A recent graduate had just been hired by one of the world’s most prestigious high-tech companies. When I asked her why she was chosen out of the hundreds of candidates vying for that position, she said that it was due to the “sit next to on a bus” test. She went on to explain that […]
Articles
Carol blogs about her observations and advice on change, leadership, body language in the workplace, and anything else that catches her
attention.
How Powerful Women Leaders Communicate
There are two sets of qualities that people look for in leaders: warmth/likeability/empathy and power/confidence/authority. While women often excel in displaying warmth (which shows up in their influence and collaboration skills), they may hesitate to directly seek or show power. As Women’s History Month ended, it served as timely reminder to share what I’ve learned […]
6 Judgement Traps to Avoid When Reading Body Language
The first time you meet someone, your brain takes less than seven seconds to decide if that person is trustworthy or deceptive, friend or foe, credible or questionable, powerful or submissive, and has high or low status in their organization. And you do all of this by interpreting cues from their body language. You have […]
3 Predictions About the Future of Leadership and Body Language
PREDICTION #1 – In the future, leaders who still believe that what they say carries more weight than how they look and sound when speaking, will be left wondering why their colleagues don’t respect or trust them. Successful leaders will be those displaying body language that is authentically aligned with their verbal messages. Leaders have […]
What If Your Career Depended on Your Ability to Spot a Lie?
Deception is in the headlines and on the national stage. We’ve been introduced to the concepts of “alternate truths” and a “post-truth” world. But deception is also in the workplace — and the ability to spot bluffing, empty promises, or misleading information is often a crucial factor in someone’s career. So how good are your […]
The Incredible Importance of How You Say What You Say
Joan got a call from her boss, Shelly: “I knew from the sound of her voice, when she said hello and asked how I was, that someone else got the promotion I was up for,” Joan told me. “I also knew that Shelly was unsure about her decision.” How did Joan know all that from […]
Is Your Good Body Language a Bad Choice?
I want to tell you a story about Adam and Eve. No, not that Adam and Eve. The Adam and Eve I’m talking about are both being groomed to take larger leadership roles. And both are aware that body language is an important part of projecting the leadership presence that will help them succeed. This […]
Why AI Can’t Read Body Language . . . Yet
There are many things that technology can do well when it comes to monitoring body language. A computer can detect the slightest microexpression — something that even highly trained experts don’t always catch. It can tell the difference between a genuine smile and a fake one. And the advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have demonstrated […]
What Leaders Need to Know About Male/Female Body Language
In the process of giving business presentations in 34 countries, I’ve noticed many generalizations about male and female body language seem to be standard around the world. Of course, I also realize that for any set of generalizations, there are many individual exceptions. As a leader, it’s important to consider my observations in the context of how they […]
Body Language for Collaborative Leaders
Whatever your business goals are for 2023, this I know for sure: You can’t achieve them alone. Whether you’re the leader of a small team or the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, collaboration is not a “nice to have” leadership philosophy. It is an essential ingredient for survival and success based on the essential […]
Body Language for Negotiators
Because I’ve trained them to do so, I know that many negotiators have learned how to read body language and to use the resulting insights to their advantage. But other negotiators miss valuable opportunities to read their counterparts’ nonverbal messages — simply because they don’t pay attention. They get so wrapped up in what’s being […]
Trust. Leadership, and the Power of Stories
TRUST. Every leader needs it. Trust is the foundation for successful collaboration. It is the glue that bonds team members and builds organizational commitment and engagement. But there is a problem. We learn what is important to leaders by the behaviors we see modeled by those leaders, and too often there is a “say-do” gap […]
7 Mistakes That Derail Organizational Change
Years before I began researching, writing and speaking on body language and leadership presence, I researched, wrote, and spoke on change leadership. This article reflects the seven biggest mistakes I discovered then. Take a look and see how many of these mistakes are still being made today: Mistake #1 Not understanding the importance of people. […]
5 Unorthodox Truths about Goal Setting
Working with clients as a therapist in private practice, and now as an executive coach, I’ve learned some valuable, but unorthodox lessons about goal setting: Don’t focus on building up your areas of weakness. Talents overlooked may atrophy, and weaknesses — regardless of how much effort is put into trying to improve them — will […]
Body Language Habits that Make You Stand Out
Although there are many nonverbal strategies that help you look like a leader, there are gender, situational, and cultural differences that impact their effectiveness. But one body language truth is universal: You are the most convincing, motivating and charismatic when your body language reflects your best authentic self. You probably already realize that it isn’t […]