Baseline Before You Interpret
Build a baseline before interpreting nonverbal signals in a meeting.
The move: baseline first, interpret second. A baseline is the person's normal behavior in this meeting context. You are looking for ordinary posture, voice pace, expression, gaze, note-taking, and contribution pattern before the stakes rise. Without a baseline, you confuse personality with signal. A quiet person is not automatically disengaged. A crossed-arm thinker is not automatically closed. The Three-Part Read First, observe neutral behavior. Second, watch for a change after a topic, number, or ask. Third, test the change with a what/how question. This sequence keeps Ekman micro-expression clues, Mehrabian mismatches, and open/closed posture inside a disciplined process. The Inclusion…
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