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POWER BODY LANGUAGE

Body language is an important part of leadership. How you use it can either help or hurt your leadership.

Power body language is especially important for leaders. And while there are ways to improve your use of this particular brand of body language, such as assuming power poses, removing physical barriers, shaking hands, increasing participation by looking like you’re really listening, and smiling, some people are just naturally gifted at it.

What are some power gestures?

 Intro to Power Gestures

Image by daniel64 from Pixabay

An expression of both strength and humanity, power is very attractive. Gesturing is a part of our wiring, and depending on circumstance, personality or culture, people gesture differently.

Gestures should also come naturally. However, anxiety, for example, interferes with your ability to gesture comfortably and naturally. Learning power gestures can therefore be of great help to you!

Just what are these gestures?

True power gestures can be physical or verbal, or a combination of both. We will detail these in the following section. For now, let it be sufficient to say that power gestures are those that:

• Flow
• Make you appear comfortable
• Make you appear assertive
• Give the impression that you are in control

Let us now see what some of these gestures of behaviors are.

 True Power behavior

Greeting is usually the first form of interaction between parties. True power behavior at this integral stage of interaction can be:

• The Handshake: There is a specific way to shake someone’s hand as a display of power. As they approach, move to the left, horizontally extend your hand with your palm down. Firmly grab their palm, pulling them in and holding their elbow with your left hand. With your palm on top you show dominance, and holding their elbow shows that you are in control!
• Touching: This is another symbol of power. Leaders use it often to demonstrate power. The handshake is a touch, as is the elbow grab. You can add to these by patting the other person on the shoulders or back.
• Walking: Exaggerated arm swings, with your palms down and out is another way to show power. You can make your body appear wider by kinking out your elbows, even adding a little swagger. When in a group, walk in front. Go first, especially when you are walking into a space where there is an audience. Go last when leaving an audience, as a show of dominance, like you are directing everyone else.
• Positioning: Stand over people, be higher than them (wear heels), sit on a higher chair or drive a higher car.

There are, of course, verbal displays of power. These include:

• Talking: Speak with confidence. Use the body beat in time, with assertions. Use your finger, palm or fist to beat, which can be construed as aggressive. Emphasis and exaggeration of points that you are making is also powerful. Silences are useful, too. Pausing mid-speech, looking around at everyone, is a great way to gauge your audience’s respect for your power. When you are not speaking, stand confidently, and when looking around, look people straight in the eye, holding their gaze longer than normal.
• Emoting: The show of emotion is also powerful. This works only when it is done in the right place, though. It is a testament that you are human, and can emphasize that you are in control. Biting the lower lip, for example, shows both control and emotion.

Now, we have all heard the saying, ‘fake it until you make it!’ This suggests that power behavior can be faked.

How?

 Fake Power Behavior

Posture, while it is a natural part of who we are, can be changed. Even when you don’t feel confident, you can assume a confident stance or posture. This will make you appear more dominant.

Other power poses include:

• Standing up: This works well before an interview or presentation
• Standing and leaning over a table: This works especially well when you have a point to make and you need to establish your authority
• Spreading your arms around the chair next to you when sitting: This asserts confidence and increases your levels of comfort. Emphasis is made on opening the body language up, and keeping your feet firmly on the ground, with variations including putting your ankle on your knee or your hand behind your head, and
• Leaning back in your chair and putting your feet on the table: This works best when you are not interacting with people. Placing your hands behind your head, with your feet on your desk (YOUR DESK), gives you the freedom to take profitable risks, like saying your big idea out loud!

Examples of power behavior follow.

 Short Examples

Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay

When politicians meet each other on the campaign trail, they scramble to be the first to touch each other. They are the first to extend a hand in greeting, the first to touch a hand to the other’s elbow, the first to pat the other on the back or shoulders. This is a power play.

Usually seen by CEOs and other people in the upper echelons of management, when you need to convey your power and authority without saying it, you can stand behind your table, and lean against the table with your hands far apart. You can also lean forward. This is especially useful when you are trying to make a point.

 Conclusion

Power behavior, whether true or fake, is especially useful. People who have made a habit of adopting power poses, for example:

• Experience an increase in feelings of dominance
• Are more likely to engage in high-risk behavior
• Experience an increase in power and action orientation
• Have higher tolerance for pain, and
• Have reduced anxiety

These benefits are enough motivation for anybody to learn power poses, and to make them a habit. You will experience not only an improvement in how you hold yourself, but also you will reap rewards that can shape your life, and in fact, your destiny.

Power really is, in terms of body language at least, as power does. Merely making yourself appear more powerful can therefore actually make you so.

References

Carol Kinsey Goman, 10 Simple and Powerful Body Language Tips for 2012, (Jan 3, 2012)

Steve Mandel, Use the Power of Gestures, (July 10, 2014)

Cheryl, Fake It ‘Til You Make It: The Secrets Behind Power Posing, (Feb 20, 2015)

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