Chapter 7

_Knowledge of Other Men_

[Sidenote: Unlocking The Other Man's Heart And Mind]

We have seen how you can make certain of _gaining_ your introductory chance. Now we are to consider the first step in the _most effective use_ of this opportunity to begin building your own success.

Let us say that you have chosen a particular man as the sort of employer with whom you want to work. Your prospecting has convinced you that in his business you have found the right market for your present services and a promising field for the future big success you are ambitious to achieve. Therefore you wish to sell him a true idea of your best capabilities. We will assume that you have passed the threshold of his private office, but your object in calling upon him has not yet entered _his thoughts and feelings_.

Before you state the ideas and service intention you have brought, make certain of the best possible reception from him. You need to take every practicable precaution against being rebuffed. You want to assure yourself of a welcome. Having gained this chance to start the sale of your capabilities, it is of vital importance not to take the next step in the selling process _blindly_, lest you stumble. Hence you should _size up_ the other man before you announce your purpose in calling. What you may learn from reading his character correctly will help you to gain admittance into his mind for your ideas. It should assure a welcome from his heart for your sincere desire to serve him.

[Sidenote: Skeleton Key Unavailing]

Golden opportunities to succeed in a particular business cannot be unlocked with a skeleton key of knowledge about human nature. Knowledge of _all_ men supplies merely the shaft and general shape of the key blank, which must then be notched and filed to fit the characteristics of the individual whose mind and heart you wish to open for the admission of your ideas and feelings. Unless you can get into that _one_ mind and that _one_ heart with your service purpose, you will be shut out from the opportunity you want. It is important that you know the traits of men in general, of course. Such knowledge, however, should be supplemented by a _specific_ and true conception of the particular man through whom you hope to reach your chance to succeed.

Do not confuse in your present thoughts the process of _prospecting_ the characteristics of a man _before_ meeting him, with the later process of _sizing him up at the time of the interview_. It is highly important to accumulate in advance as much knowledge as possible of your prospect's individual traits. But what you learned about your chosen future employer before you gained the chance to present your ideas to him in his office should be used _merely as a guide_ in sizing him up on the spot.

[Sidenote: Stop, Look, Listen]

Take nothing for granted now. Through your personal, specific observation either confirm or disprove every item of information that has come to you from other people previous to meeting this man face to face. Your informants may or may not have had correct conceptions of his characteristics. It would be unwise, even unsafe, for you to rely implicitly on _their_ judgment of him. You need to _be certain you know him as he really is_; so that you can present your purpose with the confidence a skilled salesman feels when he is sure he understands the principal traits of the prospect he is addressing. In reaching this man you have gained your first chance. You cannot afford to risk losing it by haste. _Do not advance farther in the selling process until you have made certain of the ground you are to tread._ It is very bad salesmanship to begin introducing ideas and feelings to a mind and heart that are unknown to you except from hearsay.

"But," you say, "I'm not a mind reader. And I can't look into another man's heart."

True. Yet you should be able to read the _signs_ of his thoughts; which he manifests in his words, tones, and acts. And you need not see into _his_ heart to know what it contains; since fundamentally _all_ men are much alike at heart. Just look clearly into your own heart at its best. You will find there the basic emotions and feelings that civilized men have in common everywhere.

[Sidenote: Character Analysis by Types Not Reliable]

Character analysis by "types" is unreliable. I believe as little in phrenology as in palm-reading. I have directed thousands of men in business. Personal experience has proved to me that the _permanent_ structure of a particular human body is not an invariably true index to the characteristics of the inner, or ego man who owns that body.

He has had no control over the color of his hair or eyes. He cannot reshape the bones of his face, nor alter the bumps on his head. To believe that such permanent structural details of the "natural" _outer_ man determine or denote the peculiar aptitudes of the _inner_ man is to credit the exploded doctrine of fore-ordination.

Therefore, when you have gained the chance to present your capabilities for sale to a chosen prospect with whom you believe you will have the best opportunities to succeed, and when you are swiftly shaping your presentation plans to fit his personality, don't size up merely the factors of his make-up with which he was born. You will be apt to mistake his true character if you have come to his office with the delusion that the blonde type of man is fundamentally different _in nature_ from the brunette type. Get out of your head any misconception that a man is foredoomed to practically certain failure in a particular career because he has a big nose, sloping brow, and receding chin; and that another man with a snub nose, bulging forehead, and protruding jaw is destined almost surely to succeed if he selects a certain vocation. No "mind man" with a normal, healthy body is limited in his possibilities of success by being born with red, or black, or tow hair; or because the bones of his head happen to be shaped in a particular way. The ego is the master, not the slave, of the body.

