How to Read Minds? Exploring the Art of 'Reading People' as Demonstrated by Oz Pearlman
There are moments when you seem to anticipate someone's thoughts ahead of time. It's the feeling that a colleague, who has remained mostly silent in a meeting, is about to make a significant announcement, or the instinct after a first meeting that "this partnership will last." On the TED2025 stage, mentalist Oz Pearlman calls this sensation not "mind reading" but "people reading." And he asserts that this ability is not an innate superpower, but a skill honed through 30 years of practice.
As someone who works with data and collaborates with a variety of people, I feel an instinctive skepticism towards the phrase 'mind reading.' However, following his talk, one can realize just how powerful the skills of observation, memory, and empathy we already use in work and life truly are. This article is not merely a summary of his spectacular show, but an exploration of how we can apply the 'people reading' framework he presents to our own fields.
Contents
The Illusion of Mind Reading, the Skill of People Reading
Listen, Repeat, Reply: The Simplest Algorithm to Remember Names
Sensitivity and Mentalism: People Reading in the Tech Industry
Becoming Someone Who Reads Interest Rather Than Minds
1. The Illusion of Reading Minds, the Skill of Reading People
We are often captivated by magical abilities.
Oz Pearlman introduces himself as the "world's greatest mind reader," only to immediately correct this. He claims not to read thoughts with supernatural powers, but to read people. It's a skill of observation he's developed over 30 years by reverse-engineering how the human mind works. His performances, where he accurately guesses the audience's thoughts about figures like Alexander the Great or Trevor Noah, showcase just how precisely this skill operates.
"I can't read minds. What I can do is read people." — Oz Pearlman Original Lecture
The intriguing point is his emphasis on these skills being "something anyone can learn." Of course, not all of us will become flamboyant mentalists like him, but his claim adds an important tension. While his skills undeniably include performance and deception for entertainment, there is a learnable foundation of 'observation' and 'psychological understanding.' While we marvel at the magic, we need a discerning eye to differentiate between what's purely show and what's a skill we can learn.
2. Listen, Repeat, Reply: The Simplest Algorithm for Remembering Names
We’ve all had the experience of forgetting someone's name almost immediately after being introduced.
One of the few practical techniques Pearlman reveals on stage is his method for remembering names. He says you’ll never forget a name if you follow these three steps when meeting someone new: 'Listen, Repeat, and Reply.' It sounds so simple it’s almost ridiculous, but on reflection, we often fail right at the first step, 'Listening.' As the other person introduces themselves, we're often fixated on what we’ll say next, missing out on the most important information—their name.
The essence of this technique is to consciously alert your brain that "this is important information" the moment you hear the name.
Listen: Stop thinking about anything else and focus solely on the person's name.
Repeat: Use the name immediately in conversation, like "Nice to meet you, [Name]."
Reply: Use the name again when concluding the conversation or asking a question to reinforce it in your memory.
These simple acts transcend mere courtesy. In Korean culture, remembering and accurately using someone's name and title is fundamental to relationships, yet we often neglect this due to meeting so many people. Remembering a name sends the strongest message that "I am focused on you, and I respect you." This is the most efficient first step in building relationships and trust.
3. Intuition and Mentalism: Understanding People in the Tech Industry
In the end, a 'proficient employee' often has sharp 'intuition'.
The 'reading people' skill, as referred to by Pearlman, remarkably aligns with the Korean concept of 'nunchi'. Nunchi goes beyond simply grasping the atmosphere; it involves an advanced sense of deciphering unspoken intentions, emotions, and the overall context of situations. Pearlman's mentalism seems like an elevated version of this intuition, refined into a more conscious and structured technique. It involves actively collecting and analyzing data such as facial expressions, tone of voice, posture, and patterns of choice to draw conclusions, rather than relying on gut feelings.
This skill becomes a powerful differentiator, especially in industries like tech, where logic and data are highly valued. An excellent product manager (PM) notices the subtle hesitation in a developer who says, "That sounds good," during a meeting and asks, "Which parts concern you the most?" to preemptively address potential issues. A competent leader sees a team member presenting an unusual facial expression despite saying everything is fine and proposes a one-on-one conversation to prevent burnout.
However, like a sharp blade, this skill carries ethical boundaries. It can be used to manipulate marketing strategies or prompt unnecessary decisions by reading someone’s anxieties or mindset. As one hones their 'people reading' skills, it's crucial to simultaneously establish an ethical standard for using this power to help and empathize with others.
4. Becoming Someone Who Listens to Interest, Rather Than Reading Minds
Ultimately, I believe every skill should aim towards 'connection'.
Pearlman’s final demonstration ends with empowering one audience member to guess the thoughts of another, symbolically representing his "anyone can do it" message emphasized throughout his presentation. Of course, this is also a well-staged performance. But what he likely wanted to gift the audience was not superpowers, but a small belief and sense that by focusing a bit more, they could understand others more profoundly.
"If I know 'how' you think, I can also know 'what' you think." — Oz Pearlman
While this statement may sound arrogant at first, in a business context, it offers remarkable insight. If you understand what values your colleague holds important, what risks they aim to avoid, and on which words their eyes light up, you can predict with high accuracy what choices they will make in the next meeting. This is not mind reading, but a respectful way of forecasting by considering a person’s interests and priorities.
Ultimately, what we desire is not to be a 'mind reader' who peeks into someone's head, but to be someone who listens to what others hold important. What remains on stage after the show is not just the mentalist's dazzling performance, but the human data he has persistently observed over thirty years. And starting today, we all can slowly and carefully build up that valuable data in our daily lives, creating relationships that win over minds without needing to read them.
TL;DR: 3 Line Summary for Busy People
Oz Pearlman's TED2025 talk demonstrates that 'mind reading' is not a superpower but a learnable skill called 'people reading.' The essence of this skill lies in keen observation of others and an understanding of human psychology.
Key Argument: Mentalism is not magic; it is a skill honed through 30 years of observation and deduction.
Practical Technique: The three-step 'Listen, Repeat, Reply' method is a simple yet powerful way to ensure you remember names.
Application: This 'people reading' skill is similar to the Korean concept of 'nunchi' and can be used to create deeper connections in leadership, negotiations, and all human interactions.
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