Do you ever wonder if someone is lying to you? That perhaps their product is just a little
too good, or that their experience seems a little too perfect for the job? It turns out that there are ways to tell if
someone is lying to you, according to Janine Driver, author of Can’t Lie to Me. She explained some of her techniques in a
recent article with Inc.com, and they’re well worth looking into.
One particular thing that Driver brings up is the fact that
when you’re asking a yes or no question the answer that the person gives should
always include the word yes or no. If
you ask someone if they have ever stolen from you and they answer something
along the lines of, “I would never do that,” it could be a clue that they aren’t
telling you the truth.
She also mentions that liars tend to overcompensate,
especially if the pressure is on. If you
ask someone why you should believe them and then follow up with a “that didn’t
really answer my question, why should I believe you?” you’re putting them under
a great deal of strain. If they are
lying the answer will likely be quite long rather than the, “because I’m
telling the truth” most people would say upon a second time answering that
question. A liar will potentially break
under this stress, getting angry and accusing you of something, or making a
long diatribe about how you should call all of their previous employers if you
don’t believe them.
One of the most important things she discusses, however, is
a simple matter of observation. She
suggest you should take some time watching them, about three minutes, to understand
how they act generally. Then, as the
conversation unfolds, observe and watch them for deviations from that
baseline. Do their eyebrows suddenly
jump? Do they start using a lot of “uhms”
and “ahs”? Does their voice break or
their talking speed suddenly ramp up? Do
they suddenly seem superior? You might have caught them in a lie.
The entire article is well worth the read, however, and offers
a great many more tips on how to spot lies and the liars who tell them. Check
out the full article at http://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/how-to-spot-a-lie-5-tips.html?nav=pop
