A better "read" or another way to LOOK at it, it is far more effective to talk to someone face to face, to judge them as a person, than reading PR's, email replies, or even a phone chat....plus posts here...lol.

Take NUNCHI in the Korean culture, judging one's mood, social status etc.

Body language, facial expressions, eye movement and facial skin tone changes are a big help in reading people. I even took courses to learn the skill to do such and it was a huge help in my 40 year career in sales of very technical electrical products.

DRVEN's comment about looking at someone eye to eye is not a joke.

It's not 100% effective, but it beats what 95% of the posters here get to do.