"You Say More Than You Think" by Janine Driver - Book Review
You Say More Than You Think by Janine Driver is a new addition to our reading list. I picked it up after having it recommended to me and immediately saw the value that it can provide to the readers here looking to take their ability to observe body language to a higher level.
Janine Driver’s approach in this book is unique because her observation of body language isn’t completely focused on other people, but turns the lens around to focus on your use of nonverbal communication. It is for this reason that it has become the top book under the Kinesics section for follow on reading. After you have read the first group of books and have a broad understanding of behavioral analysis and have begun to make observing others a habit, focusing on your body language the way Janine explains will help you make more accurate assessments of those you are watching because you will be using the gestures, postures and expressions she describes.
The benefits from her book go beyond just looking at body language from a different perspective. Instead of just listing out things to look for and assuming that you as the reader will know how to use the information to develop your ability, each chapter ends with simple practice scenarios for you to do so that you can master the lessons. She understands that becoming an effective observer of others and becoming capable of predicting their future actions takes effort and practice. Since you can’t reach that level of proficiency without dedicating some time each day, her recommendations can make it fun and entertaining.
Throughout the book you will hear her continuously refer to what she teaches as the New Body Language and when she began describing it, she had me hooked. Where as a lot of the body language books that are out there will talk about specific gestures to use in specific situations, Janine recognizes that this is not the best approach and you only end up looking phony and fake when you try to employ those techniques. She stresses establishing baselines for individuals and putting those observations into the context of the surroundings! Hear that anywhere before? One-size-fits-all approaches are never the best answer, but they are usually the simplest to explain in books because they are straightforward approaches. Establishing baselines for individuals, and Janine talks about numerous ways to do this quickly, allows you to tailor your approach to fit the situation you are in. Talking about baselines alone gets her on to our recommended reading list.
Because her book is focused on your use of body language to portray yourself as a person who is confident and in control, she also repeatedly ties this approach in to establishing rapport with those that you are talking to. Because one of the goals of Tactical Analysis is to gather higher-quality intelligence, you need to be able to find common ground with the people you contact to elicit as much information as you can from the engagement. This doesn’t come from threatening or intimidation tactics, but from putting the person at ease and setting the conditions for them to open up. Understanding how your body language can affect this in the first few moments of meeting someone plays an integral role in gathering the information you need to make better decisions.
Do we recommend You Say More Than You Think by Janine Driver? Absolutely. If you want to pick it up, the link in the book cover at the top of the post will take you to the Amazon page to buy it.