Cues

Some speakers soar, others flop. One job applicant makes an impact, another hardly makes a ripple. The difference between success and failure can seem mysterious and hard to pin down. But according to behavioral researcher Vanessa Van Edwards, the secret to memorable, powerful communication lies in cues: the broad range of nonverbal, vocal and visual signals that all people use when they communicate, but that only a fraction employs consciously and intentionally.

Van Edwards illustrates her points vividly with examples from real life – such as Jamie Siminoff, the inventor of Ring, a Wi-Fi–enabled video doorbell. While competing on the reality TV show Shark Tank, Siminoff discovered how ignorance of one’s own cues can trigger a communication disaster. Although sales of his now-popular doorbell showed early promise, Siminoff sabotaged his TV presentation with a series of bad cues, Van Edwards says. His vocal inflections and body language conveyed nerves and insecurity, and the investors unanimously rejected his pitch.