“Read Body Language – How To Win More – A Key to Negotiation Success”

“Lies can hide within the frame of truth. Reading body language exposes the whole picture.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

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“Read Body Language – How To Win More – A Key to Negotiation Success”

Do you know the hidden value of reading body language? In negotiation, body language communicates more than words. At a minimum, being able to read body language uncovers hidden thoughts and unspoken words,  giving you a strategic advantage in negotiation and life.

To realize those benefits, take note of the following gestures as you negotiate and during other points in your life’s activities. Doing so will allow you to gain better perspectives on the thinking of others and how their thoughts lead them to action.

Understanding Facial Expressions, Gestures, and Postures

Facial Expressions – The mind’s window – The face is often considered one of the body’s most expressive parts, capable of conveying a wide range of emotions. To gain more insights into someone’s thoughts, observe:

• Raised Eyebrows: Surprise and interest are conveyed through this gesture.
• Eye Contact: Sustained eye contact typically signals engagement and honesty. Conversely, avoiding eye contact can suggest discomfort, anxiety, or potential deception.
• Smiles: A genuine smile reaches the eyes, wrinkling them with crow’s feet. That indicates positivity and openness. A forced or cordial smile may suggest discomfort or an attempt to mask true feelings.
• Frowns and Furrowed Brows: These expressions often signal disagreement, confusion, or frustration. Note these signals as they may indicate areas of contention in the negotiation.
• Tight lips: Conveys tension or disagreement – May be attempting to conceal information.

Gestures – Arm/Hand movements can reveal a lot about a person’s thoughts and feelings:

• Crossed Arms: Often a sign of defensiveness, resistance, or closed-off attitude.
• Touching Face: Frequently touching the face can suggest nervousness or deceit.
• Open Palms: Can indicate honesty and openness
• Clasped Hands: Frustration or anxiety
• Finger Pointing: Aggression or defensiveness
• Steepling Fingers: Confidence or authority

Posture – A negotiator’s posture can indicate their attitude and level of engagement:

• Leaning forward: Interest and attentiveness
• Leaning back: Disinterest or defensiveness
• Open stance: Receptive and confident

Signs of Discomfort, Uncertainty, or Deception

Discomfort Signals – Worth noting for their uneasiness:

• Fidgeting: Sign of nervousness or discomfort.
• Sweating: May indicate stress or nervousness.
• Avoiding Eye Contact: Suggests discomfort – attempt to conceal something.

Uncertainty – Can foretell lack of direction:

• Hesitations: Altering speech pace punctuated by frequent pauses or filler words like “uh” and “um” can signify uncertainty.
• Inconsistent Body Language: Mixed signals, for example, nodding or smiling while saying no, indicate uncertainty or internal conflict.

Deception – Gestures displayed to mislead you intentionally:

• Inconsistent Facial Expressions: Expressions misaligned with the spoken words can signal deceit.
• Defensive Gestures: Frequently touching the face, covering the mouth, crossing arms, or avoiding direct answers should cause alarm.
• Excessive Blinking: When someone’s blink rate increases, note it. They have become excited. It may be due to deceit.

Adjusting Negotiation Approach Based on Other Party’s Body Language

Uncovering Hidden Thoughts

• Silence Usage: The nonverbal gesture of silence can solicit important information. When sensing something is amiss, let silence’s thickness reveal what may be unspoken and unseen.
• Observing Subtle Cues: Gestures that begin with no meaningful destination can also belie forthrightness. Be aware of when they occur.
• Micro-Expressions: Momentary involuntary facial expressions reveal genuine emotions. Lasting less than a second, they occur before the brain censers them; thus, they are authentic, unfiltered emotions depicting someone’s true feelings.
• Demeanor Repositioning: As someone shifts their body, they may be attempting to alter their inner perspective to represent better how they wish you to view them. Take note of the hidden thoughts this may represent.

Adaptive Tactics – When witnessing the following gestures:

• Address Discomfort: If the other party displays discomfort signs, ask about their concerns and try to ease their mind. You will gain insight into their thoughts, too.
• Slow Pace of Talks: Decrease the pace of the negotiation by asking more open-ended questions. Repose some questions to assess answer changes.
• Maintain Composure: Do not expose that you may suspect your opposite is not straightforward. Maintain a relaxed composure. Your demeanor can help de-escalate tension and reveal new ones.

Adaptive Body Language Strategies:

• Responsive Body Language: When sensing deceit, lean back with a slight side head tilt. When you sense truthfulness, smile while leaning forward. 
• Open Questions: Match your body language to the open-ended questions you pose. That will assist in gaining greater clarity on uncertainties.
• Probe Appropriately: If you suspect deceit, display gestures, hard (i.e., frowns) or soft (i.e., empathy) appropriate for the situation; match that to your question style (i.e., non-threatening/aggressive).

Reflection

Interpreting, understanding, and mastering the art of reading body language gestures, postures, along with recognizing signs of discomfort, uncertainty, and deception in negotiations, is a powerful skill. What may be unsaid may speak volumes. Thus, reading body language increases your effectiveness significantly as a negotiator. It brings into the light what might otherwise continue lurking in darkness.

While these guidelines are helpful, it is crucial to consider cultural differences and individual baselines. You should interpret body language in context, coupled with verbal communication and other factors.

Nevertheless, after honing your ability to read and respond to body language cues, you will participate in negotiations with more finesse, reaching higher levels of success. And everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

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After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

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