Welcome back to the Look and Sound of Leadership, an ongoing series of executive

coaching tips designed to help you be perceived in the workplace the way you want

to be perceived. I'm Tom Henschel, your executive coach, and today

we're talking about stop giving away your secrets. Darcy was in line to become the CFO's heir apparent.

Only one thing stood in the way of her promotion.

She couldn't contain herself when people said something she perceived as stupid.

Her eye rolls and little snorts of derision were so well known

department members had taken to saying they'd gotten a Darcy

whenever she or anyone else blew off one of their ideas.

When she asked if I could help her, I told her I thought I could.

Do you want to know the secret? I asked.

She assured me she did okay I said here it is

play better poker she looked at me with such skepticism that I laughed out loud, but hey at least I didn't get a snort in an eye roll.

Here's what I mean when I tell clients to play better poker.

Do you know what a tell? better poker.

Do you know what a tell is at the poker table?

A tell is an unconscious, consistent reaction to specific situations.

Imagine you and I play poker together once a month.

Over time you notice that whenever I'm dealt a hand I think as a winner,

I repeatedly flick the corner of my cards with my thumb.

You also notice that when I'm Delta Hand that's weak, I repeatedly pick up my cards, fan them,

glance at them for a second, then put them down again.

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