Righttrack Whispers: Smile Please

by Lynne Greaves

Sometimes it is the very simple ideas that can make a big difference. This idea applies to us all, no matter what we are doing, work or play. It can help us start relationships (remember, I said work or play!), develop them, improve them and sometimes even understand them more. Sounds too good to be true? No, really, read on!

My advice might sound very obvious, and no more than simple common sense, but it is something that is so often forgotten when we are, as is frequently the case, stressed, busy, focussed, distracted, under pressure, nervous, worrying or just simply working during a recession.

Now, let me give you some clues and we’ll see if you can guess what I’m talking about:

It can stand all on it’s own, open doors, break down barriers, win favours, warm hearts, create a good impression, spread good feeling and make someone’s day.

Can you tell what it is yet? Here’s some more clues:

It is silent, yet is one the strongest and most powerful forms of communication. It can turn something negative into something positive; it can bring together people from all walks of life or all levels of business or different cultures; it can break the ice when you are struggling to think of the right words to say.

I expect you have guessed it by now – and if you have, then you are probably doing it right now in satisfaction! Of course, my top tip for the best communication is so simple… Smile!

A smile is, essentially, just something that happens when we curl up our lips. But actually, it really is so much more. As an aid to communication, it really is a remarkable thing. In this current economic climate, where every day we are hearing bad news about companies, performance, jobs, forecasts, etc, it is more important than ever to endeavour to promote positive thinking and a positive attitude in everything that we do. This is where a smile comes into its own. The clever thing about a smile is that it can be hugely influential and infectious, making people who are touched by it feel welcome, safe and positive.

I was once told about a survey, conducted amongst a selection of American business executives. They were asked to list and rank their greatest fears. Amazingly, more of them claimed to be afraid of giving presentations than they were of dying! When I am running training courses on presentation skills, I advocate smiling as being one of the most powerful tools in the presenter’s kit box. If you walk up to the podium and face your audience with a smile on your face, your will find that you immediately have friends and allies out there, who are willing you on to succeed rather than waiting for you to fail. By engaging your audience with a smile, they will be there to help, support and forgive you should you trip up, stumble, or falter whilst you are trying to get your message across.

And there is more good news! Smiling gives you a better muscular work out than frowning. So if you are short of time and forced to multi-task, smiling could be your answer: according to Dr David Song, a plastic surgeon and Associate Professor at the University of Chicago Hospitals, it takes 12 muscles to smile and only 11 to frown, so you can even justify that you’re working your body harder by smiling!

My Mum has always said to me “you catch a lot more flies with lemonade than with vinegar”. I think that this sums up the positive effects of a smile in a nutshell. And do you know what is best of all, we can all do it… go on, start practicing now!