Researchers found that people who think their coworkers or bosses dislike them seek out information through spying or eavesdropping. This annoys their colleagues, causing your paranoid self to be rejected. (Layoff-proof your job—and even get a raise!—with these 30 Ways to Save More and Earn More.) How do you know if you’re doing a good job without having an awkward talk with the head honcho? Here are a few ways to know the big cheese thinks you’re a block of lindberger.

  1. She doesn’t move his coffee cup when you sit down. If your boss respects you, she won’t want anything between you when sitting across the table. She will unconsciously move her cell phone, coffee cup, or pen to the side so there is no blockade. “If something else is more important than you, or if they don’t want to engage with you, they’ll put up a barrier,” says Patti Wood, MA, Body Language Expert and author of Snap: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma.
  2. He stands facing you. When a male boss likes you, he will stand at your side to talk with you. Standing side-to-side rather than face-to-face means he trusts you. “That’s where guys feel the most comfortable, the safest, and disclose the most,” says Wood.
  3. She aims her body away from you. Next time you step in your boss’s office, pay attention to how she moves. A person’s body windows are their toes, knees, pelvis, stomach, heart, throat, mouth, eyes, and palms of hands, says Wood. If she trusts you, she’ll be more likely to aim her body at you, keep her hands on the desk, and let her mouth slightly open.
  4. He only emails you. If your boss emails, calls, texts, and stops by your cube, that’s a good sign. An employer who likes you is more likely to communicate through all media platforms. Unlike the guy that he just wants emails from, he’s interested in what you have to say.