Cues by Vanessa Van Edwards Summary

Cues explores how nonverbal and verbal signals—like body language, tone, and word choice—shape perceptions of charisma, trust, and authority. Vanessa Van Edwards combines behavioral science with actionable strategies to help readers decode others’ cues and intentionally project confidence, likability, and leadership. Key themes include the “Cue Cycle” (perceive-absorb-convey) and practical frameworks for improving personal and professional interactions.

This book suits professionals, leaders, and anyone seeking to enhance communication skills. Sales teams, public speakers, and remote workers will benefit from its science-backed methods to project credibility and build rapport. It’s also valuable for introverts or socially anxious individuals aiming to navigate interactions with confidence.

Yes—Cues offers evidence-based techniques to improve communication, backed by psychology and neuroscience. Readers gain tools like power poses, vocal modulation, and strategic phrasing to influence how others perceive them. Its structured approach (e.g., decoding vs. encoding cues) makes complex concepts accessible and immediately applicable.

The Cue Cycle describes how communication flows: perceive others’ signals, absorb their meaning, and convey purposeful responses. For example, noticing a colleague’s tense posture (perceive), interpreting it as stress (absorb), and adjusting your tone to calm them (convey). Mastering this cycle enhances emotional intelligence and reduces miscommunication.

Van Edwards advises using “power cues” like open postures, steady eye contact, and expressive gestures to signal confidence. She warns against closed-off stances (e.g., crossed arms) and fidgeting, which undermine authority. Practicing “power priming” (e.g., standing tall before meetings) can boost self-assurance.

The book highlights pitch variation, pacing, and strategic pauses to engage listeners. A monotone voice risks boredom, while fluctuating tone conveys enthusiasm. Van Edwards also recommends lowering vocal pitch slightly in high-stakes situations to project calm authority.

While Carnegie focuses on interpersonal principles, Cues adds a modern, science-backed layer by dissecting how specific behaviors (e.g., eyebrow raises, vocal inflection) trigger psychological responses. It’s more tactical, offering step-by-step methods to engineer charismatic interactions.

Some readers note the strategies require consistent practice to feel natural, which may overwhelm beginners. Others argue it oversimplifies complex social dynamics, though Van Edwards counters by grounding advice in peer-reviewed studies.

The book advises optimizing video call cues: positioning cameras at eye level, using hand gestures visible on screen, and varying vocal tone to combat “Zoom fatigue.” It also covers crafting emails with confidence-boosting language (e.g., avoiding hedging phrases like “just”).

As AI and virtual interactions grow, Cues remains critical for maintaining authentic human connections. Its focus on nonverbal subtleties (e.g., emoji usage in texts, avatar body language in metaverse spaces) helps readers adapt timeless principles to evolving platforms.

Van Edwards is a behavioral investigator and WSJ bestselling author. She founded the Science of People, a research lab studying human behavior, and has trained teams at Google, Microsoft, and Harvard. Her work blends neuroscience, psychology, and real-world case studies.

1. “Your cues are contagious”—Emotions and behaviors ripple through interactions.
2. “Confidence isn’t felt—it’s displayed”—Acting powerfully shapes self-perception.
3. “Charisma is a checklist”—Break it into learnable skills like attentive listening and mirroring