How do you know who has the real power in your company? Yes, we know who has positional power. \u00a0But do we know who has real, personal power? What are the behaviors that signify power–and what are the behaviors that don\u2019t?<\/p>\n

Reading Power Cues<\/h4>\n

Research by Pamela K. Smith and Adam D. Galinsky suggests that we are all <\/span>unconsciously<\/span><\/i> adept at assessing our own and other people\u2019s power–where we sit in the pecking order.<\/span><\/p>\n

We have to be good at it because our level of power dictates what behavior is expected and appropriate for us.<\/span><\/p>\n

After all, not knowing our place can get us in trouble. \u00a0We need to be adept at detecting even the most subtle cues that indicate our own and other\u2019s rank in the hierarchy.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, (and this is very interesting) when people <\/span>explicitly and consciously<\/span><\/i> search for those cues that indicate the distribution of power, they paradoxically tend to be inaccurate, missing cues that are actually predictive of power, while relying on cues that are actually not predictive.<\/span><\/p>\n

So if you consciously try to detect who has power and who doesn\u2019t, the odds are you won\u2019t be accurate. <\/span><\/p>\n

4 Behaviors that Predict Power<\/h4>\n

I<\/span>n their paper <\/span>The Nonconscious Nature of Power: Cues and Consequences<\/span><\/i>, Smith and Galinsky list 19 behaviors we could assume to predict power.<\/span><\/p>\n

But in reality, only four behaviors out of the 19 predict real power. <\/span><\/p>\n

They are:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
1. Facial expressiveness\/intensity<\/span><\/li>\n
2. Bodily openness<\/span><\/li>\n
3. Loud voice<\/span><\/li>\n
4. Interruptions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

   Since you are reading this I assume you are interested in highly effective leadership communication.<\/span><\/p>\n

   And I would guess that you would like to be known as a powerful communicator<\/a> as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

   So let\u2019s take a closer look at these four behaviors. \u00a0Two of them are visual and two are audible.<\/span><\/p>\n

   Facial Expressiveness\/ Intensity<\/h4>\n

   When you see film of Teddy Roosevelt, you see somebody with a big mouthful of teeth. \u00a0They are square-ish and white and dazzling. <\/span><\/p>\n

   As a public speaker his face is often in a passionate grimace or a wide toothy grin, and he seems to be hurling his entire body into the spoken word.<\/span><\/p>\n

   There are no (or very few) recordings of his voice or his speeches, but there is plenty of film. \u00a0Several years ago the public relations industry surveyed it\u2019s membership, asking which President was the best public speaker.<\/span><\/p>\n

   Guess who came in first. \u00a0Teddy! He won even though none of the PR people had ever heard him speak. \u00a0He won on the dynamic images of his face and his physical intensity. <\/span><\/p>\n

   Bodily Openness<\/h4>\n

   Powerful speakers show their listeners that they are not afraid. <\/span><\/p>\n

   They do this by being expansive. \u00a0They take up space. They don\u2019t clutch their hands together in front of their chests, like squirrels begging for peanuts. \u00a0They don\u2019t fold their arms across their chests. They don\u2019t, like boxers, protect their ribs by pressing their forearms into their sides. They don\u2019t fiddle with their wedding rings. \u00a0They don\u2019t clean their fingernails. And they don\u2019t hold their hands in front of their private parts like little choir boys and girls.<\/span><\/p>\n

   They use their extremities to project power and dominance. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

   Loud Voice<\/h4>\n

   Nothing turns an audience off faster than a weak, timid voice. No one has the time to say, \u201cLouder please.\u201d \u00a0Well, maybe they\u2019ll say it once, but after that you\u2019re toast.<\/span><\/p>\n

   If you have the courage to stand up and speak, then you must say it like you mean it. If your audience catches a whiff of uncertainty in your voice or your body language, they may eat you alive. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

   Speaking to a crowd of any size can feel like lion taming, a dangerous occupation due to the obvious risks of toying with powerful instinctive carnivores. \u00a0You\u2019ve got to show who is boss. In a sense, you have to roar.<\/span><\/p>\n

   It is rare that I encounter speakers with underpowered voices, but if you are concerned about the strength of your voice, call me and I will give you the names of some very good people who can strengthen your speaking voice<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

   Interruptions \u00a0<\/b><\/h4>\n

   Interrupting people is rude, but powerful people are not necessarily interested in being polite. \u00a0They want to get things done. They want to break glass. They want to be understood, remembered and believed. <\/span><\/p>\n

   And when powerful people do interrupt, everyone in the room tends to get intimidated. Very few will challenge the interrupter. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

   So if you want to make a name for yourself, interrupt. \u00a0Madeleine Albright, the first woman Secretary of State who served under President Clinton, had to learn to interrupt because of course, she was taught that is was rude. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

   But in a meeting, if someone is slowing it down, or going off topic, you win points by taking control and interrupting.<\/span><\/p>\n

   So, full circle, here\u2019s what I\u2019ve said:<\/span><\/p>\n

   We are very good at subconsciously assessing our own power and that of others, but when we try deliberately to pick out power cues in others, we paradoxically flunk pretty badly.<\/span><\/p>\n

   And I\u2019ve given you four powerful behaviors that you can try out as a speaker. \u00a0Just be careful to\u00a0<\/span>use them all gently.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

   How do you know who has the real power in your company? Yes, we know who has positional power. \u00a0But do we know who has real, personal power? What are the behaviors that signify power–and what are the behaviors that don\u2019t? Reading Power Cues Research by Pamela K. Smith and Adam D. Galinsky suggests that… Read More »The Paradox of Power Cues<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11556,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","_ti_tpc_template_sync":false,"_ti_tpc_template_id":""},"categories":[960,336],"tags":[62,968,277,608,30],"yoast_head":"\n