Executive Rewind: When Your Body Betrays Your Messages
Talk face to face with a reporter, or, in the even more difficult environment of having to relate to a camera, your body language had better validate what you say. Indeed, body language is so overwhelmingly more important, perhaps we should say that the words you speak should validate your non-verbals.
Interviewing takes you now to an exchange between Super Agent Scott Boras and the new Fox Business Network’s David Asman. Days before this interview, the announcement came out that Boras’ most famous client, Alex Rodriquez (“A-Rod”) of the NY Yankees, would exercise his right to free agency. Word broke the evening of the fourth (and, as it turned out, final) game of the World Series, yanking attention from the competition on the field. That, in itself, was quite controversial.
Boras has a reputation for being very tough and inflexible, and gets lots of money for his clients (and himself). He’s not well liked in the executive suites of pro sports teams. Some would say he’s even despised. At least one former GM, John Schuerholz of the Atlanta Braves, refused to negotiate directly with him.
But how does this image translate to his clients, the players, and fans’ perceptions of them?
As an agent, that’s something Boras should be concerned about. He had an opportunity to perhaps improve his image in this nationally televised interview. But, he failed. And his body language was the main reason.
Boras frowned, the whole time. His eyes constantly wandered, rarely making contact with the camera lens. And when Asman welcomed and thanked him for coming on the program, Boras’ response, “It’s a pleasure to be here, David,” was punctuated with a curl of his mouth almost into a scowl, and his eyes shifting to the side, as if there was something more interesting to see outside of the camera’s eye. It wasn’t true. He was not happy to be there. So, why did he do the interview? A question only Boras can answer, presumably.
In short, everything anyone might have heard or read about Scott Boras was reinforced by his body. Talk about attitude! His attitude was screaming in the silence of his facial contortions and wandering eyes.
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