[Sidenote: True Signs of Character]

_The true signs of character are to be read only in the words, tones, and movements_ of a man--and in his muscle structure _as he has developed it_ or has left it _undeveloped_. We already have seen in a previous chapter how a mind center and its co-ordinated set of muscles develop each other. So the positive characteristics of the inner man are revealed clearly by the muscle structure built up by his habits of thinking and feeling and action. On the other hand, his deficiency in certain mental and emotional development is indicated negatively by his lack of the muscle structure that naturally would be co-ordinate with such development.

The relation of muscular development to mental development, as explained in an earlier chapter, suggests the one _sure_ way to judge a man's habits of thinking. _Observe discriminatingly his various muscle structures, and his muscle activities in detail._ The development of certain sets of _muscles_ proves a co-ordinate development of the _mind centers_ most directly connected with these muscle structures. Similarly the _mental action_ of a man is indicated by his _physical manifestations_ with his muscles in movements.

Hence if you learn to read the _mental significance of particular muscle structures and of particular muscle actions_, you will be able to size up both the _habits_ of thought (individual characteristics) of a man, and what he happens to be thinking _at the time_ you come to present your services or ideas for sale.

[Sidenote: Recapitulation]

Before going on with our study of the subject of this chapter, let us summarize the preceding pages to make sure that we know thoroughly the somewhat difficult but very important ground we have gone over thus far.

You chose a certain man as your prospective employer because you believe that if you succeed in associating yourself with him you will have the best opportunities to achieve your ambition. You are now standing in his presence. You need to size up his true character quickly in order that you may be sure of presenting your capabilities in the particular way that is likely to be most effective with him. You wish to impress this one man with right ideas of your qualities and their value. You want him to perceive that he lacks and requires just such services as you purpose to offer for sale. You realize it is unsafe for you to jump at conclusions about his characteristics. You pause briefly to size him up before presenting your proposition, rather than to proceed blindly in ignorance of his habits of thought, and with no clue to what he happens to be thinking at the time you call. You must know all it is possible to find out on the spot regarding him.

[Sidenote: What Has He Done with His Birthright?]

You cannot be certain of his characteristics if you judge him solely by what Nature forced on him. But you can be absolutely sure if you size him up by observing _what he has done with his birthright_, and if you are then able to _interpret_ correctly what you _perceive_. Your prospect has had nothing to do with the shape and size of his head. His fair or dark complexion is inherited. He is utterly unable to control the color of his hair or eyes. His _muscle structure_, however, is a _development_ that he has accomplished himself. If he has a firm jaw, the jaw _muscles_, not the jaw _bone_, signify the characteristics of a firm mentality. _Judge the physical man he has made by his habits of living under the government of his mind._ Disregard such physical details of his appearance as he cannot help. The _made_ man is the true image of the ego. It is this _ego_ of your prospective employer you need to know, for your chance to succeed in your purpose with him depends on the _inner_ man you must convince and persuade. Therefore restrict your size-up to the discriminative observation of the _muscle signs of his mind habits and mind actions_.

[Sidenote: Recall Burbank Method]

Recall now, or re-read the second chapter of this book. There you studied the principles of restrictive-discriminative growth--the Burbank method of developing selected qualities of manhood. That chapter related to your cultivation of particular characteristics within _yourself_. The same principles will guide you with equal certainty in acquiring knowledge of _other men_.

Every _mental_ characteristic of your prospect about which you need to know has _physical indications that can be perceived, and translated into certain knowledge of details of his character_. You have studied the co-relation of _your_ mind and body in mutual development. You may be sure that similar processes of development have produced like effects in the case of the man you have come to see. You know exactly how to grow particular qualities within yourself, by using your muscles to develop corresponding mind centers and vice versa. You can read another man's mind by observing _his_ muscle structure and muscle action, and by then interpreting the mental significance of what you perceive.

