If a picture is worth a thousand words, than a facial expression is priceless. According to this  USA Today article, facial coding is finding its place in the business world. Dating back to the 1960s, facial coding was studied by psychologist Paul Ekman, who found that facial expressions are learned early and universal. To support this, a study published in the February issue of Psychological Science found that students could identify the most successful people when faced with 1,000 photographs of CEOs.

Dan Hill, an expert in facial coding, came to these conclusions after viewing YouTube videos of well-known CEOs:

• Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates had a high percentage of positive expressions, though he displayed "small, weak social smiles and touches of contempt."
• Oracle CEO Larry Ellison displayed 100 percent negative expressions. Hill points to his raised lower chin and lips pulled together "with anger and some disgust and sadness mixed in."
• Dell CEO Michael Dell scored 47 percent positive in his facial expressions, though Hill said he "strikes me as chagrined and a little defiant."

Read the rest of the article to find how the other CEOs were evaluated.

After 17 years in the NFL, Packers quarterback Brett Favre is finally retiring. He will go down as one of the greatest players in the history of the game, and not just because of his numbers. What made him legendary were his intangible qualities--qualities you can learn from and apply to your business.

Be dependable
Favre played in 275 consecutive games. It takes more than physical durability to achieve something like that. It takes dedication, determination and sheer will. Even if you don't get hit for a living, find ways to make sure your customers and employees know you're willing to do whatever it takes to show up for work every day and be there for them.

Be loyal
Favre spent 16 of his 17 seasons with the same team and, in a climate dominated by lucrative free-agent comings and goings, never once even flirted with the idea of leaving the people who gave him his shot at greatness. It's no different in business - take care of the people who take care of you.

Be fearless
If there's one thing people will always remember Brett Favre for, it's his ability to make something out of nothing one play and nothing out of something the next. Call him reckless. Call him "gunslinger." But never call him afraid. He did it his way and did it well more often than not. Be confident in yourself and in your vision, make even the failures your own, and you can't go wrong.

Be adaptable
Late in his career, while never fully relinquishing his free-wheeling persona, Favre continued to be successful because he proved himself to be coachable and versatile. Be willing to take a new course with your business if the market changes or if the nature of your product changes, and you can see the same kind of long-term success.

Have fun
Every time Favre took the field, there was a sense that he'd play the game for free. There's no substitute for taking that kind of joy in your work. It's contagious in sports and it's just as contagious in business. Your employees will follow suit and pass it right on down to your customers.