Analyze what you say with Virtual Sapiens Content Analysis AI

To date, we have focused on developing the most nuanced and personalized feedback on nonverbal/visual and vocal elements of communication. As you likely noticed, the verbal side of AI analytics took the world by storm in the latter part of 2023. We are now in a position to adopt some of this new technology to support our community of users with even more well-rounded communication feedback. To kick off 2024, we are thrilled to share a robust suite of communication coaching through our Presence Portal. The new Virtual Sapiens experience provides immediate feedback on all the unique, behavioral details that set our platform apart, with the addition of quality feedback on your content. To give you an idea, here is what this will look like for our Teams level users: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq4vQ8nz078&feature=youtu.be For any Simulated Conversation, Practice Mirror or uploaded video content, our AI will give you feedback on what went well, areas to improve and even possible rewrites for new ideas. As with any feedback (AI or human-delivered), it’s important to take some time to first digest the information. What do you agree with, what do you disagree with? What are the main takeaways and how will you integrate the feedback moving forwards? We are excited to include verbal and content analytics in our plan for Teams (individuals are able to access this as well). For more information, visit our plans page here and get in touch:)

SBF – An Analysis by Virtual Sapiens AI

One of the most powerful ways to learn and grow is through comparative analysis. Especially when it comes to improving your communication and presence, being able to analyze and measure the way you show up and communicate under different scenarios is a powerful tool in understanding yourself, and gaining control over the impression you are sending others. Virtual Sapiens makes this all possible with our three distinct ways of getting immediate feedback. We wanted to show you a compelling example of this in action with our Video Upload product. Context: Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) was recently found guilty on 7 criminal fraud charges. We found a public video interview with SBF from before the hearings, and were curious what our software would pick up on. What we found is fascinating and indicative of the major differences of impression people can send even throughout a single interaction. You can see the full video here for yourself. We have highlighted two distinct segments which seem to divide the content. Segment One: SBF when he is pitching about his vision/selling his ambitions vs. Segment Two: SBF when he is backtracking his involvement/absolving himself from being implicated in the fraud that transpired and lost investors billions of dollars. Let’s take a closer look… Above is a screenshot of SBF’s Virtual Sapiens results from a time slice of him pitching his company. You can see the clip for yourself here. When SBF is pitching his company and vision, he exudes confidence, trustworthiness and energy. It’s interesting to note that SBF was very successful in convincing a huge number of very smart people to invest with his company and trust him with their significant assets. Clearly the way he would deliver his messages under this context was compelling and we can see that Virtual Sapiens confirms this. Now let’s take a look at Segment number two. This is a screenshot of Virtual Sapiens’ analysis of SBF during a clip of the interview when he is trying to defend his ‘lack’ of involvement and knowledge of what was happening ‘under the hood’. You can see the excerpt for yourself here. What. A. Difference. Here, we see his presence plummet. We see his markers of trustworthiness significantly decline as well as his impression of authority and energy. Even SBF’s framing changes because his posture shrinks and he takes up less space within the frame and shows up in the lower half of the frame instead of the upper third as best practice prescribes. Watching this clip also makes me think we should develop some models around leg shaking/bouncing… What does this tell us? Importantly, we are not claiming that Virtual Sapiens is a lie detection software. However, what this analysis highlights is the following: ❗This type of analysis can be especially effective in establishing a baseline, from which you can track changes in impression management based on changes in specific behaviors. ❗ Virtual Sapiens is an effective tool in comparing the same individual across multiple scenarios or communication events. ❗ While this is a drastic and somewhat dramatic example based on the subject matter and individual, this type of exercise is exceptional when you think about the applications for refining pitches, presentations, and analyzing the impression you are sending through your presence and communication. To note, this analysis focuses more on how SBF is showing up, rather than what he is saying. The added context of course is critical and our new suite of tools allows users to specify which analysis is tied to which scenario and includes transcription. If you are curious about your own performance, reach out. We’d be happy to get you set up with a trial account!

