• You don’t have to play the hand you’re dealt when negotiating. You can change the hand in the process of the negotiation. In order to do so, increase your knowledge of how to read and use body language.

• Pay attention to what the other negotiator says, but pay more attention to his body language. Words can be used to manipulate, but the body never lies.

• Practice using head gestures to lead people to agree with you. Do so with friends and observe to what degree they agree with you. By doing so, you’ll gain insight into when to use your head gestures.

• You give others insight into your demeanor when negotiating. Therefore, always be aware of the demeanor you display.

• One can’t accurately brand a single gesture as a lie when reading body language. First, establish a baseline. To establish a baseline, observe the other negotiator’s gestures in a nonthreatening environment.

• Gauge by the body language of the other negotiator the value he may place on your offer.

• You can detect when lies are being told by being attentive when negotiating via the phone. It will usually occur in the form of a different rhythm in the other negotiator’s speech patterns.

• Micro expressions are actions not filtered by the mind. They give clues about the negotiator’s reactions.

• By being able to detect micro expressions, you’ll be able to sense when someone is in support or opposition of your position.

• Always observe the placement of someone’s hands when you negotiate. If you’re not sure of what you’re perceiving, look for a cluster (more than one gesture) of hand signals to give you additional insight.

• Pay close attention to how the other negotiator uses her hands from the moment you enter into an environment in which you’ll be negotiating. You’ll gain insight into what she’s thinking and the direction in which she’d like to take the negotiation.

• Give up a point when the other negotiators hands are open. Be wary when they’re closed. The other negotiator will not be in a giving mood, when his hands are closed. Don’t ask for anything you want that’s important during those times.

Greg Williams is the guest author of this blog post. This material is used with permission from a forthcoming book on negotiation skills. He is the author of the”Negotiate: Afraid ‘Know’ More” and the author of a forthcoming book on negotiation and reading body language, with an emphasis on micro expressions. Reach Greg at GregWilliams@TheMasterNegotiator.com.

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