[Sidenote: Men are Alike At Heart, But Differ in Mind]

To repeat and emphasize again what already has been said about knowing the _heart_ of another man--you need but look into your own breast to find there the finest basic characteristics of the human heart in general. As Kipling wrote, "The Colonel's lady and Judy O'Grady are sisters under their skins." All men are fundamentally alike at the bottoms of their hearts, however much they may differ in the individual traits they have grafted upon their common root of human nature.

So when you are sizing up your prospect, you should comprehend that _the most effective way to get to his heart is through such an appeal as would reach the heart of every man_. Know your own heart surely, then, in order to be certain of knowing his. All human hearts respond similarly to manifestations of courage, nobility, love, faith, honor, and the like. We laugh and cry at the same humor and pathos. Our _feelings_ are closely akin. We differ from one another only in our _minds_. Our individual, acquired habits of thought affect but the _degrees_ of our several heart responses to the gamut of fundamental emotional appeals.

[Sidenote: Exhaustive Prolonged Analysis Unnecessary]

Knowledge of another man, then, involves first, comprehension that he is _like_ every other man in his _emotions_, and _unlike_ all other men in the way he _thinks_. To a trained observer his habits of thought are clearly indicated by his muscle structure and muscle action. Exhaustive prolonged analysis is unnecessary. You can learn to read quickly the mental significance of the comparatively small number of details of muscle structure and action that constitute a fairly complete index to his character. Then you will be able to judge with certainty practically all the traits of which you need to be sure in order to make the most effective presentation of your services for sale to this particular man.

[Sidenote: Value of Size-up]

The value of such a dependable size-up can scarcely be over-estimated. It is not easy to gain the _initial_ chance to present your capabilities to the one man with whom you have chosen to be associated. But it would be tremendously harder to win a _second_ opportunity to sell your services after _failing_ the first time. By sizing him up aright while you are presenting your qualifications for his consideration, you will be able to _avoid making unfavorable impressions_. You can also adapt your salesmanship to _creating the best possible impression_ of your capabilities and their fitness to his *especial needs*.

[Sidenote: The Gruff Reception]

Sometimes a man seeking to gain the big chance that he believes would open the door to success fails to secure his opportunity because he is disconcerted by a gruff reception that he misconstrues as personal to him. He wrongly interprets _natural_ self-defense as a sign of habitual crabbedness.

A big man often thinks he is "hunted" by people who want to make him the prey of their own purposes. The employer you have chosen as the means of reaching the goal of your ambition may feel suspicious of your object in approaching him. He is likely to assume an attitude of extreme reserve, or even of icy indifference. Possibly his manner will be curt and sharp. Size up such a reception as just his way of protecting himself against impositions. His treatment of you is merely a superficial manifestation of the instinct for self-preservation. It indicates nothing more than that he is wary of any one who calls on him with an unknown purpose.

His object in being cold or brusque is to get rid of people who might annoy him or waste his time. He would not assume his repelling pose if he knew _you_ had come with a purpose of _true service_, after full preparation of yourself and your selling plans to interest him. Though he does not realize it yet, you will neither pester him nor fritter away his precious minutes.

[Sidenote: Melting Ice And Smoothing Roughness]

Therefore if your size-up convinces you that the cold, brusque manner is only _assumed_, you need not deal with it as if it were _characteristic_. It indicates no more than the habit of wariness. You should proceed confidently with your selling process, undeterred by the bearing of your prospect. Do not attempt to mollify his assumed harshness. It will take but a few moments for you to _sell him the idea that you have brought him something he really needs_. When he first glimpses your service purpose, his icy pose will begin to melt and his rough tones will be smoothed.

A great public-utility corporation with thousands of branch offices throughout the United States had as its purchasing agent for many years an old gorgon. He was "a holy terror" to new salesmen, but became a staunch customer when once his confidence was deservedly gained. And every employee in the office of this tartar loved him for his true kindness of heart.

[Sidenote: Don't Flinch Or Retreat]

You may have occasion to call on such an eccentric big man. If you are rebuffed fiercely, don't let it "get your goat." He can have no possible reason for disliking you personally, especially before he comprehends your purpose in coming to him. So disregard his ferocious pose. Though he may treat you as an unwelcome intruder, proceed calmly to the statement of your business. You know that your intention to render him a true service justifies you in taking his time. Therefore his assumed fierce manner should be powerless to disconcert you.

