Everyone talks about the importance of “body language,” but few people understand how much of an impact it actually has — not just in the way others perceive us, but in terms of how we actually perform.
Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy gave a great presentation at TED last summer about this.
Certain “power poses” don’t just change how others perceive you, Professor Cuddy says. They immediately change your body chemistry. And these changes affect the way you do your job and interact with other people. Professor Cuddy concluded her talk with a startling revelation about herself, one that led her to choke up momentarily. Then the talk ended in a standing ovation.