Blog bites:
- Adopt a powerful posture
- Possess passion and playfulness
- Use your voice to influence others
Did you know that you can be incredibly influential, even when you’re not in a position of power? It’s true!
How often do you see people sitting in meetings, slouching and passively participating? It gives the impression that they have nothing to contribute, or even worse, aren’t interested.
They’re missing a great opportunity to be seen as a contributor. To inspire others. To build rapport. To influence change in the organisation. And to build and demonstrate leadership qualities.
They don’t realise that a person’s demeanor and interaction is noticed and that unspoken assessments are being made for career advancement every day, not just at performance review time.
Let’s look at how you can be a powerful participant in any scenario.
Use a posture of excellence
Most of us want to be more confident – it’s a big key to career success. And part of being influential is being absolutely sure of yourself. It’s about having the strength to speak up, be noticed and engage everyone in the room.
The good news is that you can ‘turn on’ your confidence when you need it. And it’s as easy as adopting a posture of excellence. All the research shows that this is as simple as:
- Standing/sitting as tall as you comfortably can
- Keeping your head up
- Breathing deeply
Parents and teachers the world over exhort kids to sit up straight; and you probably do too. It has enormous value, not only from a physical health perspective but also from a career health perspective. Next time you’re in a meeting, see if you can:
- Stay sitting without your back touching the back of the chair
- Keep your hands on the table
- Have your mobile phone out of sight
- Adopt an attitude of curiosity
- Show a willingness to engage
You’ll be amazed at the response you get.
Harness your natural Energy
When you walk into the meeting room, bring your natural pizazz with you. Not only will it get you noticed, you and your colleagues will enjoy the meeting much more!
Energy can be hard to grasp. But in simple terms, it’s about being curious, enthusiastic and playful. That doesn’t mean cracking jokes and disrupting the flow, but it does mean having light and shade when you speak and interact with others. Because when you’re upbeat and confident, your colleagues will more likely be also.
Use a voice of authority
To stand out, you also need to find your voice of authority. In our previous post, Is Your Voice Losing You Business, we showed you how to use the 3 Ps to develop a voice of profound power:
1. Projection
Don’t shout to be heard. Breathe deeply and project your voice from your belly, on the outbreath.
2. Pace
Use a low, slower voice and allow gaps of silence to influence the room and be understood.
3. Pitch
Vary the musicality – or highs and lows – of your voice to create greater audience engagement.
Practice these proven techniques at home, in the street, at the supermarket – anywhere! Then take them into your next meeting to stand out and be seen as a leader.
In the Mastering Communication Program, Colin James and Erica Bagshaw will show you advanced techniques for standing out in any scenario.
The Colin James Method® Facilitators train corporate executives to improve their leadership skills with a proven methodology. Our highly trained Facilitators and Coaches are recognised for their experience in their fields and have worked with many individuals and organisations around the world to master the art of communication.
