed something bad was about to come down the pike. They kibitzed and shuffled around for the rest of day and theorized about what was to come. Nothing productive was accomplished the rest of the day. Howev

Have you ever stopped and thought about the face you are wearing?

The expression it holds during a team meeting.

The signal it gives off that says ‘don’t talk to me right now’ as you’re walking down the hall.

The ‘I’m in trouble’ or ‘life is great’ face after you leave your manager’s office.

Unless you have a particularly good poker face and wear it all day long; you probably show a lot about what you’re thinking and feeling in your face, like the rest of us. While it’s usually not a problem to wear your emotions on your face; it makes sense to understand how people around you will perceive the expression you’re wearing. From a scowl to a smile your face paints a picture and the people around you read meaning into the pictures they see. If you manage others it’s particularly important to understand the messages you’re transmitting through your facial expressions.

Let me share with you another story. This one is about P.J., a mid-level manager of about 30 people. Part of what P.J. was known for was wearing his feelings on his sleeve. The employees used to wait for P.J. to walk by their desks after a management meeting. They were sure they knew what was going on by the look on P.J.’s face. When P.J. looked worried they all assumed something bad was about to come down the pike. They kibitzed and shuffled around for the rest of day and theorized about what was to come. Nothing productive was accomplished the rest of the day. Howev

Let me share with you another story. This one is about P.J., a mid-level manager of about 30 people. Part of what P.J. was known for was wearing his feelings on his sleeve. The employees used to wait for P.J. to walk by their desks after a management meeting. They were sure they knew what was going on by the look on P.J.’s face. When P.J. looked worried they all assumed something bad was about to come down the pike. They kibitzed and shuffled around for the rest of day and theorized about what was to come. Nothing productive was accomplished the rest of the day. Howev

So what do you do? P.J. is a great example of what to do. Pay attention to how you’re feeling and how you’re expressing yourself in your everyday work situations. Pay attention to the reactions of those around you. Allow your facial expressions to support your managerial ability.