In April 1994, as a member of the Canadian Forces, I took part in a Prisoner Handling and Tactical Questioning course held at the Defence Intelligence and Security School in Ashford Kent, England.  Only a few hours after arrival, I found myself striped naked, placed in a cold cell, and intensely interrogated by a hostile British Warrant Officer.  

After the interrogation, they informed me of the information they captured.  I was amazed by what they knew since I hadn’t answered any of their questions.   At that moment, I experienced first hand the world of Behavioural Symptoms Analysis (BSA).  I quickly became a student for life, and I have been studying the field of human behaviour ever since.

I believe that until you personally discover or experience an event (a truthful account) for yourself, it is hard to fully grasp and accept its teaching. In other words, a truth spoken is not a truth discovered.  I had to discover and personally experience the interrogation process in order to fully grasp the value of BSA and how I could effectively apply this tool to read people and their behaviours.

Surveys in my workshops reveal that we would like to read other people, even though that we do not want to be read.  The real value of understanding BSA is in developing the ability to accurately read the messages sent by other people in order to understand them better. Increasing your awareness of BSA practices can give you a starting point to effectively read the messages sent by others.

BSA is the study of the way people act, speak and behave in various circumstances.  From this study, you can learn to understand patterns of behaviour that enable you to make predictions and deductions about a person’s real message. Even when silent, people cannot not communicate! 

This study is useful for people who ask questions in their daily activities.  The behavioural insights provided by BSA create a framework for better understanding the communication that takes place during a conversation/interaction.  As a questioner, it also guides you towards arriving at an informed assessment of an individual.  In addition, they yield valuable information that can help you evaluate truth and deception in people.  Hence, BSA can help you find the “wolf within your flock.”

Communication research by behavioural scientists and psychologists leads to the theory that communication can be broken down into verbal, vocal and non-verbal elements.  In a conversation, the verbal element is primarily used for passing information that the speaker wishes to convey to the listener.  The vocal element supports the verbal element and may also support the non-verbal element.  The non-verbal element primarily reveals attitudes and feelings.

Albert Mehrabian, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at UCLA, observed these percentages in his famous communication study: 7 percent of communication comes from the verbal element (words), 38 percent from the vocal element (tone of voice), and 55 percent from the non-verbal element (body language).

Mehrabian’s “7%-38%-55% Rule”, refers to cases of expressing feelings or attitudes (i.e., like-dislike).  In more fact based conversations, when a person is not talking about their feelings or attitudes, these equations are not applicable.  Many people misapply Mehrabian’s when they attempt to apply them to all communication.

The most important point of this study is to understand the process of communication and to develop your skill in interpreting verbal, vocal and non-verbal elements when interacting with others.  People naturally talented in these interpretations are often called intuitive.  Those who are not as intuitive can misplace their trust and be easily misled.

When observing and evaluating a person, build a model of the person’s normal pattern of behaviour.  You can do this by asking non-pertinent questions and looking carefully at their non-verbal communication (NVC) signs.

For example, if a person breaks eye contact when denying having hit your vehicle, it may or may not mean that the person is lying.  If breaking eye contact happens in conjunction with a drop in voice tone, and they start fidgeting with their fingers, coughing and hesitating in their answers, where they had been calm and collected before you asked about the dent in your car; then you might consider the person to be untruthful. 

A truthful person tends to talk face to face (frontal alignment) in order to see the other person’s gestures, maintain eye contact and appear concerned.  An untruthful person tends to turn their whole body away (lack frontal alignment), in part to increase the distance from you and in part to conceal their face. These actions make it easier to break eye contact with you and appear truthful.

More than any other part of NVC, gestures vary greatly from culture to culture and person to person.  They are learned by copying as children and are influenced by society, age, gender, dominant role models and personality style.  Understanding the Model of Human Behaviour greatly enhances your ability to evaluate truth and deception in people across cultures.

 Individuals who are outgoing and task oriented tend to be more dominant and direct in their NVC. They often use big gestures and lean forward with an advancing posture.  Individuals who are outgoing and people oriented tend to be more inspiring and influencing in their NVC. They often use expressive gestures with an amusing, friendly posture. 

Individuals who are reserved and people oriented tend to be more supportive and sincere in their NVC. They use gentle gestures with a reassuring, calming posture.  Individuals who are also reserved and task oriented tend to be more cautious and credible in their NVC. They often use controlled gestures without emotion.

In today’s challenging time, it is increasingly important to be sensitive and observant when it comes to your own body language as it tends to communicate your real message and intention when you interact with others both at work and at home.

What do you want to see happen this year?  Does it include growing your own business?  Losing some weight?  Reuniting with family members?  Only you can complete the question.  Stephen Covey says, “Begin…with the image of the end of your life as your frame of reference…each day will then contribute to the vision you have of your life as a whole.”  To paraphrase…begin with the end in mind.

Beginning with the end in mind, determine your goals.  Write them down, and then make yourself accountable for the outcome of your goals with a mentor – one who only longs for your success.  A mentor’s desire is for you to walk in your strengths every day of  the  year. 

Would you agree that life doesn’t always wait until we are ready before handling us with challenges – character building moments?  Like a small child trying to fill big shoes, at first we do badly, then awkwardly, and with a stumble here and there.  The only thing that can stop us…from growing into those big shoes is the fear of putting our feet into them. 

As I start my CAPS Ottawa Presidency, I know that the success of our Chapter will greatly be enhanced by my ability to seek out mentors throughout the year.  I have already had a few bad and awkward moments…humbling to say the least!  Knowing that I have the right to start over, I press toward with the end in mind, ensuring that 2010 brings peace and prosperity to our CAPS members.

Press forward…it’s your time to shine.

“You can offer your ideas to others as bullets or as seeds. You can shoot them or sow them. Ideas used as bullets will kill inspiration and motivation. Ideas used as seeds will take root, grow and bear fruit in the life in which they are planted. But there’s a risk; once it becomes part of those in whom it’ s planted, you probably will get no credit for originating the idea. But if you’re willing to do without the credit… you’ll reap a rich harvest”.

Good ideas can often be wasted when we use a ‘ram-it-down-your-throat’ approach.

I understood that day that if I wanted to make a positive impact in how people relate and communicate, I had to learn how to say the right things, in the right way.

My efforts at helping others might fail, or worse, alienate them if I do not approach them with compassion and humility. Most people already know what challenges or problems they are currently facing and deep down, they want to do better.

Unless I want a ‘who-are-you-to-tell-me?’ response, I have to approach people with respect, compassion and humility. If people refuse to listen to the truth in the way that I am sharing it, then maybe the problem’s not theirs – it could be mine. Maybe I”m firing bullets instead of planting seeds.

“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit” – Harry S. Truman