_Do not retreat_ from a chosen prospective employer; _do not even flinch_ from him, however ill-tempered and repellant he may appear. You cannot possibly lose so much by standing your ground as you would forfeit by running away from this chance to demonstrate your salesmanship. Countless thousands of men have failed because at the first sign of antagonism they surrendered even more than they might have lost if they had been utterly beaten after the hardest kind of a fight for victory. _They gave up without a struggle, not only all their chances for success, but their self-respect as well._

Suppose the man you have selected as your future employer does snap at you viciously when you call on him; his ferocity signifies no more than that you must approach and handle him carefully. Your prospecting and your size-up should have convinced you that he is not in fact the crab he tries to appear. Real, thorough cranks are so rare they can be considered as non-existent. It is safe to conclude that any man who acts as if he were sore all the way through all the time is just _acting_. Ignore the irrascibility of the "Everett Trues" you meet. _Superficial_, _assumed_ indications will not help you to comprehend the _inner_ man you want to influence. _Restrict your size-up to the signs of that inner man._ While the old gorgon you face is brow-beating you, he may be planning in the back of his head an act of gentle kindness to some one. If he is _habitually_ kind, there will be physical indications of that characteristic; in his _tones_ and _acts_ if not in his _words_. Look for these signs beneath his harsh manner, which is merely a disguise he has put on. "Everett True" behaves like a domineering tyrant, but he really is characterized by an acute sensitiveness to what is right and just.

[Sidenote: Judge By Unconscious Appearance And Actions]

When sizing up a man, depend principally upon details of his _appearance_ and _actions_. Translate whatever you see or hear into definite discriminative judgments regarding him. His muscle structure and movements indicate certain traits. Of course you should also observe and size up the significance of the words and tones he uses. But a man employs his speech with the conscious intention of making impressions. Therefore it is not safe to rely on a size-up based on what he says. Your prospect may be using his words and tones to hide, rather than to reveal, his inner self.

However, if you know how to separate and classify _details of muscle structure and action_, you can depend safely on specific conclusions based on these indications. The muscle structure of a man is the result of his habits of living, or of his predominant characteristics. He builds it up unconsciously and is unable to disguise it. It can be interpreted as certain proof that he has particular traits. Most of his movements, too, are made without his realizing exactly what they denote of his character and present thoughts. He just "acts natural." Therefore if you read indications of the inner man by analytically observing his _physique_ and _actions_, you will gain reliable information about him. He will not know that he is revealing his traits and what he is thinking.

[Sidenote: Your Opinions About People]

From your earliest childhood to this moment you have been forming first-hand opinions of other people by observing and interpreting their words, tones, and movements. Sizing up men is not a new process to you. But in order to be a certainly successful salesman of yourself you should _observe more intelligently and discriminatively_ hereafter. Instead of making up your mind about people without knowing just how or why you arrive at your judgments, classify your intuitions scientifically. Know the reasons for your opinions. You can be sure about the conclusions you reach as a result of your _specific, exact observation of details_. The study and analysis of words, tones, and acts, coupled with a little painstaking practice, will make you an expert judge of other men.

[Sidenote: Study Character Unobserved]

Do not seem to make an effort to observe the person you are sizing up, for that would impress him disagreeably. Without indicating that you are watching him, mentally note and interpret his muscle structure, his manner of speaking, his gestures, the rate of his physical activity, the way his actions respond to his ideas, the type and tensity of his movements. _Each item you analyze and translate should indicate to you clearly some fact about the inner man._

Of course you will not be able to read your prospect thoroughly in the first few moments after you meet him. It is possible to make only a partial size-up then. No one would reveal _all_ his characteristics in such a brief time. _But each indication you perceive and interpret correctly will aid you to attribute to him certain other, related traits._ For instance, if the actions of a man indicate the characteristic of evasion, you may judge safely that he lacks courage, the highest sense of honor, some of the elements of perfect squareness and trustworthiness. If he has a habit of under-estimating or "knocking," and manifests this characteristic in something he says or does, you may feel certain he is not an idealist. He is likely to be pretty "practical" in his views, and cannot be won by appeals to rosy visions.

