In today’s high-speed, hypercompetitive business
world, your credentials may well get you in the door. Yet to truly stand out,
you’ve got to look credible when it matters most: in face-to-face interactions.
Whether you’re meeting one-to-one or presenting to a group, your confidence and
competence are immediately being assessed. But what does credibility look
like, really? And why do some smart, capable people project credibility, and
others—who are just as smart and capable—don’t? In studying this
phenomenon with thousands of clients, both men and women, I’ve identified 25
specific visual and auditory cues—explicit behaviors for posture, gestures,
vocal skills, and eye contact—that affect the perception of credibility. And
unlike countless other cues, such as age or physical features, these 25 cues
are within your active control. What’s more, small changes can make a big
difference.
5 Ways to Look Credible
1. Keep your head level
In the dog world, renowned trainer Cesar Millan has
exceptional “executive presence.” Dogs recognize his alpha status by the way he
carries himself. In the business world, one of the best ways to project such
presence is to keep your head level when speaking—no raising or dropping your
chin, which can appear aggressive or submissive. The power of this one skill—to
literally be levelheaded—can be transformative.
Practice Tip: Lengthen your spine
and level your head. Now, moving only your head, like a camera on a tripod,
scan your environment while keeping your torso still. Stillness is an
authoritative behavior, so try not to let your shoulders twist with the
movement of your head.
2. Keep your hands in the gesture box
In poker parlance, a “tell” is a subtle signal
revealing the strength or weakness of a player’s hand. Similarly, in meetings
or presentations, your gestures alone can be telling to others. The most
effective hand gestures happen inside the “gesture box”—no higher than your
sternum, no lower than your hips, and no wider than your shoulders. The sweet
spot is your navel, where gestures tend to look the most natural.
Practice Tip: A common tell of
self-consciousness is when your mouth is engaged but your body language
isn’t. To appear comfortable, get your hands involved immediately, reaching out
to your listeners with interactive gestures. In short, if your mouth is moving
… so are your gestures.
3. Speak with optimal volume
If you’re a Seinfeld fan, you surely
remember the infamous “low talker.” Likewise, in business settings a common
problem with volume is speaking too softly or dropping volume at the end of
sentences. The good news is that volume is the easiest vocal skill to adjust.
First, however, you must know the difference between adequate volume and
optimal volume. Most people err on the side of merely adequate. If you
want to be a powerful voice, speak with a powerful voice.
Practice Tip: Your diaphragm, the
small muscle separating your chest and abdominal cavity, is your engine for
volume. Strengthen this muscle with five minutes of isolated exercises a day.
One such exercise: Say the days of the week in a single breath, drawing out the
vowels to prevent your diaphragm from resting between words. Later, move on to
the months of the year.
4. Hold eye contact for three to five seconds
“Eye contact is the best accessory,” says writer
Takayuki Ikkaku. It is also a key indicator of confidence and credibility.
Still, there is a difference between making eye contact
and holding eye contact. Duration is critical, and in the Western
world, holding eye contact for three to five seconds is considered optimal.
Practice Tip: As you converse with
coworkers, try speaking one phrase to one person. Then, when you reach a
natural pause, speak the next phrase to someone else. Continue in this way,
letting the structure of your sentences guide your rhythm. You may look away
momentarily, but keep your eyes on the horizon—no looking up or down—and each
time you come back, hold eye contact for three to five seconds.
5. Listen actively
Your credibility can be won or lost when you’re
simply listening. Do you look bored or disconnected—or respectfully engaged?
Attentive listening means you’re an active partner. It’s not enough to pay
attention; you have to look like you’re paying attention. Keep your posture
open, your head up, and your navel pointing toward the speaker.
Practice Tip: At your next
meeting, imagine that a coworker is taking notes about your behavior. What cues
are you displaying? Are you following the conversation with your eyes and nose
aimed at the speaker? Is your body language open and energized? And are you
reacting to others with nonverbal signals that say you’re listening?
BY:
Cara
Hale Alter is president of SpeechSkills, a San Francisco–based communication
training company, and author of The Credibility Code: How to Project
Confidence and Competence When It Matters Most(Meritus, 2012). For
more information, visitthecredibilitycode.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment