Check out your body language right now. If a stranger approached, what opinion would they form about you?
We all make judgments about people, and we make them quickly. Part of their decision is based on the physical position of our body. If we are physically closed up, then we could be considered weak, but if we are spread out, we could be considered powerful. Nonverbal language is an important component of how well we do in business.
Powerful people tend to be more effective, assertive, confident, and optimistic.
So, the question posed by Ann Cuddy in her TED Talk (a wonderful online resource of topics by forward-thinking people) is: If nonverbal clues govern how people think about us, can nonverbal clues change the way we think about ourselves? In other words, “Can you fake it till you make it?”
In a series of tests, researchers checked people’s hormone levels, asked them to strike powerful poses for two minutes, and then re-tested their hormones. What did they find? Those who struck the power pose tested much higher in testosterone, and those who struck passive poses were higher in cortisol. Why does that matter? These results indicate that you can actually change the way you feel by physically changing your body.
What this means to you is… You can actually gain more confidence by changing your body.
Most salespeople have presentations, cold calls, or any type of stressful situation that could make you want to puke. So instead, try this…. Strike a pose. Put your shoulders back, your arms on your hips, and your feet spread apart (think Wonder Woman), and hold it for two minutes prior to walking into your sales call.
Think about it.