When it comes to spotting a liar, the reaction to the lie can often be more telling than the lie itself. In my work as a crisis communicator, I am constantly mining breaking news stories to gain insight into when someone is being truthful and when they’re not. I think many of you are like me feeling blessed that we’ve been able to watch conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on the stand for a defamation trial when he said that the Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax and the victims’ families said otherwise. In my line of work, often times I have to identify if the primary spokesperson for an issue is someone who you’re going to put up in the face of a crisis. They will need to be able to withstand the scrutiny and the media interviews. So watching a case like this is vital for someone like me to determine if someone is an effective spokesperson. I look for honesty… are they knowledgeable? Are they cogent? Do they speak in a way that people can comprehend and understand? Are they likable? Are they honest brokers?
As you look at this video, pay attention to his micro-expressions, the furrowed brow, the bugging of the eyes, the exasperation and the frustration, anything to deflect the truth. So whether it’s Alex Jones, or whether it’s your boss, your colleagues, your spouse, someone that you’re partnered with or someone that you’re dating, liars will do anything not to tell the truth like this.
