Speak for Yourself

Chapter Ten

Reading your audience

To be effective as a communicator, leader, influencer, provocateur, or indeed as any kind of human, it’s important to remain vigilantly aware of those around you. We give off signals all the time, about what we like, what scares us, and what excites or confuses us (though confusion seems to be the only one we display deliberately). Our body language speaks volumes. We’re constantly spewing out clues about what will motivate us to shift our opinion. To benefit from that rich deluge of data, you must remain alert and attuned to the people around you. You’ll spot interesting social dynamics, develop an eye for deception, and be able to structure and target your messages with precision and compassion.

For all of ...