"It's not what you say...

...it's what you aren't saying."

This is one of the best perils of wisdom I can offer.

First point to note, this does not refer to body language, although you should always be conscious of someones demeanor, this applies strictly to dialogue.

Let's use a scenario everyone over the age of 12 has confronted , a friend queries, "Do I look fat in this?". Our friend has made more flattering fashion choices and being the honest friend you are, you respond: "No! But, why not try this instead?". I think we all know what you did not say here..."Yes, actually it does make you look fat."

The sequence of events above was a straight forward application of this approach. I find it most insightful to employ this method when trying to understand what a politician is really saying, which is no easy task. Politicians are the masters of glazing over topics with endless chatter even your favorite pundit can't navigate. But, once you accept that reality, if you listen closely to what a politician is not saying the next time you see them campaign for office - and they are campaigning everyday they are an elected official - you might just find some answers!