A Princeton researcher has done a study on what makes a trustworthy face, even in repose: http://tinyurl.com/7h5gkn.  What’s fascinating about the study is that it connects with other research on facial expressions conducted over the years by Paul Ekman and others (http://www.paulekman.com/). 

Overall, the gist of the research is this.  The structure of your face affects how people receive you.  But, as I’ve been telling clients for years, there are 4 basic facial expressions that increase the likelihood that people will trust you, like you, and rate you favorably in a lineup.  They are:  wide-open eyes, raised eyebrows, the smile, and nodding. 

So, if you’ve got a deep indentation between your eyebrows, or heavy ones that appear to be lowered at the inner part above your nose, or a thin chin, or shallow cheekbones – opening your eyes, raising your eyebrows, and smiling will greatly mitigate the effect of these given facial attributes.  Nodding will then go a long way toward building agreement. 

As I argue in Trust Me:  Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma, people’s unconscious ‘take’ on you begins before they even have conscious reactions to what you say.  So, your speech or presentation is conditioned by your expression, your posture, and your gestures before you even begin to speak – for good or for ill.  It’s something you want to manage and control if you want to be an effective communicator.

The good news for Obama is that the answer to the question, can you trust him, is ‘yes’.  His face scores high on trustworthiness, and, more important, his brilliant use of facial gestures – from his megawatt smile to his eyes and eyebrows – ensures that he will be trusted, as long, of course, as his administration stays on track!