[Sidenote: Elements of Character are Consistent]

Analysis of a man's true character usually shows that its elements are thoroughly consistent. A human being is not a bundle of contradictions, but an aggregation of likenesses. Every man differs from every _other_ man; yet, generally speaking, one element of his character is not apt to differ radically from another detail of _himself_. There are exceptions, but in most cases the seeming contradictions in an individual are only apparent opposites. Supposed inconsistencies cause surprise because the true fundamental traits of the person observed are not discerned. The _outer_ man often seems to contradict himself. But nearly always the _inner_ man is consistent in his various characteristics. This is the reason why your size-up should be _restricted to discriminative observation of indications of the ego_.

[Sidenote: Application of Theory]

Perhaps you have been thinking, "The _theory_ seems to be all right, but exactly how is it _applied?_" So we shall turn our attention next to specific details of sizing up the characteristics of the inner man. We shall see just how his thoughts and feelings may be discerned at a particular time.

We assumed previously that you have called upon the man to whom you want to sell your services. You believe the way to your success lies through association with him. _Your faculties of observation should be trained to size up at a glance whatever traits are suggested by his bearing, his clothes, his manner, his actions, his surroundings_. Whether he is standing or sitting, it is possible for you to perceive and interpret his pose and poise. You can learn much from his walk if he steps forward to greet you. His handshake may tell volumes about his true character. The different ways that men clasp palms are especially significant of their individual traits. You should have a scientific knowledge of handshakes.

[Sidenote: Traits Suggested By Nods]

Should your prospect merely nod on your entrance, note discriminatively the movement he makes. There are many kinds of nods. The quick, sharp tipping of the head indicates unhesitating, clean-cut decisions. Such judgments on the spur of the moment are not always right, but they are apt to be pretty conclusive. Irregular, jerky nods are signs of irritability, of rash or very impulsive decisions, and often of unreasoning prejudice. The nod made directly forward signifies frankness, dignity, and straight thinking. The tilting of the head a little to one side suggests a habit of indirectness and a tendency to "stall."

[Sidenote: Learn to Analyze Smiles]

How much of a man's character is illumined by his smile! Ability to analyze smiles _correctly_ will enable you to size up the dissembled traits of character behind the _false_ smile. Such analytical ability will also show you how to turn to your best advantage the smile of _true_ friendliness.

It is possible to judge from the physical aspect, from the facial expressions, from the movements, and from the voice of a man whether he is nervous or phlegmatic, active or passive, healthy or lacking in vigor and strength. A skillful size-up will determine that he is either eccentric or well balanced mentally, that he is thrifty or extravagant, that he is disposed to take comprehensive views or is inclined to give undue attention to trifles and details. He will indicate to a keen observer real intellect or mere intelligence. His emotions also may be read. He reveals himself as generous or selfish; as an optimist or as a skeptic. He shows that he is responsive to heart appeals or is hard hearted, moral or immoral, artistic or lacking in appreciation of art, cultured or boorish.

[Sidenote: Discriminative Restrictive Process]

To know the significance of your prospect's different _words, tones, and movements--the only means he has for the expression of his ideas and feelings_, just apply to _his_ case whatever you have learned in studying _yourself_. Adapt your previous discriminative knowledge to the prospect you are sizing up. Restrict your conclusions about him to the significance of details you observe in his appearance, actions, and speech.

After considerable practice in sizing up you will become familiar with the indications of many different traits. _But in most cases it will be sufficient if you can observe swiftly and interpret in a flash only a few of the commonest character signs_. We will touch briefly upon some of these.

[Sidenote: Facial Muscles]

Tense jaw muscles, whether large or small, denote the characteristic of persistence. But loose, flabby cheek muscles do not necessarily prove the habit of over-eating, or of sensuality. They may mean that the man who has them does not habitually allow his feelings to show in his face. When the muscles of facial expression are flabby they prove only that they are slightly used. Therefore when you encounter a man with loose cheeks read his characteristics from other muscle-structure signs, and from his actions. Do not misjudge the heavy face as a sign of grossness.

[Sidenote: Courage And Bluff]

If a man holds his head up easily, and moves it in this upright position without stiffness or effort, you may be sure his back neck and shoulder muscles are strongly developed. Such strong development suggests that he is courageous, for these muscles are directly co-ordinated with the mind center of bravery. Therefore the head and shoulders easily held back and up; not a high chest, signify courage. The bulging chest often indicates no more than pouter-pigeon bluff temporarily put on.

