Communication Lesson of the Day: Smile

Smile. Smile. Smile. Smile. It lifts our mood, it's contagious, it relaxes us. On the phone, if you talk while smiling, your tone smooths the edges (this is something I need to work on). Here's another thing smiling does in a group meeting or interview: it implies a subtle kind of confidence that's very powerful. Below is a video of Brad Feld in an interview discussing how a start-up raises money. Watch the first three minutes. Observe his body language and gestures. In particular, Brad's facial expressions and tone of voice (especially when contrasted to the interviewer as her tone comes off as stilted). And even more specifically, observe his smiling, which is natural and fluid and very effective at creating an atmosphere of genuine exchange.