Can You Really Read Body Language? What Actually Works in Real Conversations
A few years ago, someone came up to me after a keynote and asked a question I’ve heard countless times over the years. “So… can you actually tell what people are thinking just by looking at them?” I understood why they were asking. We live in a world filled with television shows, viral videos, and
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What the First Laugh Reveals About Leadership and Communication
As a professional mentalist, I’m sneaky. Or at least…strategic. Before I ever walk on stage, I’m already gathering information. When I perform on luxury cruise ships, my introduction ends with the line, “He has been called the world’s greatest mind reader. But he is not psychic. He has no special powers. He is just in
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The Body Language Mistake That Destroys Trust in Sales and Leadership
A few years ago I watched a sale collapse before anyone raised an objection. A derecho had demolished a large steel building belonging to a farmer friend of mine. If you are not familiar with a derecho, think of it as a tornado that moves sideways across the land. It came out of nowhere, and
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Three People Every Leader Needs for Growth and Resilience
Keynote speaker Christopher Carter shares a powerful story on how mentors, accountability partners, and encouragers shape real leadership growth.
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Authentic Leadership Is Ordinary, and That’s Your Super Power
I am thrilled to be speaking soon at the Phi Theta Kappa leadership conference in Illinois. As I prepare, I keep coming back to one guiding principle that I want every emerging leader in the room to understand: authentic leadership is ordinary. That might sound surprising at first. We often imagine leaders as larger-than-life figures:
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What Mentalism Teaches Us About Reading a Room
The first time I walked onto a stage as a corporate mentalist, I realized my success depended on one skill above all others: reading the room. If I missed the subtle signals, the folded arms, the sideways glances, the bursts of energy or dips in focus, my performance would fall flat. If I caught them,
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Confidence Is Sexy
I eavesdrop a lot. It’s a bad habit supported by the fact that I’m often traveling and spend a lot of time in the company of other peoples’ conversations. Sitting in the airport the other day I overheard a woman say to her friend, “what I look for most in a man is confidence. Confidence
Read MoreFive Tips For Looking Confident (Even When You Aren’t)
Confidence is the most powerful tool for persuasion you possess. People tend to be more attracted to those who are confident and more likely to agree with them or want to do what they ask. But there’s a problem. From time to time everybody gets butterflies. Your palms start to sweat, your breathing becomes erratic,
Read MoreThe Body Language of Leadership
Leaders use many different strategies to motivate their ranks. Some try to be everybody’s friend, while others try to be as intimidating as possible. Which strategy is best depends on circumstances and the personality of the leader, but most studies identify two key dimensions to leadership that can be reinforced by body language: likeability and authority. Put simply, people are
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