Recently I had the opportunity to present to a group of undergraduate marketing students at the University of Washington. When the idea was first brought to me, I was thrilled and couldn’t wait to get in front of the class. However, as the event got closer, I felt self-doubt start to creep in and anxiety soon replaced that previous sense of excitement.
This led me to check out Amy Cuddy’s book, Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. Cuddy is a Harvard psychologist and is perhaps best known for her 2012 TED talk about body language, which has been viewed over 37 million times. Cuddy asserts that body language has the power to affect not only how others perceive and see us, but also how we perceive and see ourselves.
Rather than relying on the mindset of “fake it ‘til you make it,” Cuddy’s research points to “fake it ‘til you believe it.” In short, if you stand with a confident posture (think of Usain Bolt or Wonder Woman, for example) it has the potential to alter your brain chemistry and actually make you feel more powerful or confident in a challenging situation.
In the interest of full disclosure, the science of power posing has come under fire recently. In September, Dana Carney – who co-authored the 2010 study behind power poses with Cuddy – dismissed Cuddy’s research. Carney stated on her website: “As evidence has come in over these past 2+ years, my views have updated to reflect the evidence. As such, I do not believe that ‘power pose’ effects are real.”
Despite the controversy underway within the psychological and scientific community, I can say that Cuddy’s premise about body language and its ability to influence self-perception worked for me personally. I went into the presentation convincing myself that I would be confident and articulate, and by all accounts, it seems to have worked.
Looking more broadly, the takeaways from “Presence” and Cuddy’s TED talk are noteworthy for PR professionals at all stages in their careers, as well as media spokespeople and public speakers. Whether you call it “power posing,” “executive presence,” or “command skills,” being warm and relatable (i.e., trustworthy) to an audience and successfully engaging with them (i.e., being credible and respectable) is one of the most important traits in our profession. In an article about the publication of “Presence,” Business Insider noted that people tend to quickly judge others when they first meet them based on two questions:
- Can I trust this person?
- Can I respect this person?
Ideally, you want to do both, and body language is a part of shaping those perceptions (both externally and internally).
As a client-centric business, it’s important for PR professionals to convey and earn trust and respect to and with our clients, to the media, and to our peers. We’re often called upon to train media executives for public speaking and on-camera media interviews, where body language is a critical factor in helping to build a rapport, establish credibility, and communicate key messaging.
Whether you’re looking to impress during a job interview, secure a round of venture capital, earn trust after a new promotion, or shine in a presentation to undergrads, having a presence that elicits trust and respect will determine whether you sink or swim. Just as we recommend being intentional about messaging, think clearly about what tone and demeanor you want to communicate.
Do you agree or disagree with Cuddy’s findings around power posing?
If you’d like to read another take on “Presence,” I encourage you to check out my colleague Jennifer Gehrt’s blog post here, where she discusses power dynamics and the different types of power leaders need to develop and refine throughout their career.