Psychology & Counseling
![Vanessa Van Edwards - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B01N39J1O2.jpg)
Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication
For anyone who wants to be heard at work, earn that overdue promotion, or win more clients, deals, and projects, the bestselling author of Captivate, Vanessa Van Edwards, shares her advanced guide to improving professional relationships through the power of cues.
What makes someone charismatic? Why do some captivate a room, while others have trouble managing a small meeting? What makes some ideas spread, while other good ones fall by the wayside? If you have ever been interrupted in meetings, overlooked for career opportunities or had your ideas ignored, your cues may be the problem – and the solution.
Cues – the tiny signals we send to others 24/7 through our body language, facial expressions, word choice, and vocal inflection – have a massive impact on how we, and our ideas, come across. Our cues can either enhance our message or undermine it.
In this entertaining and accessible guide to the hidden language of cues, Vanessa Van Edwards teaches you how to convey power, trust, leadership, likeability, and charisma in every interaction. You'll learn:
• Which body language cues assert, "I'm a leader, and here's why you should join me."
• Which vocal cues make you sound more confident
• Which verbal cues to use in your résumé, branding, and emails to increase trust (and generate excitement about interacting with you.)
• Which visual cues you are sending in your profile pictures, clothing, and professional brand.
Whether you're pitching an investment, negotiating a job offer, or having a tough conversation with a colleague, cues can help you improve your relationships, express empathy, and create meaningful connections with lasting impact. This is an indispensable guide for entrepreneurs, team leaders, young professionals, and anyone who wants to be more influential.
What makes someone charismatic? Why do some captivate a room, while others have trouble managing a small meeting? What makes some ideas spread, while other good ones fall by the wayside? If you have ever been interrupted in meetings, overlooked for career opportunities or had your ideas ignored, your cues may be the problem – and the solution.
Cues – the tiny signals we send to others 24/7 through our body language, facial expressions, word choice, and vocal inflection – have a massive impact on how we, and our ideas, come across. Our cues can either enhance our message or undermine it.
In this entertaining and accessible guide to the hidden language of cues, Vanessa Van Edwards teaches you how to convey power, trust, leadership, likeability, and charisma in every interaction. You'll learn:
• Which body language cues assert, "I'm a leader, and here's why you should join me."
• Which vocal cues make you sound more confident
• Which verbal cues to use in your résumé, branding, and emails to increase trust (and generate excitement about interacting with you.)
• Which visual cues you are sending in your profile pictures, clothing, and professional brand.
Whether you're pitching an investment, negotiating a job offer, or having a tough conversation with a colleague, cues can help you improve your relationships, express empathy, and create meaningful connections with lasting impact. This is an indispensable guide for entrepreneurs, team leaders, young professionals, and anyone who wants to be more influential.
Editorial Reviews
"A must-have guide to becoming an unstoppable force. Packed with tactical, useful information, Van Edwards distills years of research to help you become more confident, influential, and respected. Read this book and learn how to amplify your power while remaining true to yourself."
-Mel Robbins, New York Times bestselling author of The High 5 Habit
"If your goal is to level up your communication and deepen your relationships, Van Edwards is the expert you've been looking for."
-Tom Bilyeu, cofounder of Quest Nutrition and the cofounder and host of Impact Theory
"A delightful decoder ring for the subtle social signals you're missing."
-Olivia Fox Cabane, author of The Charisma Myth
"The success of your idea lies not in the idea itself, but in your ability to brilliantly present it. Read this book and watch your ideas come to life."
-John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and The Ultimate Marketing Engine
"Packed with invaluable strategies for maximizing your message, Van Edwards's energy will inspire you to become the best possible version of yourself."
-Nir Eyal, author of Hooked and Indistractable
"If there's one thing I've learned after countless interviews with entrepreneurs, it's that YOU have what it takes to achieve all your goals. You just need Van Edwards's marvelous book to help you along the way."
