Body language expert, author and international speaker Catherine Molloy was, like many of us, fascinated by the Prince Harry and Meghan Markle interview with Oprah Winfrey.
However, she watched it differently to the rest of us, looking for body language cues that would reveal the truth behind the interview.
“Very quickly you could see that Meghan is an actress, first and foremost,” says Ms Molloy.
“She likes to be in front of the camera and unfortunately, that really showed through. She was very poised and a bit contrived. My thing, when I look at body language, is creating a win-win situation, not using body language to lie and fake it till you make it.
“When they were talking about the baby, we don’t know what the context was behind what was said about the baby’s skin colour. I can imagine the conversation would come up more like, ‘gee, I wonder what the baby will look like’.
“They all opened their arms to Meghan and brought her into the family. They knew they were going to have children; that wasn’t the issue and they were trying to make it an issue on national TV and going against a family that had warned them it wasn’t going to be easy.
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“I just felt the interview wasn’t a good thing. Even some of Oprah’s reactions were unfortunately a little contrived. When we saw her saying, ‘What, what?’ – that was contrived. She knew some of these things were going to be brought up. They had already spoken – there is no way they hadn’t spoken because Oprah’s reactions did not ring true.
“For Harry, he wasn’t even there for half the interview. Half the things they spoke about were things Meghan wanted to speak about, which was a big tell as well.
“I haven’t seen Harry smile properly and look like he’s having real fun for a while. I would say he loves Meghan 100 per cent, but it’s almost like Meghan studied Diana for what to bring to this interview and unfortunately, it came across as contrived.”
Ms Molloy stresses she’s ‘not in Meghan’s head’ and doesn’t want to make up a story for her – which is something that happens a lot when we are trying to discern the truth from someone’s body language. She says it’s sad Meghan suffered mental health issues but doesn’t believe she was unable to access help.
“I can’t believe she couldn’t do anything for herself and ring the doctor. Why would you ring the HR department? I just think it’s incredible that someone who appears so intelligent wouldn’t be able to pick up the phone and call a doctor. It didn’t make any sense. She can’t even make herself halfway look like she’s been through what Diana went through.
“She also mentioned something about how you’ve never heard her mum say a word and how gracious and wonderful her mother is. I thought, ‘You didn’t like your father and half-sister saying things about you and you appreciate your mother for not saying a word, yet here you are like your father and sister and trying to bring down the family’.
“I think this is going to be one of those things Harry regrets he ever took part in. There are no winners in this, only losers. Hopefully the children can grow up as cousins and Harry and William will stay great friends, because Di would have hated this.”
Ms Molloy shares her body language tips and tricks in her book, The Million Dollar Handshake: The ultimate guide to revolutionise how you connect and communicate in business and life.
Published in 2018, it was made business book of the year by 7 Dials Orion UK in 2018, has been bought by five publishers and went on sale in the US and Canada in January this year. It has also been sold into China, Taiwan and Vietnam.
“Just when I thought it was going to die, in a world of no handshakes because of COVID, it’s making it way around the world, which is really good,” she says.
One-third of the profits from Million Dollar Handshake goes to Watoto and SOUP (Supporters of Uganda’s Poor) and Ms Molloy supports a number of local charities.
Now an international keynote speaker and communication expert, she originally thought she’d go into teaching but instead found her way into banking and accounting.
After she began to study body language, she became the top sales executive for Westpac Australia. She didn’t plan to have children, because she loved her work too much, but went on to have three children in four years (now 27, 25 and 23). While they were young, she ran three businesses selling children’s clothes, toys and books.
She went on to found and operate several successful training companies and developed the award-winning Conscious Connection Framework, which combines insights from over 25 years of studying body language, behavioural science and Neuro-Linguistic Programming to radically transform how teams and individuals self-lead and communicate.
“In 2014 the Sunshine Coast Council invited me on a mission to China where I spoke and was invited back to present. I took on the Future Careers 2025 project with the Sunshine Coast Council, showing young people what jobs would exist in the future and what courses TAFE and university would need to offer. I think we need one for 2030 now.
“I have spoken in over 120 cities around the world and was made a Global Goodwill Ambassador in 2017 for the work we do in support of the Bombay Mothers and Children’s Welfare Society.”
Ms Molloy lives on acreage in Palmwoods, where she takes care of rescued sheep, a rescued cow and horses. She’s now opening it up for local children’s charity Connect Community + Kids so mentors can bring disadvantaged children to visit, play tennis, have a swim, pat sheep or work in the garden.
“It’s a beautiful spot and I love being able to share it and give people a day of joy. There’s nothing like patting animals.”
Ms Molloy has poured her leadership expertise into a second book, due for publication in April. She says it’s not just aimed at business leaders, but anyone and everyone.
“We all have a natural leadership style and we can add to it and identify where we’re self-sabotaging. We are all leading, whether we’re in a position of leadership or not. I guarantee you’re leading yourself each day. I guarantee there are people watching you who want to be like you. You have children who are watching. If there is something in your leadership style you don’t like, you’ll see it come out in your children.
“People say all leaders will need a high level of emotional intelligence by 2030 – I say, what are we waiting for? I’ve bought it down to three points: conscious of self, conscious of others and conscious of context.
“The book is for people who might be stepping into leadership roles, people who are leading who haven’t had any formal training before. It is a book for everyone who wants to step up a bit more. I believe it’s the next step from the Million Dollar Handshake – how can we change our communication, language and leadership so we think differently, act differently and create better situations for ourselves and others.”
Catherine Molloy will present Conscious Connections and Community at the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network April Soiree. The event is on Tuesday, April 20, 5.30 to 7.30pm. For more information visit scbwn.org.au. For more information on Catherine Molloy visit catherinemolloy.com.au
