34. How We Gain — Or Give Away — Authority While Speaking

TL;DR

Having a powerful presence is essential in communication, and it can greatly impact transactions, relationships, and career success.

Transcript

[MUSIC] How you show up matters. Having a powerful presence can make or break your transactions, your relationships, and your career. Hello, I'm Matt Abrahams, and I teach Strategic Communication at Stanford Graduate School of Business. Welcome to Think Fast, Talk Smart, the Podcast. Today I'm really excited to be joined by Jeff Pfeffer, who is a p... Read More

Key Insights

• ✊ Power is the ability to get things done against opposition, and understanding how to navigate power dynamics is crucial in various aspects of life.
• ✊ Nonverbal behaviors play a significant role in conveying power and high status. Maintaining eye contact, standing tall, and using forceful gestures can enhance perceived power.
• 🔊 Verbal behaviors, such as speaking loudly, interrupting others moderately, and using simple, forceful, and vivid language, can convey power and higher status.
• ☠️ Emotions, particularly strong ones like anger, are often perceived as more powerful. Displaying passion, conviction, and confidence can also enhance perceived power.
• ✋ In virtual communication, considering factors like dressing appropriately, framing oneself well on camera, and showing up with confidence can contribute to appearing competent and high status.
• 🆘 Warming up before communication, both physically and mentally, can help reduce nervousness and enhance overall presence.
• ❓ Tailoring messages to the audience, offering flattery, and maintaining concise and powerful communication are effective strategies to ensure effective communication.

Questions & Answers

Q: How can nonverbal behaviors impact the perception of power and status?

Nonverbal behaviors like eye contact, posture, and gestures can convey power. Maintaining eye contact, standing tall, and using forceful gestures can make someone appear more powerful. Conversely, tilting the head, looking down, and constricting the body can diminish perceived power.

Q: What are some verbal behaviors that can convey power and higher status?

To convey power, one should speak loudly and interrupt others modestly. Using simple, forceful, and vivid language while keeping the message direct is also important. Avoiding filler words and hesitations is crucial to maintaining perceived power.

Q: How can emotions affect power and status perception?

In general, strong emotions like anger are perceived as more powerful than sadness or hesitation. Displaying anger can yield better results than pleading or apologizing, especially in situations where good customer service is lacking. Displaying passion, conviction, and confidence can also enhance power and status perception.

Q: What advice would you give for appearing competent and high status in virtual communication where only our faces are visible?

In virtual communication, it is important to consider how you dress, frame yourself, and show up on camera. Dressing in a way that aligns with how you want to be perceived is crucial. Framing yourself properly, taking up half the screen, and ensuring good lighting can enhance perceived competence and high status.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Power is defined as the ability to get things done against opposition, and the class on power and status is popular because it teaches people how to navigate difficult situations and provides honest advice.

• Nonverbal behaviors, such as maintaining eye contact, standing tall, and using forceful gestures, can convey power and higher status. On the other hand, tilting the head, looking down, and constricting the body can diminish perceived power.

• Verbal behaviors that can convey power include speaking loudly, interrupting others, and using simple, forceful, and vivid language. Fillers and words of hesitation should be avoided.