The Impact of ‘Camera On’ During Video Calls – A Stanford Study

Over the past few years, more and more research has been done on the impact of video calls. In this relatively new way of communicating professionally that crosses borders and introduces communication at scale, there have been divided opinions around what is most effective when it comes to engagement, energy and impact. One of the most contested debates is whether and how much people should turn on their cameras during video calls. Specifically, does having our video camera turned ‘on’ help people better connect and increase engagement…or not? Intuitively, having a video camera turned on means we can create a more human connection. With videos turned on, we see someone’s face, their facial expression and if they are framed properly, we see their posture and comportment in the way they interact and react to the conversation underway. As a recent study by Stanford, ITAM and University of Chicago presents, 50% of professionals surveyed feel the same way. According to this study, having videos turned on equals more engaging conversations and connections. On the surface, this supports the value of video calls as a core way to connect in our new world of work. From our own work at Virtual Sapiens, this is great! However, we also know this to be just one part of the equation when it comes to effective and engaging video meetings. To this effect, we know that how you show up on video influences the impact and outcome of that call. For example, you can have your video turned on, but be terribly out of frame, looking off screen and not showing your upper body. If your video is turned on and you are distracted, or unexpressive, this can actually detract from the overall impact of the call. It’s not just about turning those cameras on. This said, we are always happy to see that most people tend to view video calls as an asset helping them connect with their peers and colleagues at work. What do you think? Reference: Barrero, Jose Maria, Nicholas Bloom, and Steven J. Davis, 2021.“Why working from home will stick,” National Bureau of EconomicResearch Working Paper 28731.

How To Adopt A Performance Mindset When It Matters Most

As nice as it would be, we are likely not be feeling our best every single day. Most likely, there will be a particularly important day when you just feel low energy, under the weather, uninspired…the opposite of what you want to be feeling when you are about to present or do something big. As an athlete and professional ballet dancer, it was pretty normal to deal with sub-par feelings before an important performance. Barring any serious illness or injury, there is a lot that can be worked through with some simple performance mindset techniques. Here are my favorite, and I hope they serve you well the next time you are getting the jitters, or just don’t feel like yourself: 💪 Physical anchoring This is a personal favorite of mine. Physical anchoring is a practice many athletes and performers make their own in the moments before they walk on stage or have to perform. It is a mind/body connection exercise that actually starts by grounding yourself and your body in the present moment. Connecting with your body is a fantastic way to gain presence. Connecting your body to your environment, for example by rooting your feet into the floor, feeling the cool air flow or warmth of the sun, is equally as powerful. I teach physical anchoring in all of my workshops as a concrete takeaway for my participants to make into their own. Exercises like shoulder rolls, head and neck rolls, deep belly breaths, standing up and stretching your arms out are a few you can easily incorporate into your physical anchoring routine. You don’t have to do anything more complicated, it is a powerful tool to have in your tool belt. 😮‍💨 Breath work exercise (like the square breath exercise linked below) The breath! We live by it, and yet we so often forget about it. Half the time, our tension and stress is exacerbated by our shallow breathing and lack of circulation. There are many simple breath exercises you can practice throughout the day, and all of them help you regain control over your senses, your present experience, re-energize and they can even help you stop runaway thoughts in critical moments. Take a look at the square breath exercise below as one easy-to-execute example. https://youtu.be/ctr6kWlLdso 🎵Listen to your favorite/most appropriate song Perhaps even more simple than the above exercises, we know music has been scientifically proven to affect our mood and energy. If you are feeling anxious and frenetic, you can get yourself into a more focused and calm head space with music that has a slower rhythm, melody or beats per minute. On the other hand, if you are feeling tired and lethargic/cannot get into the right frame of mind, choose a couple of songs that amp you up. Music is a powerful tool you can use to your advantage. The next time you are feeling ‘off’, however that feels for you, consider trying out some of these tried and true techniques for performance mindset control. And remember, sometimes, you also just need to take a break. Not everything is worth pushing through.