-John Lee Dumas, host of Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast and author of The Common Path to Uncommon Success
"Van Edwards is a genius when it comes to people. And this book is your guide to being a master communicator."
-Joe Gebbia, philanthropist and cofounder of Airbnb
"Finally, a book that honors the many subtle and important cues we send each other every day. Van Edwards shares a detailed road map for understanding others and leveraging these powerful signals."
-Ximena Vengoechea, author of Listen Like You Mean It
"You need people skills in order to do your best work. Get this wonderfully practical, insightful book, and collaborate ten times more successfully with your team."
-Charlie Gilkey, award-winning author of Start Finishing and Workways (forthcoming)
-Mel Robbins, New York Times bestselling author of The High 5 Habit
"If your goal is to level up your communication and deepen your relationships, Van Edwards is the expert you've been looking for."
-Tom Bilyeu, cofounder of Quest Nutrition and the cofounder and host of Impact Theory
"A delightful decoder ring for the subtle social signals you're missing."
-Olivia Fox Cabane, author of The Charisma Myth
"The success of your idea lies not in the idea itself, but in your ability to brilliantly present it. Read this book and watch your ideas come to life."
-John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and The Ultimate Marketing Engine
"Packed with invaluable strategies for maximizing your message, Van Edwards's energy will inspire you to become the best possible version of yourself."
-Nir Eyal, author of Hooked and Indistractable
"If there's one thing I've learned after countless interviews with entrepreneurs, it's that YOU have what it takes to achieve all your goals. You just need Van Edwards's marvelous book to help you along the way."
-John Lee Dumas, host of Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast and author of The Common Path to Uncommon Success
"Van Edwards is a genius when it comes to people. And this book is your guide to being a master communicator."
-Joe Gebbia, philanthropist and cofounder of Airbnb
"Finally, a book that honors the many subtle and important cues we send each other every day. Van Edwards shares a detailed road map for understanding others and leveraging these powerful signals."
-Ximena Vengoechea, author of Listen Like You Mean It
"You need people skills in order to do your best work. Get this wonderfully practical, insightful book, and collaborate ten times more successfully with your team."
-Charlie Gilkey, award-winning author of Start Finishing and Workways (forthcoming)
Readers Top Reviews
Amy BlaschkaAmy B
As someone fascinated by human behavior and all things communication, I absolutely LOVED this book! Vanessa Van Edwards manages to deliver research insights in a highly engaging writing style and tone, complete with real-world takeaways and tips to recognize, understand and incorporate cues to enhance your presence. After reading her earlier book, "Captivate," I didn't think I could become a bigger fan. I was wrong! Trust me: you need this book!
ppmdppmdAmy Blasc
One of the ways to be “efficient” is to be able to quickly engage with your potential mate, counterpart, partner, or audience. This takes charisma, which the book clearly and directly shows you how to achieve. The examples in this book are well-researched behavioral topics which are immediately actionable to help you with your everyday interactions. Unlike similar books which are often difficult to understand, this author makes a potentially dense topic applicable to emails, meeting people, texting, and public speaking with clear examples. It is a very easy read. As a “competent” professional, I immediately *intentionally* implemented some of the “warm” cues to enhance engagement and interaction with my “customers” – can you say charisma?! Yes. Charisma is a teachable / learnable skill. Knowledge of the cues will also allow you to clearly decipher another’s body language so you can immediately and CONTEXTUALLY respond to your advantage. This impacts on everyday interactions such as dating, sales, or simply speaking with your significant other. I changed how I set up one of my video cameras based on some of the recommendations in the book so I can improve audience engagement in my online videos. I changed what I do when I first meet a new “customer” to immediately “bond” by encoding multiple cues. We all have great ideas. Minding your Ps and “cues” will help you DELIVER your great ideas so they are not inadvertently lost in communication. Learn your cues. Reach your success efficiently. P.S. I will be hosting a book club among my professional colleagues on this book very soon. It’s THAT impactful.
