Tactic 83 of 99
The Cluster Rule
One sign is noise. Three is a signal.
What it is
A single gesture means almost nothing. Someone might cross their arms because they’re cold, rub their nose because it itches, look away because they’re thinking. Look for clusters: several changes at once, in the same direction, right after something specific.
Spot it
Someone reads one gesture and makes a big claim. “You touched your face, so you’re lying.” That’s not reading people. That’s guessing with confidence.
Counter it
Ask for more evidence. “That’s one thing. What else makes you think that?”