[Sidenote: Indications Of Intellect And Power]

A man's high chest, however, is a sign that his predominant characteristics are intellectual; because his chest has been developed by the student's habit of upper-lung breathing. The nerves running from the upper part of the lungs are directly connected with the brain centers of _intellect_. On the contrary the nerves that lead from the lower portions of the lungs center first in the plexus through which are manifested the _vital emotions_ and the emotions of _sex_. Hence the man who breathes deeply by habit indicates a great deal of vitality and has marked "he-man" traits. He is not of the intellectual type so markedly as he is a man of _power_. The man who breathes only from the upper part of his lungs is not a man of power, but may have a fine intellect.

[Sidenote: Significance Of Postures]

The postures of the body are significant of characteristics. If your prospect stands with his feet wide apart and his arms folded conspicuously across his high-held chest, he probably has a habit of bluffing. His widely spread feet indicate that he has to prop himself in that physical posture; so it is unnatural to him. Similarly he has had to prop himself in his mental posture. _Push your ideas hard and he will lose his mental balance;_ just as he would lose his physical balance if you were to jolt him. He is obliged to prop himself. He is bluffing. You can make him quit. The folded arms and expanded chest of the bluffer mean no more than the high-arched back of a cat. Stroke "Tom" soothingly, and he stops bristling. Stroke the human bluffer tactfully with persuasion, and he will not act pugnacious for long.

[Sidenote: The Balanced Body]

But if, when making a statement, your prospect stands or walks about easily with his feet close together; if he balances his body without difficulty or artificial postures--it is certain that he has a good deal of determination in his make-up. You cannot influence him to change his mind by making emotional appeals to him. In order to secure the favorable decision of such a man, you will need to use the most conclusive, solid evidence of your capabilities.

[Sidenote: Wavering Minds]

Suppose your prospect shifts his feet continually and rather jerkily. While you are talking with him, he frequently changes his weight from one foot to the other. He is suggesting that he has little confidence in his own judgment, that he is not sure of his own thoughts. _Take the lead strongly with such a man._ Do his thinking for him. It is up to you to bring his vacillating mind to definite conclusions, following your lead. First make it clear to him that your proposal is really to his interest. Then proceed with a manner of absolute assurance, as if you did not question his doing what you wish. With your skillful salesmanship you can stop his wavering and induce him to act as you indicate.

[Sidenote: Quick Thinkers]

The _rate_ of one's _muscular_ activity is directly associated with the rate of one's _mental_ activity. The man who _moves_ slowly by habit is also a plodder in his _thoughts_. On the contrary, quick actions indicate quick thinking; which, however, may be mistaken. Only the quick motion that is _under perfect control_ suggests an _unerring_ conclusion reached swiftly. The man who snatches up a pencil with sure fingers, and without fumbling it begins to write at once, demonstrates that he has an electrically fast mind perfectly harnessed to his purpose. When another man reaches swiftly for a pencil but misses his sure grasp at the first attempt; or when the dash of his hand to the paper is followed by a momentary delay for adjustment of the pencil in his fingers or by hesitation before he begins to write, he denotes mere impulsiveness.

[Sidenote: Self-Control]

Sometimes a quick thinker will purposely develop the habit of making very deliberate motions. This trait is the result of his determined repression of a recognized inclination to act on impulse. He has accomplished perfect self-control in order to guard against the danger of making up his mind too quickly on his first thoughts. But his slowed-down movements will be so _precise_ and _certain_ as to indicate his characteristic of self-control and that his mind has moved in advance of his acts.

If you have occasion to size up such a man, you should perceive that the movements of his muscles do not correspond with the rate of his mental activity, as a superficial observer might mistakenly conclude. If your prospect sits or stands immobile; or if his actions give no indication of what he is thinking, watch his eyes and his facial muscles of expression. Eyes that fairly dart from one object to another, expressions that flash on and off the face; prove swift mental activity, no matter how quietly the body may be held. For instance, a strong, quick thinker may have his muscles under such perfect control that he will pick up a pencil very deliberately because he has trained himself to repress his impulses. But when he has finished using the pencil, he will drop it cleanly and not let it slip slowly from his fingers. His self-training in precaution applies only to what he does _before_ acting on a purpose. The moment he is done writing, he also is done with the pencil. His hand does not linger with it over the paper. Unconsciously his characteristic quickness manifests itself in his inclination to get rid at once of the tool he has finished using.