Ann GppmdppmdAmy
I got it a few days ago and have already read intro and chapter one. The book is very easy to read and seems to live in the same world as Captivate. I feel like this book has already given me a lot of insight into behavior and is a great compliment to Captivate! I’m very excited to keep reading! Let me know if anyone wants to start a book club!
mommaof6Ann Gppmd
Vanessa Can Edward’s does not disappoint with her newest book Cues. Her years of research and experience now in book form for the rest of us! I’ve watched plenty of her videos on YouTube and happy to have this book in my hands to help me with my own cues and read what people are really saying with their cues.
TXTurtlemommaof6A
Have you wondered why some people seem to ignore you when you share an idea, only to have one of your colleagues pitch the exact same idea and get noticed? Do you struggle with social engagements and feel as if people want to just move on after a few minutes? Or do you just want to become better, more engaging, and more influential? In her new book, Cues, Vanessa Van Edwards breaks down the secret sauce that can help us to all become more charismatic. Vanessa starts with an explanation of what exactly is charisma. Spoiler alert, it is a myth that people are just born with charisma. The good news is that we all have the power to change, and Vanessa provides us insights on how. With every verbal or nonverbal interaction, we are sending cues to others. Vanessa defines cues as the powerful verbal, nonverbal, and vocal signals humans send to each other. In Cues, Vanessa breaks myriad cues into 4 cue buckets (nonverbal, vocal, verbal, imagery). Each of these is clearly explained and she provides relevant examples from celebrities, media, and TV shows. In addition to the material in the book, Vanessa shares how to access several digital bonuses including videos of the actual examples, book club discussion questions, and an upcoming app. As Vanessa advises, don't leave charisma up to chance. You have the power to send the cues to increase your charisma. Be in control of your cues, read Cues.
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1
Cue for Charisma
Who is the most charismatic person you know?
This is one of my favorite questions to ask audiences. People immediately shout out their answers. "My dad!" or "My teacher!" or "My best friend!"
The next question is where things get more interesting. I ask, "What makes someone charismatic?"
Typically, I hear crickets. People rack their brains to come up with the answer. They venture, "Well, it's, you know, that feeling?" Why is it that we struggle to define charisma, even though we immediately recognize it in others?
In a groundbreaking study from Princeton University, researchers found that highly charismatic, likable, compelling people demonstrate a special blend of two specific traits: warmth and competence. It's a simple equation:
This formula is a powerful blueprint for every interaction. And it can completely change the way you communicate if you know how to use it.
According to the research, warmth and competence cues account for 82 percent of our impressions of others.
First, we quickly assess someone's warmth, answering the question: Can I trust you?
Then we look for competence, answering the question: Can I rely on you?
And this formula isn't just at play when making a first impression. Any time people interact with you, they continuously scan for cues to gauge your warmth and competence. And you do the same to others. Whether you are in a business meeting, on a date, with your boss, or with new friends, managing these two traits is essential for your effectiveness.
Highly charismatic people exhibit the perfect blend of warmth and competence. They immediately signal trust and credibility. We see them as friendly and smart, impressive and collaborative. They earn both our respect and admiration.
Here's the problem: Most of us have an imbalance between these two traits. It's often the hidden cause of our social difficulties, missed potential, and miscommunications.
We need this balance to succeed. Highly charismatic people use both warmth and competence cues to communicate successfully. We love being around people who make us feel like we are in both safe and capable hands. We like our leaders to be both highly effective and very approachable. We look for partners we can trust with our deepest secrets and call in an emergency. We want to work with people who are both friendly and productive.
We're always on the lookout for people who hit the sweet spot of both warmth and competence-the quadrant that has the star on the Charisma Scale on the following page. This Charisma Scale helps us map our communication.
Where do you think you fall on the scale? Are you more warm (upper left quadrant) or more competent (lower right quadrant), or do you strike a perfect balance and land in the Charisma Zone? Not sure? You might not show enough cues at all, putting you in the Danger Zone.
