You can often know quite exactly what people are really thinking, regardless of what they are saying, through careful observation of their body language and a proper reading of it.
If you take the time to understand this type of language better, you will have the opportunity to understand people more easily and this will give you appreciable advantages throughout your business career, your path to professional success and your private life.
The first premise that you should keep in mind is that every human being is different, so these tips should only be taken as a guide. Do not judge if you are not sure; more research is preferable before jumping to conclusions.
A very significant example is the following: imagine that you are presenting a product. You are interested in getting those present involved in what you are presenting, because for that you have organized the event. Observe the attitude of your viewers and see if the tone and words you use are appropriate for that particular audience.
Are they sitting open and receptive, or do they flop into their seat with some faintness? Do they follow your movements with their gaze or are their eyes elsewhere in the room? Do they nod their heads from time to time, especially when you make key points, or is their face an inscrutable mask?
Imagine my attitude:
It is not the same as while you are talking that I stay upright in the chair and with my senses alert, to stretch in the chair, as if what you are explaining is not with me or that I have my arms crossed and a tense facial expression, downright defensive.
These signs tell you that I am not comfortable or I have lost track of what you are saying or I feel affected by something. But you can get me to refocus, pay attention or relax, just by asking me a direct question (such as: what do you think of such a point of the proposal? If possible, referring to something that concerns me professionally), done in a friendly and conciliatory tone, giving me the opportunity to get involved in your project by providing my expert opinion.
Let's look at another example: you are interviewing me for a job. Imagine my posture and my behavior. You can surely appreciate that I am nervous, as I sit on the edge of the chair, move my legs, look at various points in the room and maybe even my cheeks are colored.
This can mean several things: that I am indeed nervous or that I may be hiding something or omitting compromising data. In order to know what my real attitude is, what goes through my head, could you ask me a couple of questions aimed at deciding what my attitude really responds to.
You can learn more about body language in this article that can help you develop a more successful career since you will understand much more about what the people you interact with are thinking or feeling. You will also notice what your own body language is saying about you to others.
