Body Language and Negotiations?

This week I have chosen another T.E.D. talk that has influenced, inspired, and allowed me to become more successful in negotiations. In the T.E.D. Talk, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You are,” Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, shares her insight on how you can improve your image to others as well as the way you feel about yourself simply by changing your posture.

As mundane as this might seem, the way you hold yourself up or approach people directly affects the way others see you as a person. This could also inadvertently affect the decisions they decide to make during your negotiations. One of the best tips that Amy gives during this talk is before you enter a negotiation or a meeting for the first, second, or third time, you should spend around two minutes “power posing” with your arms out like you just won a race, head confidently lifted high, and standing as tall as possible. According to the Huffington Post, research has shown that the same dominate body language used for that 120 seconds allows for a 20 percent increase in testosterone and a 25 percent decrease in the stress hormone cortisol. Ultimately, doing something that simple prior to a negotiation or meeting will make you feel much more powerful.

Another great tip that Amy brings up is if you are someone that is shy or just don’t believe you can improve your overall presence, she explains that you shouldn’t “Fake it until you Make it,” with these tips, but to “Fake it until you Become it.” Instead of being an actor whom just plays a role for the time they are behind the camera you will eventually become that person because the faking that you are doing becomes natural part of you.

Many of you are wondering what application, if any, this has to the live entertainment industry, right? In the past, prior to negotiations, I always had a weird nervousness feeling in my gut, which caused me to feel like I was the littlest man in the room with potential inventors or clients. However, after watching this video and trying the simple “power posing” concepts before a negotiation, I came into it felling much more confident. According to Pon Staff, managing your presence and that of others included in the negotiations, you will gain control over the level of success that you as well as your group have. This is super important when negotiating with others because it allows them to see that you are confident in your product which could in turn yield more money or a better contract terms.

Take 20 minutes of your time and watch this entire video! I hope that it will inspire you and give you the extra confidence you need in your next negotiation, job interview, or first date!

Resources:

Huffington Post. (2013). Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are. Retrieved on July 9, 2013, from; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-cuddy/body-language_b_2451277.html

Program On Negotation. (2012). Who’s Watching? How Onlookers Affect Team Talks In Buisness Negotiations. Retrieved on July 9, 2013, from; https://www.pon.harvard.edu/daily/meeting-facilitation-daily/whos-watching-how-onlookers-affect-team-talks-in-business-negotiations/

WordPress. (2013). Ted Talks Image. Retrieved on July 10, 2013, from; http://advadvisor.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/ted-talks.jpg

Youtube. (2013). Amy Cuddy: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are. Retrieved on July 10, 2013, from; http://www.youtube.com//Ks-_Mh1QhMc