Understanding Body Language

(Part 3)

How to “Listen” with the Eyes

The cardinal rule when reading the body is to look out for a coherent cluster of any of the following:

- Facial expressions

- Gestures, body movements

- Tone of voice/ pace of voice

Taken by themselves, individual expressions or gestures mean nothing. But a group of them, occurring simultaneously, can positively identify significant emotions. Take its analogy in verbal communications where a word conveys nothing; a sentence says something.

In non-verbal communications, a cluster of gestures and expressions which all betray a single disposition strongly indicate the current mood or mindset of your prospect. Before concluding that someone experiences a certain emotion, check the whole range of gestures, expressions and tones of voice. Ensure that the facial expressions, gesture and voice tone all reveal the same message and do not give conflicting signals. Once you discern your prospect’s disposition, you will know exactly how to modify your approach.