Critical Nonverbal Behaviors For Recruiters

Who you hire is the number one most important factor in the success of a business as it grows. There is a lot of technology focused on how the interviewee might be doing…but what about the recruiter? How might their behavior be affecting the conversation, the level of trust and rapport that ultimately reflects the likelihood of a good fit being established? In this Ask Me Anything, Dr. Abbie Marono and I discuss the critical nonverbals recruiters should be aware of during the interview process. Give the below short video a watch and hear more about the following nonverbal behaviors and how they may be influencing the possibility of your next hire: ❤️ Show appropriate affect: What is the tone of this interview? Your candidate is looking for cues as to how they should be showing up. Be clear with the way you are communicating. ❤️ Don’t subdue your nonverbals: be expressive so your candidate is encouraged to show up as authentically as possible ❤️ Leverage hand gestures effectively: open palm hand gestures are welcoming displays or honesty and can help put a candidate at ease. It also helps them see you are fully present and with them throughout the call. ❤️ Show you are actively listening to them: Don’t underestimate this one. Studies show that when you exhibit displays of active listening, this encourages the speaker to open up more. ❤️ Keep your eye gaze from drifting away: Nothing like someone’s eyes gaze to let us know when someone would rather be somewhere else. Unless you explicitly want the conversation to end, (in which case, just say the words), keep your eye gaze aligned with the screen your lens is on. Especially when interviews are lengthy, or you find yourself in back to back interviews, keeping these behaviors in mind will save the interaction, and ensure you are getting to know the real person behind the screen. Not a recruiter and sound familiar? Of course! Because we are also describing any kind of conversation wherein you are trying to discover more about someone, to develop a baseline relationship from which much more can grow. Whether it’s sales, customer success, or managing a new team member, these things must be considered, especially over video where communication can so easily misfire. Give this video a look, and let us know how these behaviors might come in handy for you!

When Hand Gestures Get In The Way

At this point, it’s likely you’ve heard that hand gestures can be an effective way to convey trustworthiness, to appear engaged and energized and even to help your audience understand and retain what you are verbally sharing with them. We’ve written a number of articles on effective hand gesture use on our blog here, here and here. But is it possible to have too many hand gestures? Short answer: DEFINITELY. As with anything in communication, this is not really an all or nothing situation. And at Virtual Sapiens when it comes to hand gestures, we actually want to help you avoid both extremes of the hand gestures spectrum. I.e. no hand gestures use…and also, hand gestures overuse. Have you ever been in a meeting in person or on video and someone is over-reliant on hand gestures to get their point across? Maybe it shows up as a flurry of hand movements or a repeated circular hand motion that almost makes it look like they may be at a loss for words? In these cases, among others, hand gestures can actually compromise our presence and authority. They can make use appear nervous and not composed. Of course, everything in nonverbal communication depends on context, but we always want to be aware of what might actually be veering towards being ‘too much of a good thing’. A few rules of thumb (😉 ): 👋 You want to think about using your hand gestures running parallel with what you are saying👋 Hand gestures are especially effective during parts of your speech when you want to really drive a point home or illustrate a concept/idea visually👋 Keep your gestures varied, but not all over the place. Oftentimes we have a few go to hand gestures that we tend to rely on. Make sure these gestures align with what you are saying. 👋 If you are talking about a big idea, use open palm and more expansive gestures👋 If you are talking about something very small/nuanced and exacting, use a smaller hand gestures, with fingers pinched together for example, to convey the detailed nature 👋 If you find yourself waving your hands around willy nilly…this is a sign that you want to place your hands in your lap or on the table, and ground yourself more fully in your body. You are likely overusing your hand gestures. This can seem like a lot, but luckily, Virtual Sapiens is programed to detect too few hand gestures…and too many. See how you do with a free trial of our assessment product!

