Do you find there are times when you feel more powerful than others? How you hold your body (your posture) may be the cause.
Research shows how you sit or stand for just 2 minutes can affect your body’s hormones and actually impact how powerful you feel and are perceived.
Harvard Professor Amy Cuddy explains in this video:
In this 17 minute video (it’s worth the watch!) Professor Cuddy shares the results of her scientific experiments. She demonstrates how just two minutes in a power pose, an open position like hands on hips, boosted testosterone and lowered cortisol levels in participants. In addition to the physiological changes, striking this pose prior to participating in a stressful situation positively changed the performance of research participants.
Conversely, posing for two minutes in a closed pose, such as arms crossed or hand on chin, decreased testosterone and increased cortisol levels. Participants who were in these poses prior to the stressful situation did not perform well.
This research demonstrates the power of posture and non-verbal communication. Based on their non-verbal movements, the participants were conveying, or not conveying, power and confidence.
Statistics vary, but roughly 60-80% of your communication in non-verbal. Actual words make up about 7-10%, with tone of voice making up the rest. So basically, what you’re NOT saying is counting for more than what you’re saying!
There are so many ways to apply this information: strike a power post (in private) before an important meeting, presentation or interview, be aware of your posture when sitting at your computer/desk, I’ve even done the hands on hips pose at the gym during my breaks when I’m doing strength training!
Try it out and let me know in the comments what you’ve done and how’s it worked.
4 Responses