Last year I gave a seminar on “leadership presence” for the executive team of a high-tech company in Northern California. The next day, the president of the company telephoned: “I have an administrative assistant who is the brightest, most creative person I’ve worked with. The problem is, we are relocating and she can’t move her […]
10 Body Language Myths That Limit Success
Body language plays a key role in your career – from your first job interview to the ongoing process of building professional relationships to being perceived as having leadership presence. But not everything you’ve heard about body language is accurate. Don’t limit your success by buying into these ten myths: Using body language to make […]
Customer Centricity Takes Collaboration
A customer-centric culture is not just about offering good service. It’s a way of doing business that provides a positive customer experience before, during and after the sale in order to drive repeat business, customer loyalty and profits. Elements of customer centricity include: Employees understand what customers want. They capture customer insights and share this […]
10 Change Leadership Tips Backed By Science
I’ve been speaking on change leadership for over 25 years, but only recently have researchers been able to use technology like functional magnetic resonance imagery (fMRI) to look at the brain and see what actually happens when we’re facing a major organizational change. Most of our daily activities including many of our work habits are […]
3 Crucial Skills For Leading Without Authority
With flatter management structures, increased outsourcing, the move toward collaborative cultures, and the ongoing formation of cross-functional teams, the criterion for the job of leader is changing. More and more people are assigned to leadership roles in which they have no positional authority. The goal of leadership without authority is to get others to willingly […]
7 Tips for Inspiring Collaboration
One my most popular speaking topics is “The Power of Collaborative Leadership.” The topic’s popularity stems from corporate clients around the world realizing that “silo mentality” and knowledge hoarding behaviors are wasting the kind of collective brainpower that could save their organization billions. Or lead to the discovery of a revolutionary new process or product. […]
How Female Leaders Can Claim Power Through Body Language
There are two sets of body language cues that followers look for in leaders: warmth (empathy, likeability) and authority (power, status). Although I know several leaders of both sexes who do not fit the stereotypes, I’ve also observed that gender differences in body language most often do align with these two groupings. Women are the […]
How Leaders Project Charisma
Let’s face it, in business dealings, charisma counts. A lot. And charisma is as much about body language and impression management as it is about issues and substance. I’ve seen many qualified people get passed over for promotion (or lose a sale or fail an interview) simply because they couldn’t project a sense of professional […]
How To Spot A Liar At Work
Most workplace lies are discovered after the fact—after you’ve signed the faulty contract, hired the wrong person, or agreed to work on that career-limiting project. But wouldn’t it be a great New Year’s resolution (and professional advantage) to spot liars in action, before the harm was done? To sharpen your lie detection ability, follow these […]
How Santa Claus Knows If You’ve Been Naughty Or Nice
Have you ever wondered how Santa Claus determines whether to leave you a present or a lump of coal on Christmas Eve? How he knows if you’ve been naughty or nice? I don’t have any hard evidence to back me up, but I’m pretty sure that he must be a first-class lie detector. And, if […]
Ten Questions To Power Up Your “Leadership Presence”
I was recently asked to coach a senior-level manager from a technology firm in Silicon Valley. I learned that this man’s work was of the highest caliber and that his advancement had (up to this point) been fast-tracked. But now his career was stalled. When I asked why this high performing manager needed coaching, here’s […]
Why You Don’t Believe Me When I Say “I’m Listening”
If I am dropping eye contact or checking texts messages or rotating my shoulders away while you are speaking, you don’t feel heard — even if I tell you I’m listening and can repeat every word you just said. Here’s why . . . Most explanations of human behavior assume that people are strongly influenced […]
The Silent Language of Leaders
Body language is the management of time, space, appearance, posture, gesture, vocal prosody, touch, smell, facial expression, and eye contact. This book will show you exactly how it impacts a leader’s ability to negotiate, manage change, build trust, project charisma, and promote collaboration.
Book Introduction
The Nonverbal Advantage Secrets and Science of Body Language at Work
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter F. Drucker.
People in professional settings are constantly telling each other exactly what they think and feel – and it often has nothing to do with the words they speak. Your boss may say that you’ll be considered for a promotion, but if she’s leaning back with crossed arms and a forced smile, she’s sending the opposite message. The customer may say he’s not interested in buying that new car, but if he keeps glancing at the contract on the table, he’s telling you that he is interested. The silent signals of nonverbal communication tend to reveal underlying motives and emotions – fear, honesty, joy, indecision, frustration – and much more. The tiniest gestures, like the way your co-workers stand or enter a room, often speak volumes about their confidence, self-worth, and credibility. And the way you sit, stand, or look at others reveals more about your true intent than you may realize.
Book Introduction
The Truth About Lies in the Workplace
You work with a bunch of liars. Learn what to do about it. This book looks at the high cost of workplace deception for individuals and organizations, why people tell lies at work, and the kinds of lies they tell. You’ll learn fifty body language and verbal cues that can help you spot a liar, how to deal with liars after you’ve spotted them, how not to look like a liar when you’re telling the truth, how our biases and assumption can play right into a liar’s hands, and how to decrease deception in your team.