[Sidenote: Tightened Thoughts]

Any indication of _muscular tensity_ suggests a _tightening of the mind_ on thoughts. It is often a sign of mental resistance or of persistency. If, when talking to a man you observe that his muscles seem taut, avoid forcing the idea you want him to accept, for his mind is opposing it strongly just then. Perhaps he has a persistent thought of his own, at variance with yours. Either give him a chance to express his idea in words, so you can dispose of it, or switch him away from it by changing the trend of the conversation. When you perceive that his muscles are normally relaxed, you may safely return to the postponed point. You will encounter lessened mental resistance. Very likely he will then have no impulse to persist in the thought he previously had fixed in his mind.

[Sidenote: What a Man's Walk Shows]

Note how your prospect walks forward to meet you, or how he moves about his office. If his stride is long and free and easy, it proves that the back muscles of his thighs are strong. Those muscles function in direct co-ordination with the mental action of _willing_. Therefore when a man walks easily with a long, free stride he indicates that he has a strong will. He may be sized up confidently as a fighter for his rights, as a man with a great deal of resolution once he makes up his mind.

[Sidenote: Determine Mental Speed]

It is very important when sizing up a man to determine the _degree of his mental speed_. If you have brought your best capabilities for sale to a prospective employer, you need to know whether or not he is getting clearly all the ideas you present. It is necessary for you to make sure on the one hand that you are not presenting ideas too fast for his mind to comprehend each point fully. On the other hand, you wish to avoid harping on details after he understands them. It will aid you very much in your salesmanship if you know _just how quickly_ the mind of your prospect acts. There is no better way to find out than by noting the speed of his _muscle_ response to test ideas. Since the rate of _muscle_ activity is directly indicative of the rate of _mental_ activity, you can often learn from observing the _movements_ of your prospect _how quickly his mind takes in_ points you state or suggest.

You might test him by asking that he write a name or set down some figures you give him. If without hesitation he reaches for a pencil, you may be sure his mind responds quickly to your ideas. But should there be a moment or two of delay before he picks up the pencil, his _slower physical response_ to your request is to be read as an _indication that his mind does not grasp ideas at once_.

[Sidenote: Keep Mental Pace]

After making your size-up of the degree of his mental speed, you can govern your presentation by what you have learned. If you are dealing with a mind that acts slowly, give your prospect plenty of time to get each idea you want to impress upon him. But proceed briskly from point to point with the man whose mind grasps ideas instantly. You would make a poor impression on him were you to go at a lagging pace.

It is not necessary, however, to make special or artificial tests to learn how quickly your ideas are being grasped. Observe the facial expressions of your prospect, which will indicate how soon your thought is appreciated after it is presented. Should you say something with a touch of humor, the time it takes him to smile or twinkle his eyes will measure the speed of his mind in catching ideas.

[Sidenote: Head and Eye Movements]

The movements of the head and of the eyes, according to which are predominant in the case of an individual, tell much of his character. The villain on the stage habitually looks out of the corners of his eyes. So does the mischievous ingenue. But the hero turns his whole head when he looks about. And the look of innocence in the eyes of the heroine is straightforward; her head is pointed directly in line with her gaze. _Apply the principle in your salesmanship._ When you observe a man who turns his head freely and easily for a square look at a person who comes into his presence, size him up as one who is not afraid to face either facts or people. If you note that another prospect glances obliquely at persons or objects, or that he habitually turns his eyes to one side or the other while keeping his head still, judge him to lack the characteristic of frankness. He is likely to be evasive and shifty in his dealings. Perhaps the sign you have perceived indicates no more than that your prospect is "stalling." It is evidence, nevertheless, that his mind is not meeting your ideas squarely. You will need to compel his attention to come back to your point, time and again perhaps.

[Sidenote: Strength Of Mind]

The full-arm movement denotes strength, and bigness of conceptions. A mere wrist gesture suggests littleness, flippancy, weak traits. Similarly if a man walks from his hips, he suggests the characteristic of strong personal opinion. If he walks principally from the knees, or over-uses his ankles and minces along, he indicates that his mind is not certain and that he holds his opinions weakly.

A straight gesture denotes pure _mentality_. A single-curved movement indicates some _emotion_, rather than only a thought. Action in a double curve suggests _power_ behind the expression.

