Fix Your Face: How Your "Tell" Can Make or Break Your Leadership

You don’t have to say a word for people to know exactly what you’re thinking.Sometimes your face gets there first.In Episode 6 of Leading Ain’t Easy, Ryan and Erny dig into the idea of “Fix Your Face” and how your nonverbal tells can completely change the way people experience your leadership.In this episode, we cover:Why you can’t “not communicate”A workshop exercise makes it painfully obvious: even when you’re silent, your body and face are saying plenty.When your emotions live on your faceRyan talks about getting in trouble for “lack of bearing” in Marine Corps boot camp and how that same struggle followed him into his professional life.The coworker who kept whispering “fix your face”How one colleague’s honest feedback turned into a mantra Ryan still uses in every tough meeting.Erny’s public board meeting lessonA clerical error, a very public question, and the moment his panic face cost him trust and put his work under a microscope.Authentic vs. unfilteredBeing real doesn’t mean letting every reaction show. You don’t have to give everyone your unedited response to be honest and trustworthy.Tools to keep your bearing when you disagreeMicro-resets: adjust your posture, take a sip of water, breatheRe-centering questions: “Why are we here?” and “What’s the actual objective?”Using silence to collect your thoughts instead of firing back defensivelyChoosing where (and with whom) to ventWhy it’s healthy to have safe people and places to unload, and how venting in front of your team can quietly erode trust in you and your organization.Leading with intention, not impulseHow to stay human and expressive while still being intentional about the message your face, body, and tone are sending.If you’ve ever been told, “your face is saying a lot right now,” this one’s for you.Leading Ain't Easy was created by Ryan Calkins and Erny Epley, and is hosted by Ryan and John Moore.Ryan is the founder of Reframe & Rise, where he works with veterans who transitioned successfully but still feel something's off; helping them find alignment, not just a better job title.John is a certified life and career coach with 20+ years of experience helping people navigate transitions, find purpose, and lead with intention — drawing on backgrounds in corporate leadership, counseling, and entrepreneurship.Erny runs Bus Pro Network, supporting school transportation leaders across California with training and development, and joins the show as an occasional guest.Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram for clips, prompts, and behind-the-scenes updates. If this episode resonated, please leave a review as it helps more leaders find us.