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The Principles of Emotional Intelligence•Your powers of persuasion are wasted if not matched by equal pow-
ers of observation.- Each personality type is given away by idiosyncratic body language
clues. - The clients’ tones and word choices are clear indicators of how they
want to be approached.
I recently gave a presentation to the board of a large international bank.
I was there at the invitation of a senior-level executive who had risen to a
lofty position at a very young age. During my presentation, I couldn’t help
but notice that he was paying very little attention to me, or so it seemed,
until I realized that he was reading the room like a great poker player.
This gentleman had “skin in the game.” He had asked me to present
to this powerful group of independent thinkers in hopes that they would
adopt my ideas. When I delivered critical points in my presentation, he was
gauging the expressions in the eyes, faces, and postures of all 12 board mem-
bers. He wasn’t reading the cards; he was reading their reactions. I had no
DEVELOPING
EMOTIONAL RADAR
The Powers of Observation
“Don’t watch the cards while they are being dealt; watch the faces
of the players watching the cards being dealt. You can check
your hand later. It’s not going anywhere. Just see if anybody
flinches or blinks or smiles or even looks away.”
—ANDY BELLIN, Poker Nation