How to have X-ray vision in high-stakes conversations

On the night of May 2, 2011, when SEAL Team Six kicked in the front door of al-Qaeda’s Osama Bin Laden, they had the next best thing to X-ray vision.

Instead of conventional two-tube night-vision goggles, each elite soldier was wearing a pair of $65,000 four-tube NVGs that expanded their field of vision from 40 degrees to 120 degrees.

That four-eyed system gave the SEALs an unprecedented advantage to navigate through dangerous territory and complete their high-pressure mission.

You (and your team) need to see the invisible in the same way.

Here’s what I mean:

Every human interaction holds a wealth of vital information. Subtle body language and micro-expressions like an eyelash flutter, wrinkled nose or slight hesitation give valuable clues to what people are really feeling.

But if you don’t notice and acknowledge them, things can quickly take a painful turn.

That’s why one of the key techniques I share with clients is how to use my “FASTT Map” to prepare for high-stakes conversations. Not only does it help them read the room, it gives them confidence to quickly adapt their response.

Here’s how it helped one founder re-motivate his team and keep them from quitting: