What are the best strategies for analyzing nonverbal cues and emotions in Relationship Building?

Context plays a major role in understanding non-verbal clues. Let me give you an example. Imagine you're at a business meeting in a formal conference room. The context of this interaction would include the professional setting, the expectation of discussing work-related matters, and the social norm of maintaining a certain level of formality. Now, let's say one of your colleagues starts tapping their foot and looking at their watch impatiently while someone else is speaking. Based on the context, you can interpret these nonverbal cues as a sign of their impatience or eagerness to move on. By considering the context, you can better understand the underlying emotions being expressed through these nonverbal cues.

I always watch for eyebrows. They are among the most expressive and most direct cues our faces offer. It requires a lot of focus to manage their movements, and most people just let them move freely. Tip: this week, pay close attention to the eyebrows of your conversation partners. Together with other cues (voice, hands,...), you will find patterns and learn to understand underlying emotions. Careful: learnings from one person might not apply to another, especially when dealing with different cultures.

Asking for feedback depends on the medium of communication. If you are f2f and are unsure how your information is received, pause and wait. A lot can be said for the power of the pause. Don’t say “I can’t read you right now.” People process and respond to new information in different ways.

Mirroring and matching is an incredibly powerful technique to establish rapport with others. It's a natural tendency for humans to feel drawn to people who are similar to them or share commonalities. When we mirror and match others, whether it's their body language, speech patterns, or emotions, it conveys a sense of similarity and understanding. This builds trust and makes the other person feel like we're on the same side. By genuinely and sincerely reflecting on their emotions and responding with empathy, we show that we truly understand and care for them. When done with good intentions, mirroring and matching can work wonders in creating meaningful connections. It's like creating a magic bond that brings people closer together.

DO NOT overdue mirroring body posture. That's my top advice when it comes to this method. Since this technique has been recommended for decades, many people have heard about it and might feel like you're trying to manipulate them when you apply it bluntly.

Keep in mind that you should adapt your own cues and analyze other people's cues based on specific situations. A smile for example can be a sign of: - compassion - ridicule - weakness - uncertainty - friendliness... So the overall key to improving communication should be to adapt to a situation rather than trying to find the "one size fits all" solution.