A deceptive person will talk around the issue without actually answering the initial question.

Recognize evasiveness

The person will enter a phase of fight or flight. The strain of deception will typically cause the skin to flush or to turn cold and itch. The person will scratch their ears or nose. They will answer too quickly.  They might fidget or suddenly tap nervously.

Look at the nonverbal cues

Deceptive people can flood you with truthful answers and make you believe that they are good people. Filter through all the information that is meant to deceive you to get to the real untruths.

Manage your bias

Listen and search for the direct denial of an accusation. A guilty person will try to qualify the situation by  saying words like “not really” or “not for the most part.”

Watch for failure to deny

Where a response of yes or no would convey the answer, the responder launches into a convincing explanation instead of answering the question. They may add disqualifiers such as “I won’t lie to you” or “honestly” in an attempt to convince.

Watch for adding disqualifiers

A deceptive person will get angry at the question. They may attempt to redirect the situation by accusing the questioner of discrimination or bias or by attacking a third party.

Beware of aggression

Assuming folded arms are a sign of lying behavior is speculation. Instead, consider whether the behavior is a result of your question, or possibly just nervousness.

Analyze vs. speculate

Body language is a critical part of public relations. As I tell our clients, if the visual and verbal aspects of a message don't align, you are doomed. Yes, there are clues that show the world when someone is telling a flagrant lie or shielding the truth.

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