People tend to look before they listen, and how you say something is often more important than what you're saying. So, how can you effectively communicate without words?
Peter B. Stark and Jane Flaherty have studied the art of negotiation for years. In their recently revised and updated book, "The Only Negotiating Guide You'll Ever Need: 101 Ways to Win Every Time in Any Situation," they write that in a 30-minute conversation, two people can send 800 different nonverbal messages.
As you might expect, many of these cues are intuitive. Mirror neurons in your brain are hard-wired to comprehend emotion in others. You know a nod and a smile typically means someone agrees with you. You know fidgeting can represent anxiety and lack of confidence.
Some nonverbal messages, however, are less obvious. According to Stark and Flaherty, mastering them could be as difficult as learning a foreign language. Here are a few to be aware of in both yourself and your counterpart.