The Power Pose
This means standing or sitting in an expansive manner, for example by standing tall, with feet apart and with your hands on your hips - Wonder Woman's 'power pose'. One research study found that candidates who adopted the power pose before undertaking an interview were more likely to be offered the job than those who hadn’t.
Importantly, the successful candidates only used the power pose before entering the interview room – the interviewers didn’t see them in this posture. This indicates that the pose changed the candidate’s internal state - it made them feel more confident, and this is what made them more impressive in the interview.
So the next time you need a quick confidence boost, why not take yourself off to somewhere you can't be observed and spend a few moments in the power pose.
Reference:
Cuddy, Amy J.C., Caroline A. Wilmuth, and Dana R. Carney. The Benefit of Power Posing Before a High-Stakes Social Evaluation.
