How do you maintain a poker face when it is best to not give away what you are thinking?

Jim Tam’s first thought was, if you’re on zoom, turn off your camera. It takes practice to keep a straight face and can be important in negotiation situations. He suggested preparing ahead of time to avoid being surprised because surprise might be the hardest tell to hide.

 

Stewart Wiggins shared an adage from his time in the military: “if you're smiling, you're not doing your job.” But that learned behavior didn’t serve him when he got out of the military because people would misread his body language.

 

Catarina von Maydell built on what the other panelists said by saying one of the hardest things about a poker face is deciding when and if we should or should not use it because it can be damaging to relationships if we need to be building trust.

 

We shared a few stories and towards the end I asked the group how the learned when and how to use or not use a poker face.

 

Since most of communication has nothing to do with the words we say, this is a topic we would all do well to think about a little more than we do.

 

How do you keep a straight face when the emotion you feel is not what you want to share?

 

Connect with the panelists:
Jim Tam: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimtam/

Is a Principal Client Director with Korn Ferry’s Digital group where he advises organizations on how to improve their sales effectiveness through using world-class sales methodology and technology.

 

Stewart Wiggins: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-wiggins/

Induna Advisors – where he offers Fractional Chief Operating Officer services and Brings resources together to help scale your business.

 

Catarina von Maydell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catarinavonmaydell/

She helps business leaders build disruptive business models and define key leverage points to create powerful change and impact using a process of systemic, organizational, and human evolution.

 

Dr Robyn Odegaard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robynodegaard/

AKA Mental MacGyver. My doctorate is in organizational business psychology with a concentration in sport and performance. I provide luxury level, high performance support and coaching to executives, founders, celebrities and athletes.

 

Want a summary of Quick Hits plus the links to the LinkedIn pages of each of the panelist in your in-box every week? Let me know where to send it: https://drrobynodegaard.com/quick-hits-notifications/

 

#QuickHits are designed to exercise your brain by letting you listen in on an unscripted conversation to get other people's thoughts on pertinent subjects. If you would like to join a conversation or have a topic you would like to hear discussed, please message me. https://www.MentalMacGyver.com