A little thought about handshakes

 

The speaker starts by offering a simple life hack that involves changing one's posture for just two minutes. They emphasize the importance of body language and its impact on communication and judgments. Body language can influence how others perceive us, affecting outcomes such as job promotions and dating. However, people often overlook the fact that body language also influences how we perceive ourselves.

The speaker, a social psychologist, discusses the power dynamics associated with body language. Powerful individuals tend to exhibit open and expansive postures, while those feeling powerless adopt closed and constricted postures. The speaker noticed these behaviors among MBA students, particularly with gender differences. Women, who often feel less powerful, tend to display more closed postures.

To explore the effects of body language, the speaker conducted an experiment where participants were asked to adopt high-power or low-power poses for two minutes. The results showed that high-power posers exhibited increased risk tolerance and higher levels of testosterone, while low-power posers displayed the opposite. These findings suggest that body language not only influences how others perceive us but also affects our own thoughts, feelings, and physiology.

The speaker also suggests that power posing can be useful in evaluative situations, such as job interviews, where individuals often feel threatened and judged. By adopting high-power poses before such situations, people can boost their confidence and presence, potentially leading to better outcomes.

In a follow-up experiment, participants who performed power poses before a stressful job interview were perceived as more competent and were more likely to be recommended for hiring. It was the presence conveyed through body language, rather than the speech content, that made the difference.

Overall, the speaker highlights the significance of body language and its potential to shape our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. By understanding and utilizing power poses, individuals can positively impact their own lives in meaningful ways.