In the "Show" don't, "Tell" formula of good
writing, authors use body language cues to describe and define characters,
indicate shifts and changes in mood, and the effects of others' actions and
dialogue on characters. I recommend as you read, you highlight these sections
as well as how the author introduces each new character, as it is often with a
few body language cues and or appearance description
Recent research has shown that reading fiction improves empathy. I recommend reading fiction to be aware of someone's emotional state and body language and be aware of how you appear to others.
I assign novels to my coaching clients. It's especially
beneficial to my clients at high levels in their organization as they may find
their employees don't always share their vulnerabilities and true feelings. It
is also helpful for my clients who come to be because they can't seem to read
other people and wonder why they are ostracized, have frequented conflicts with
others, and or have been betrayed by a toxic person.
I have been analyzing the body language of big wigs and suspected criminals for years, and the more you watch, the more you learn. Watch long media interviews of corporate big wigs like they do on 60 minutes and take notes on what they do well and poorly. In addition, I recommend going to YouTube and watching the James Lipton interviews of movie stars on The Actors studio.
And seeing how James Lipton listens and responds as the
interviewer and how stars behave as they self-disclose, I give them links to
some of the interviews of people like Bill Gates and Elizabeth Homes and have
them take notes and then give them my notes/
Finally, I am working on a book on body language in film as I
recommend you watch movies to improve your ability to read body language. I a
give out a list of movies to watch to learn certain concepts like the Maltese
Falcon and Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder and Strangers on a Train
for understanding space and territory cues, power cues and deception detection
and the father-son scene in Jaws to learn about Matching and Mirroring,
