Guest opinion: Strike a pose
Madonna told us to “strike a pose,” and turns out she was on to something.
I recently had the privilege of hearing Fatameh Khatibloo from Forrester Research’s Customer Insights division speak at the Destination Marketing Association International Marketing Innovation Summit in San Francisco. At the beginning of her speech, she silently stood in front of the crowd of marketing innovators in the “Wonder Woman” pose. She smiled with confidence, head held high as she slowly scanned the room.
A few people started to giggle. She remained steady, unbothered by the distraction.
After a couple of minutes she asked who in the room knew what she was doing. About five of us raised our hands. Khatibloo was demonstrating a physical position of power, standing strong with her hands on her hips and head up. By taking this pose she was, in simple terms, tricking her mind into feeling more powerful and in control. Brilliant.
Social psychologist Amy Cuddy conducted research on how body language not only changes the perceptions of others and how they view us, it also shapes our own body’s chemistry. Cuddy said, “It’s not about the content of the message, but how you’re communicating it.”
Think about that. Your facial expressions and body language can say it all.
A good friend and mentor sent me a link to Cuddy’s TED Talk about a year ago as I prepared to speak at the Business Record’s annual Women of Influence event in front of a room of 500 people. I watched the video in awe. Why didn’t I know about these studies and research earlier in my career? Since then, I’ve shared the link and encouraged others who confessed feelings of stress or concern about communicating a difficult message, or a message in strenuous circumstances.
Cuddy’s research proves you can “fake it until you make it” by demonstrating high-power body language, such as holding your arms out, stretched wide before a big presentation. Cuddy’s findings show holding the pose for as little as two minutes stimulates higher levels of testosterone (hormone linked to power) and lower levels of cortisol (stress hormone).
If you don’t need more confidence for a presentation or interview, perhaps you need a pick-me-up on a particularly gloomy day. She also finds you really can smile so long it makes you happy. If all else fails, try the power pose of kicking your heels up onto your desk. That’s got to make you laugh, if nothing else. Who ever thought feet on a desk would be viewed as powerful?
We all find ourselves in difficult situations or experiencing times of stress. The next time you question yourself, take a few minutes to stand strong. Clear your mind and focus on what your body is communicating to your brain. You’ve got this.
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