The strange new normal ushered upon us with the spread of a global pandemic has allowed little time to adjust. Whilst technologies have risen to the challenge of facilitating progress remotely, how are humans coping with the cultural shifts which call attention to how our world has changed?
Masks are an obvious and unavoidable reminder of the threat we all face, and beyond any discomfort we may experience wearing them, there are other side-effects. From behind the mask communication and body language could convey muffled or misread, affecting relationships, especially in business where trust and service are essential.
BEJournal invited Australia’s leading customer service expert, Jaquie Scammell to explore alternative methods for communicating and connecting with customers from behind the mask.
Surprise 
Affection Approval
As I started my morning walk along the foreshore, wearing my mandatory face mask, passing friendly neighbours who would typically smile, say good morning and acknowledge me, I noticed today, that the same people passed me like I was invisible, or at the very least, like they didn’t recognise me.
Since our earliest days, humans have been attuned to reading the facial expressions of others. Learning how to read emotions from facial expressions is part of our evolutionary advantage. Reading peoples whole face aids social interaction, helps reduce misunderstandings, and supports people to communicate efficiently and harmoniously for the greater good.
Dr Rebecca Brewer of the Royal Holloway University of London, who has studied the role of facial expressions in how we communicate emotion, reminds us that when we see someone’s whole face, we can process their emotions quickly and accurately but, ‘when we cannot see the whole face, such holistic processing is disrupted’. Obscuring part of our face makes communication hard. For many, the mask creates a barrier that makes them feel faceless.
The need to communicate emotions during times of isolation is changing and failing as spirits run far deeper than just a smile. This additional barrier (for humans in social interactions and communication) may be something we need to adjust to as we fight to slow the spread of coronavirus and as face masks continue to be the mandatory accessory for all members of society—at least for the foreseeable future.
So how are masks changing the way we interact? And what can we do to compensate for losing that all-important smile? The following mindset shifts and practical tips are ideal for communicating authentic emotions that evoke trust and satisfaction behind the mask.
3 E’s for communicating authentic emotions from behind a mask
- Exaggerate expressions
Surgeons have been wearing masks for centuries while communicating to patients empathetically. They have learned to exaggerate their expressions, for example, with a bigger smile and bright eyes, as ways of communicating from behind a mask.
The voice is also an area that needs to be exaggerated. Do not yell, just talk a little louder. Articulate your words rather than mumble and speak with greater vocal inflection. Slow down your talking pace and, if you can, move to a quieter place where people can be heard.
- Extra attention
Slowing down and being extra attentive and patient with others, is critical during face mask-wearing interactions. Use non-verbal cues like body posture, body motion and eye contact to understand how others are feeling.
Using your hands and body language are useful ways of helping people understand you. This also helps others feel understood.
Grab people’s attention by using their names more often in a conversation.
- Eyes and ears
At the very least, people will have to learn to smile with their eyes and to read others’ eyes more.
Just as Shakespeare said, ‘The eyes are the windows to the soul’.
Listen deeply with your eyes. Remember that words convey only a fraction of the message, so when you listen, ensure you can tune in and focus on what the other person is saying. Learn to listen with all your senses. The following four senses are almost always relevant:
- Hearing: what’s being said and what tone is being used?
- Seeing: what’s the person doing with their body while they are talking?
- Instinct: do you sense that the person is communicating something important?
- Heart: what do you think the other person is feeling?
If you are in the business of relationships, then you are in the business of service. The most important values in any relationship are to make sure the other person feels seen, heard and understood. According to Dr John Dewey, an American philosopher, ‘The greatest urge of any human is the desire to feel important’.
We all share the same desires when we interact with someone:
- Do you see me?
- Do you hear me?
- Does what I say mean anything to you?
These are questions we ask ourselves silently when we interact with others.
When communicating with people, make sure you tap into ways to make them feel like they matter. The mask is not a barrier to this; there are many ways of letting people know you care from behind the mask.
If you would like to learn more tips and habits for strengthening relationships at work with your colleagues and customers, grab a copy of Service Habits by Jaquie Scammell.
About the Author
Jaquie Scammell is an entertaining and popular speaker with over 20 years of leadership experience in public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Her unique teachings reveal a deep appreciation for the human side of business and through practical experiences she has built a philosophy which concentrates on the leaders of the organisations first, equipping them to spread the DNA of a service mindset throughout their teams.
As an author (Service Mindset and Service Habits) and regular blogger, Jaquie offers practical tools, resources and mindsets to help leaders transform their own behaviours and service habits to help them teach others.
