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What Are Some Nonverbal Cues That Can Convey Confidence At Work?


Attributes like full control of the space, relaxed body language, a posture that is open, and a strong, authentic presence. To begin feeling that power yourself imagine a lion in the jungle. She establishes her space and territory; she's queen of the jungle. She's relaxed; she moves gracefully. If she met a mouse on her path, it's the mouse that would be tense. Her posture is open; she stretches out her limbs. She'd never have to battle for an armrest on an airplane. She's -authentic; she carries her confidence and stability with her. She's herself.


Take Up Space
Use the arms on the chair, stand with your feet a bit apart (men can do this more easily than women.)  A female leg stance in North America is with the feet typically 4 to 6 inches apart and a male power stance starts with the feet more than 8 inches apart which could make a woman look like a gun slinging cowboy.  

Choose where you sit and stand
For example the new power seat (seating in detail in the book) is the middle of the conference room table.  

Go First
Initiate interactions. Be the first to make eye contact, offer your hand to shake, have an idea or solution, go into a room, and make the call.  You can only afford to wait and go last when you are in the C-suite and ready to retire.  

The handshake
Always put your hand out to shake hands. A classic good handshake is one with full palm to palm contact.

Eyes
Occasionally initiate prolonged, eye contact, three seconds or longer as you initiate interactions.  Says, acts like communicates that you are powerful. The dominant person may alternatively prevent eye contact, saying “You are beneath me and I do not want even to look at you.” Women have to be careful of doing this when they don’t know the gentleman as it may be misconstrued as a sexual come on. (Yes, this is still true today.)  

Speaking
The person who speaks first often gets to control the conversation, either by talking for longer or by managing the questions. You don’t have to be loud to be confident but you may have to be a bit louder to get “the turn” to speak.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.