Patti Wood Body Language Expert Blog

Body Language Reveals In the TV Show Succession, Touch Tells Between the Siblings On Succession.

Here are some of the insights on the body language of the siblings I shared for this article. The link to the full article is in the comments. 

Succession’s Heirs: Touch Me Gently
Body language experts evaluate the Succession kids' bizarre hugs
May 27, 2023 By Kyle Mullin Photography by Macall Polay/HBO WEB EXCLUSIVE
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Succession’s characters often reveal more with their body language than with anything they say. This is in part due to the privilege and trauma of billionaire news baron wannabe-heir Kendall Roy (Jeremy Strong) and his siblings Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) whose awkward movements and physical interaction are wince-worthy. That trauma stemmed from their manipulative, outburst prone father, the late Logan Roy (Brian Cox). But the ruthlessly successful businessman also endowed the squabbling siblings with enough wealth to alienate them from the comparative peasants they need to interact with.

When the siblings gingerly reach out to one another – wary of betrayal, but desperate for validation — their odd gestures convey multitudes. Their body language also draws attention when they simply speak or sit. Ken’s halting tone is a prime example of the former, while Roman’s oddball posture stands out as the latter.

Since the Roys’ eccentric and acidic behavior has turned so many viewers into armchair psychologists, we asked true experts to weigh in. Patti Wood holds an MA in body language and nonverbal communication. Woods has been called “the Babe Ruth of body language experts” by The Washington Post. She is also working on a book about body language in cinema, which includes It’s a Wonderful Life and The Godfather. Former FBI agent Joe Navarro utilized his body language expertise to catch real life crooks. He has since appeared in numerous viral videos in which he breaks down the nonverbal communication of politicians, gangsters and more. His book What Every BODY is Saying is an international best seller.

[Author’s note: spoilers follow]

In an early first season episode Wood was struck by the siblings’ cold, derisive nonverbal communication while doctors tended to their ailing father. More recently, Wood was focused on another dynamic: that infamous recent episode when Logan suddenly dies and Roman becomes uncharacteristically earnest. At one point Roman not only reaches out to his half-brother Connor (the always hilarious Alan Ruck), but lunges at him (director Mark Mylod told GQ the strange hug between Roman and Connor was not in the script, but instead happened between the actors “organically in a lovely, clumsy way.

All reactions:

Patti Wood

Patti Wood, MA - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com.

Amy Robach Body Language at Half Marathon, What does it mean when you wear a promise ring around your neck?

Here is the article on the nonverbal

https://www.the-sun.com/entertainment/8174306/amy-robach-tj-holmes-affair-marathon-body-language/amp/?fbclid=Iw

Bryan Kohbeger's Body Language at his Idaho Murder Arraignment by Patti Wood

I will post my article on Bryan Kohbeger's Body Language at his Idaho Murder Arraignment when it goes live. Here is the link to the video I analyzed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OoeK6XqTGE

How Do You Encourage Reading in Your Children? A Nonverbal Communication Expert Recommendations.

As an expert in nonverbal communication, I would recommend the placement of books all around the home. Placement that may communicate honor and respect for the books, such as organized placement on shelves and placement that indicates easy accessibility like low-level coffee tables, low-level side tables, and low-level bookshelves for children.

It's also interesting that children will model their parent's nonverbal behavior. Children will also watch how their parents and older siblings hold and focus on their books, specifically, does it hold their undivided attention, do they stare intently at it, hold it close, curl their body around it, and other subtle nonverbal cues such as and if they carry a book with them when they leave the house, do they see their parents reading a book as they wait at the doctor's office, or they see that their parents read in bed before sleep, or after dinner in the living room instead of watching TV or in a cozy spot, or at the beach, etc, they are more likely to model that reading ritual.

For example, my dad studied a lot and had his textbooks that filled their shelves in the bedroom and also had a stack of steamy bestsellers on his bedside, and he had a subscription to several newspapers including the Wall Street Journal and many many magazines that where left on the coffee table, my parent's bed and side tables always available to read. I started reading the Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Newsweek, and a host of other magazines and his potboiler novels when I was ten or so.

Now have bookshelves filled with textbooks and other books on my expertise (nonverbal communication) in my house. I have over 1,000 books in my house! And I always have novels stacked on my bedside table and books and magazines of all kinds on my coffee table.

Workplace Bullying and What You Can Do About It.

I speak and write about how to avoid workplace bullying and how to deal with it in the workplace.

Here is an article I contributed to on bullying.

What does workplace bullying look like?

Patti Wood, a human behavior expert, spoke to us about what bullying can look and sound like.

She says there are physical cues to look out for, such as a head jutting forward, teeth-baring, and space invasion. It can look like vocal intimidation, “Raising the volume of the voice, lowering the voice, speeding up or slowing down, punching certain words, or growling”.

It can also include targeted jokes, threats, humiliation, unjust criticism, and continued denial of requests without a valid reason. Workplace bullying can often be subtle and can include ‘gaslighting’, which is where a bully engages in abusive behavior but then denies it occurred. It’s important to be aware of both overt and subtle bullying behaviors to identify them.

Patti says you can identify bullying by noticing how you feel in the presence of someone else. If you feel bullied, pay attention to what the other person is saying or doing that could make you feel targeted.. A lot of workplace bullying can be subtle, so this can be a practical way for your employees to identify bullying.

Another marker employers can look out for is a change in workplace behavior. This can include increased absences, low morale, and changes in performance. There may be other reasons behind these changes, but noting them and enquiring can help managers monitor the early warning signs of workplace bullying.

Here is the link to the rest of the article.

https://www.expertmarket.com/uk/business-insights/workplace-bullying