Loss Prevention Blog

The ABCs of Body Language

Attitude:

“We are all alike, on the inside.” – Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain)

An attitude is a person’s position or bearing as indicating action, feeling or mood. It communicates a person’s thoughts, emotions, and intentions for the present, as well as for the future. These feelings and intentions SIGNAL a state of mind that are projected through BEHAVIOR, and energized by EMOTIONS.

Behavior:

“Behavior is a mirror in which every one displays his image.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Behavior acts as a WINDOW that allows you to inspect a person for their true intentions (You look through windows, not at them! What compels you to look at people and not through them is trust-blind trust.)

Behavior is made up of verbal and nonverbal actions that deliver the attitude to the world. The nonverbal actions reveal what the person does not desire to voluntarily tell you. And, behavior is governed by BELIEFS. Watch out for those who believe it is okay to commit a wrongdoing as long as “no one gets hurt.”

Character:

Character is revealed by what a person does; not what he says. Eventually real character peeps around the corner then boldly steps out. Bits and pieces of character slip out each at encounter. Character is like pieces of a puzzle that when put together give us a better and complete picture. For example, a suspect may not be dishonest toward you; but he may not hide the fact that he is dishonest to others! It’s as if dishonesty or deception doesn’t count if it’s aimed toward someone other than you.

Welcome to the launch of Corporate Combat’s Blog!

PLEASE READ “RULES” which can be located by clicking on the ”RULES” tab found at the top of the page. Our goal is to have insightful, thought-provoking and professional discussions among Loss Prevention professionals and Business Owners. The discussions will cover a host of topics that pertain to loss prevention in the retail environment. These topics will include:

• Fraud
• Decision making
• Behavior Analysis
• Body Language
• Loss Prevention Policy
• Investigations
• Interviewing
• Interrogation
• Firing
• Hiring
• Shoplifting
• Courtroom Tactics
• Theme Development (advanced interrogation)

These are the primary topics. There will be subtopics that will naturally develop as discussions proceed into each of the primary topics. We invite your professional opinions, experience and suggestions.

Is an absence of gestures a clue to deceit?

Illustrators help interpret speech as it is spoken. Emphasis is given to a word or phrase, much like an accent mark or underlining. The speaker uses their hands or eye brow or upper eyelid movement to add emphasis. They sometimes use their upper torso and even their entire body. THE CLUE TO DECEIT COMES FROM NOTING A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ILLUSTRATORS SHOWN, when a person illustrates less than usual.

People who show a lack of emotional investment in what is being said are likely being deceptive. People who feign concern or enthusiasm can be betrayed by the failure to accompany their speech with increased illustrators.

They also decrease when a person is having trouble deciding exactly what to say. This is especially noticeable when a person weighs each word carefully, considering what is said before it is said. They decrease when there is caution about speech.

Deceivers who are not rehearsed, who have had little practice in the particular lie, who failed to anticipate what would be asked or when, will show a decrease in illustrators. It is hard to deliberately place an illustrator exactly where it should be in relation to the words; they tend to come in too early or late or stay too long. It is like trying to ski by thinking about each action as you do it; the coordination is rough and it looks it.

I would like to initiate research into what others would say are the most important qualities or abilities a business owner should look for when hiring a Retail Loss Prevention [LP] Consultant, an LP in-house manager or supervisor or an LP Investigator (not in-house.) There may be some additional “titles” but the examples I provided here are intended to reflect that group of LP individuals who fit a role that extends beyond detecting, apprehending, and processing shoplifters (external theft.)

Some qualities would include the following:

• Common sense
• Quick thinking and quick, but controlled, reactions
• Ability to interpret and evaluate body language
• Perceptiveness to potential violence
• Patience
• Tenacity despite possible intimidation
• Quick mental insight or discernment
• Maturity to rise above delight in others’ downfall
• Ability to examine shortcomings candidly
• Good memory
• Ability to avoid emotional entanglements
• Acting ability

An interviewer needs BUSINESS-RELATED EXPERIENCE:

• Apprehension of shoplifters
• Sales background (to sell self)
• Retail background
• A degree in business, law enforcement, or psychology
• Courses in behavioral science/psychology, criminal interrogation and applicable laws and regulations

An interviewer needs to be a GOOD COMMUNICATOR:

• Above average verbal and writing skills
• Above average listening
• Wide vocabulary plus correct word choice and word use
• Ability to communicate with people at any educational level, job rank, social status
• Attuned to different personality characteristics
• Quick mastery of information about jobs and associated jargon

I would like others to add to this list. From here, I would like to dig deeper into each quality.