[Sidenote: Honor and Straightforwardness]

A gesture outward from the chest and on the _same level_ denotes the qualities of honor and straightforwardness. If your prospect makes such a motion in response to some idea you present, he is thinking on the same man-level as yourself--he is treating you as his equal.

A characteristic movement of the arm _above_ the shoulders signifies vivid imagination, or impracticability. It may be read as an indication of lightness of character or of a tendency to go off on a tangent. Conversely, gestures outward from the _lower_ part of the body denote power, or an inclination to depreciate values.

[Sidenote: Selfishness]

If a man gestures _toward_ himself, he indicates limited conceptions, or selfishness, with a tendency to materialize everything. Movements in any direction _away from_ the trunk of the body and on its level denote assertiveness, sincerity, creative ability, or willingness to cooperate in thought.

[Sidenote: Affirmation And Denial]

_Vertical_ movements suggest the _life_ of ideas, and symbolize _affirmation_. _Horizontal_ gestures accompany the _denial_ of ideas and the _death_ of interest. The _diagonal upward_ curve indicates _idealism_. A similar curve _downward_ is a sign that an idea presented to the imagination is _concretely realized_.

[Sidenote: Frankness and Dodging]

The person who gestures _directly in front_ of himself proves he is _willing to meet you face to face_ regarding the idea presented. But when a man gestures _slightly_ to one side or the other, he is not dodging. His movement denotes only that he is _thinking seriously_. However, if you present ideas to a man who gestures _far_ to the right or left, you may feel certain that he is not giving his thoughts in harmony with yours, but probably is trying to get your ideas out of his mind.

[Sidenote: Study Tones]

While we have emphasized that "muscular indications" are of principal importance in making a certain size-up, the tones and words of the prospect should not be altogether neglected. Often a man will unintentionally reveal in his tones the very things he means his words to conceal. You would not depend on the words of a person if they were contradicted by his acts and tones.

Mental, emotive, and power characteristics are signified by various tone pitches. _The degree of a man's determination_ and his _persistence in thought_ are denoted by the _number of tone units_ he habitually employs when speaking. The _genuineness_ of a statement is suggested or disproved by the tone _intervals_ in the statement. "Yes" spoken in one unit without inflection means unqualified assent. "Y-es" in two tones may mean doubtful assent, or false agreement, or even a contradiction. The _middle-of-the-mouth_ tone proves a _well balanced_ mind, in contrast with the _unreliable_ mind that is denoted by the _lip_ tone, and the _secretive_ mind which is suggested by the tone that comes from _far back_ in the mouth.

In a five minute conversation an alert observer who has studied a few of the elemental principles of tone analysis can size up a great many of the most pronounced characteristics of a prospect.

[Sidenote: Don't Offend By Scrutiny]

It is better to make no size-up at all than to _strain_ in observing the other man and make him aware of your close scrutiny. Such an inartistic size-up impresses a prospect disagreeably. He feels that you are prying into his personal characteristics. Therefore _teach yourself to observe without seeming to look closely at the object of your size-up_. Learn to observe unobserved; especially to perceive details without looking _sharply_. Your eyes and ears can take in specific points about your prospect without making their keen activity apparent.

[Sidenote: Two Parts of Sizing-up Process]

When you have learned how to see and hear many details clearly at the same time, _unsuspected by your prospect_, you will be a master of the first essential of skillful character reading. The second necessary element of proficiency in sizing up men is the _relation or association of each detail observed, with the particular characteristic it denotes_. To begin with, _perceive points_ about your prospect. Then ask yourself about each, "_What does this mean?_"

[Sidenote: Practice Makes Perfect]

Of course you will not become an expert judge of other men at once. But get the habit of seeing and hearing _specific indications of characteristics_ wherever you go. You will soon find that your mind has been opened to new, clear ideas of people.

It is possible for anyone to become a mind reader. It is necessary only to _note_ and _think out_ the meaning of character signs and thoughts. Trained specific observation will read and interpret these signs. When you become skillful in sizing up other men, this art will help you very much in gaining the best possible receptions everywhere you go. Also, if you are able to read your prospect's thoughts and character, you can avoid antagonizing his ideas.

[Sidenote: Remove Unnecessary Difficulties]

Gain knowledge of other men in order to make it easy to sell them true ideas of your best capabilities. It is not _hard_ to succeed if you take the _unnecessary_ difficulties out of the process of gaining your chances.