an attractive woman about his business success might shift his weight. A
woman talking about her companys track record to an important client
could rub her neck.
More problems arise out of the atmosphere. A businessman who doesnt
feel nervous at all could loosen his collar because the room is hot. A
politician giving a speech outdoors could blink excessively because the air
is dusty. Even though erroneous, these fidgety movements give the listeners
the sense something just isnt right or a gut feeling that the speaker is lying.
Professional communicators, alert to this hazard, consciously squelch
any signs anyone could mistake for shiftiness. They fix a constant gaze on
the listener. They never put their hands on their faces. They dont massage
their arm when it tingles or rub their nose when it itches. They dont loosen
their collar when its hot or blink because its sandy. They dont wipe away
tiny perspiration
beads in public or shield their eyes from the sun. They suffer because
they know fidgeting undermines credibility. Consider the infamous
September 25, 1960, televised presidential debate between Richard Milhous
Nixon and John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Political pundits speculate Nixons lack
of makeup, his fidgeting, and mopping his brow on camera lost him the
election.
If you want to come across as an entirely credible Somebody, try to
squelch all extraneous movement when your communiction counts. I call
the technique Limit the Fidget.
Now lets tackle intelligence. What? you ask. Can people come across as
more intelligent than they really are? Well, did you ever hear of Hans, the
counting horse? Hans was considered the most intelligent horse in history,
and he used the technique Im about to suggest.
Technique #7
Limit the Fidget
Whenever your conversation really counts, let your nose itch, your ear
tingle, or your foot prickle. Do not fidget, twitch, wiggle, squirm, or
scratch. And above all, keep your paws away from your puss. Hand motions
near your face and all fidgeting can give your listener the gut feeling youre
fibbing.
How to Read People Like You Have ESP
Hans, a very clever horse, inspires this next technique. Hans was owned
by Herr von Osten, a Berliner, who had trained Hans to do simple
ooja
(Ooja)
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