Reading people is a strategic skill

Reading people is one of the most powerful forms of intelligence.

Whether you’re a leader, a negotiator, an entrepreneur - or an intelligence covert operative - the ability to understand what others think, feel, or hide gives you an edge.

Intelligence agencies like CIA, Mossad, DGSE... have trained operatives for decades in the art of reading humans.

But you don’t need to be a spy to learn how.

This article breaks down practical, observable techniques rooted in HUMINT (Human Intelligence) that you can apply immediately to decode people’s behavior, motives, and intentions.

1. The spy mindset: observe before you interpret

Spies don’t jump to conclusions.

They gather, observe, and wait. You must adopt this mindset:

“Don’t guess. Detect.”

Begin by watching the baseline behavior of the person: how they sit, speak, gesture, and pause when they’re at ease.

Only then can you spot deviations that reveal discomfort, deception, or stress.

Key signs to track:

• Change in tone or speed of voice
• Sudden shift in eye contact
• Micro-expressions of surprise, anger, or contempt
• Physical self-soothing (touching face, neck, crossing arms)

2. Learn to identify "leakage"

In the world of intelligence, "leakage" refers to the involuntary signals that betray someone’s inner state.

These are often subconscious and appear in the first 1-2 seconds before someone controls their facial expression or body language.

Look for:

• A micro-expression that contradicts their words
• A half-nod when saying “no” or a micro-shake when saying “yes”
• Delayed smile after delivering a statement

Reading people like a spy means spotting what they didn’t intend to show.

3. Calibrate with context

You’re not a psychic.
You’re an analyst.

Reading behavior without context leads to false conclusions.
A twitch isn’t always anxiety. A frown isn’t always deception. Always ask:

• What’s the social or cultural setting?
• What’s at stake for the person now?
• Are they being watched, judged, tested?

The more you understand why someone behaves a certain way, the more accurate your read will be.

4. Use conversational probes

In intelligence work, operatives use elicitation. It is a subtle technique to make someone reveal more than they intended. You can do the same.

There are many elicitation tactics that I teach in my online courses (you can access them all if you are a Premium member or purchase them separately here)

Tactics to try:

• Feigned ignorance: “Wait, I don’t get that: can you explain again?”
• Flattery bait: “You seem to know a lot about this. What’s your take?”
• Assumptive questions: “So I guess you’ve dealt with this before, right?”

Watch not just what they say - but how they say it.

One very underestimated technique is... silence. Strategic silence.

Just sh*t up, and let them talk.

5. Spot patterns, not events

The best spies don’t act on isolated signals.
They connect dots over time.

In your own interactions:

• Take mental (or written) notes across multiple meetings
• Observe how people act in private vs. public
• Notice consistent emotional triggers (what makes them irritated, proud, evasive)

The truth hides in patterns. What seems like noise is often signal—when viewed from a distance.

Bonus: decode yourself first

If you want to read others... start by reading yourself. This is called... emotional intelligence. I also teach that in the premium membership.

• What signals do you leak?
• What are your biases in interpretation?
• What behavior do you default to when under pressure?

The more lucid you are about your own behaviors, the sharper your perception of others becomes.