Consider where others might place you on the scale. Do a quick test below by choosing which column sounds more like you:
Competent Warm
Impressive Trustworthy
Powerful Collaborative
Smart Kind
Capable Compassionate
An Expert A Team Player
Effective Open
Be sure to take your official Charisma Diagnostic
in your digital bonuses at scienceofpeople.com/bonus.
Higher in Warmth
If you are highly warm, you have a strong desire to be liked. This can be good-you strive to be friendly and personable-but it can also be challenging. Highly warm folks are often people pleasers and struggle to say no and set boundaries. Your desire to be liked can get in the way of your need to be respected.
You might be seen as:
Trustworthy but not always powerful
Compassionate but not always competent
Friendly but not always impressive
If this is you, you likely have good relationships with your colleagues but you find it hard to pitch yourself or your i...
Cue for Charisma
Who is the most charismatic person you know?
This is one of my favorite questions to ask audiences. People immediately shout out their answers. "My dad!" or "My teacher!" or "My best friend!"
The next question is where things get more interesting. I ask, "What makes someone charismatic?"
Typically, I hear crickets. People rack their brains to come up with the answer. They venture, "Well, it's, you know, that feeling?" Why is it that we struggle to define charisma, even though we immediately recognize it in others?
In a groundbreaking study from Princeton University, researchers found that highly charismatic, likable, compelling people demonstrate a special blend of two specific traits: warmth and competence. It's a simple equation:
This formula is a powerful blueprint for every interaction. And it can completely change the way you communicate if you know how to use it.
According to the research, warmth and competence cues account for 82 percent of our impressions of others.
First, we quickly assess someone's warmth, answering the question: Can I trust you?
Then we look for competence, answering the question: Can I rely on you?
And this formula isn't just at play when making a first impression. Any time people interact with you, they continuously scan for cues to gauge your warmth and competence. And you do the same to others. Whether you are in a business meeting, on a date, with your boss, or with new friends, managing these two traits is essential for your effectiveness.
Highly charismatic people exhibit the perfect blend of warmth and competence. They immediately signal trust and credibility. We see them as friendly and smart, impressive and collaborative. They earn both our respect and admiration.
Here's the problem: Most of us have an imbalance between these two traits. It's often the hidden cause of our social difficulties, missed potential, and miscommunications.
We need this balance to succeed. Highly charismatic people use both warmth and competence cues to communicate successfully. We love being around people who make us feel like we are in both safe and capable hands. We like our leaders to be both highly effective and very approachable. We look for partners we can trust with our deepest secrets and call in an emergency. We want to work with people who are both friendly and productive.
We're always on the lookout for people who hit the sweet spot of both warmth and competence-the quadrant that has the star on the Charisma Scale on the following page. This Charisma Scale helps us map our communication.
Where do you think you fall on the scale? Are you more warm (upper left quadrant) or more competent (lower right quadrant), or do you strike a perfect balance and land in the Charisma Zone? Not sure? You might not show enough cues at all, putting you in the Danger Zone.
Consider where others might place you on the scale. Do a quick test below by choosing which column sounds more like you:
Competent Warm
Impressive Trustworthy
Powerful Collaborative
Smart Kind
Capable Compassionate
An Expert A Team Player
Effective Open
Be sure to take your official Charisma Diagnostic
in your digital bonuses at scienceofpeople.com/bonus.
Higher in Warmth
If you are highly warm, you have a strong desire to be liked. This can be good-you strive to be friendly and personable-but it can also be challenging. Highly warm folks are often people pleasers and struggle to say no and set boundaries. Your desire to be liked can get in the way of your need to be respected.
You might be seen as:
Trustworthy but not always powerful
Compassionate but not always competent
Friendly but not always impressive
If this is you, you likely have good relationships with your colleagues but you find it hard to pitch yourself or your i...
