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We don't mean to make you paranoid, but you should know that people are watching you. When you're talking, they're consciously and unconsciously interpreting your movements and gestures, and making assumptions about your mood, intent and competency. You're probably giving them plenty of juicy material to read, says executive coach Carol Kinsey Goman, PhD, who points out that, in 30 minutes, two people can send over 800 nonverbal signals. By becoming more aware of your physical presence, says Goman, a former therapist and author of The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help—or Hurt—How You Lead, you can use body language to tell your story the way you want, with a happier and more satisfying ending. We asked her to help us adapt her advice for life outside the boardroom.