Former FBI Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Agent Joe Navarro On How To Be A Better Observer, Read Body Language And Becoming Exceptional

Being able to read others and being skilled in communicating well is a key to successful living and an absolute requirement to being a successful leader. Today’s guest, Joe Navarro, is one of the most respected experts in the field. And his personal story is a fascinating one.

Not many can say they were personally approached to join the FBI, but this is exactly what happened to Joe Navarro at the age of 23. He accepted their offer and became one of the youngest agents ever to join the agency.

Joe spent the next 25 years at the FBI, working both as an agent and supervisor in the areas of counterintelligence and counterterrorism, pursuing spies and other dangerous criminals across the globe.

Through his work he was able to study, refine and apply the science of nonverbal communications. His acumen in this field and his success as a spy-catcher, led Joe to begin training FBI agents and the intelligence community.

Today Joe is recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on reading nonverbal communications. An internationally bestselling author, Joe has published 14 books about human behavior and body language.

His books include the #1 selling body language book in the world, What Every BODY Is Saying, and his new book, “Be Exceptional” is the culmination of the 40 years Joe spent analyzing human behavior, with more than 10,000 interviews in the field and countless high-stakes behavioral assessments.

In Joe’s former line of work successful leadership was literally a matter of life and death. And in Be Exceptional he distills his experience into the five key principles that outstanding individuals live by.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

-How being a Cuban refugee has influenced Joe’s life and led him to reading body language…03:10

-The universal history of nonverbal communication and how it differs amongst cultures…07:05

-How Joe got involved with the FBI and what he learned over his 25 year career…12:00

  • Behavioral Analysis program

-Behavioral cues that everyone needs to know for survival and how to stay safe…19:45

-5 Key traits that set extraordinary people apart…30:10

  • Joes’s book: Be Exceptional
  • “To be exceptional, you have to do exceptional things”

-What you can do to become a better observer…39:35

-Why observation is the key to innovation…42:55

-Universal body language characteristics of a true leader…44:20

-Joe’s practices…47:25

Resources:

Joe’s latest book, Be Exceptional

Joe’s website