How To Account For Cultural Nuance Over Video

In communication training, cultural context is always a factor to consider. Over video, since we aren’t entering a room, shaking hands, bowing or kissing, how do we account for cultural nuance? Does it even matter? While we may think that cultural nuance in communication is erased over video…this simply is not the case. In this gem of a video, Dr. Abbie Marono is asked to explain how we can think about cultural nuance and context in nonverbal communication over video specifically. Dr. Marono explains the difference between universal nonverbals, which we have collectively evolved to understand and express as a human race. Things like open palm gestures as a sign of peace and non-threat, smiling as a sign of happiness, there are many nonverbals that we can depend on when we are communicating with other cultures. What is truly fascinating, and a topic that is as deep as it is rich, is the nuance culture brings to the table. Differences in head movements to signal agreement, happiness or excitement for example. Or specific hand gestures that mean different things tied to specific cultures. These are all learned, and not necessarily universal. These are the nonverbal cues we want to develop a vocabulary and awareness around when we are communicating across culture – especially over video. https://youtu.be/EUBDTlQjM7w One of my favorite examples is the ‘head wiggle’ or ‘head wobble’ in Indian cultures. This demonstrates agreement and the vigor with which the head is wiggling, signifies the level of agreement and enthusiasm. A simple head nod in this case, might not resonate, but a head wobble…well, now we are talking! As Dr. Marono suggests in the video below, it is always wise to pay attention to different cultural cues, whether on video or in person. A small behavior can go a long way when developing rapport and trust. Our technology at Virtual Sapiens is designed around universal nonverbal cues. We specifically don’t get too nuanced around gesticulation and biases that might contradict across cultures. When you are next on a global call, see if you can do a bit or research ahead of time and spot in realtime some of the culturally specific behaviors.

Positivity Bias in Nonverbal Cues – Are You a Culprit?

Positivity Bias is a term that can be applied to many circumstances, people and contexts wherein an unwarranted bias is made towards what is perceived as ‘positive’, or ‘optimistic’. In nonverbal communication, we see a lot of positivity bias, both when we observe feedback being provided (either by humans or AI) and when we observe feedback being received. In recent conversations, this positivity bias appeared very pronounced around facial expression, and active listening. At Virtual Sapiens, we work diligently to avoid falling into the traps of positivity bias. For example, when we look at facial expressions, we are not providing feedback and scoring based on how many times you smile. (⚠️Beware of other AI feedback tools that do just this!⚠️) Similarly, ‘active listening cues’ for us, are not limited to head nods. Active listening ≠ Agreement. Instead, we look for cues that show someone you are considering what they are saying, engaged and present as a listener. What is fascinating for us to observe is the way some of our users digest feedback with a positivity bias. For instance, when receiving feedback on their facial expression variation, some user interpret this as ‘oh, I need to smile more’. When in fact, all of our copy, feedback and suggestions point towards develop the muscles around dynamic facial expressions, in general. Expressing interest is very different from breaking into a big smile, and in many professional cases can be a powerful way of showing someone you are engaged and value what they are sharing with you. Positivity bias is a tricky thing, because, as with most biases, people are largely unaware of it, and will filter through information looking for what they expect to see. Our tips to you: ❗ Start to develop an awareness around your own expressions of positivity bias. Having a dynamic presence is not just about agreeing with people and smiling. It is a much more complex and personal experience. ❗ When receiving feedback, pay attention to what is actually being said, not what you assume may be intended. ❗When giving feedback, be wary of leaning towards positive-only cues, and ensure you are providing well-rounded and nuanced feedback that empowers choice and authenticity. So what do you think? Are you a culprit?

AMA: How AI Can Be Used To Coach Body Language

AI is slinging insights left and right – but almost all of the insights are based on what is being said. We have a fresh new series of Ask Me Anything videos with myself and Dr. Marono. In our first video of this series, we are digging into how AI and body language/behavioral communication interact from a coaching perspective. For us at Virtual Sapiens, we are extremely focused on the ‘why’ behind the insights our AI reveals. The need to be clear about the ‘so what’ has never been more important. Whether the AI is picking up on what is being said, or how, the coaching application means this AI will likely end up influencing the way we behave. The only way to do this well, is if we understand how different behaviors influence ourselves, and our audiences. Similarly, supporting insights backed by real science empower the user with education around why they should even care. Check out this short video explaining how AI can be applied to provide coaching and feedback on your body language and nonverbals, and what we keep in mind at Virtual Sapiens. (BONUS! I also mention the difference between AI and Machine Learning…for the nerdier bunch out there 😊 ) https://youtu.be/rcRi4mxcLu0 Try some AI body language coaching out for free. Start with our Assessment Free Trial.

Tag: Body Language Lab