Vanessa Van Edwards explains how "tone leaks" - accidental upward inflections on statements that sound like questions - can signal nervousness or dishonesty and damage your credibility. She breaks down the difference between statement inflection and question inflection, and why catching these patterns matters in high-stakes conversations.
Social perceptiveness is such an important skill to add to your resume right now. Tone is the one that people most often forget. Look for hidden leaks in tone, and that is when we accidentally use the wrong tone. So, for example, if I'm talking to you and explaining something, I'm using a neutral tone or maybe a downward inflection where at the end of my sentence, my tone stays the same. When I'm asking a question, I go up at the end of my sentence. That's called the question inflection. It sounds like this. My name is Vanessa. I specialize in body language. If you hear someone accidentally use a question inflection on a statement, it might mean they're feeling nervous, apprehensive, or not telling the truth. Always listen for accidental misuses of the question inflection. It indicates that there might be some further investigation that needs to be done.
