I recently read the Harvard Business School article, “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are,”  (Cuddy, Amy. TED Global, October 2012 <http//:www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your-body_language>.) In summation, Cuddy, a B-School researcher and socio-psychologist, completed studies revealing how our body posture affects our minds.  I think it is reasonable to believe people as a whole understand that body language affects how others see us. But, what we might not realize is that our body language may also change how we see ourselves.

Cuddy’s research suggests even our own body chemistry changes when we change body positions. For instance, “power posing,” or standing in a posture of confidence even when we don’t feel confident, can affect testosterone and cortisol levels in the brain in such a way that we not only present ourselves more positively and more powerfully, but we also begin to adopt and demonstrate such a mindset.

A basic understanding of the relationship between these hormone levels and body posture explains, for example, why someone may get mired in one unfortunate career experience.  If one’s body has sustained the position of “defeat,” then the mindset gets locked into a correlative place that becomes exceedingly difficult to transcend.  Similarly, when one experiences recent success, that success often kicks off a positive “roll.”  Again, the body may have internalized a posture, and the mind is simply following through almost on automatic pilot.

This concept certainly has implications for interview preparation.  If our non-verbals govern both how we feel about ourselves and how others perceive us, then candidates need to adopt more empowering body postures as part of the interview preparation process.  Further, there are specific poses that connote victory, domination and success.  As well, other poses signal defeat.  It makes sense, then, to focus more on those positions that demonstrate “victory” so as to positively influence the mind to think in terms of success. A critical part of interview preparation should probably include a “success routine” that actively works out those body positions that trigger “leader” responses in the brain. These will be “read” by your body and also by your interviewer.

So, the next time you have to prepare for a critical meeting or interview, take a few minutes every day leading up to your interaction to practice holding your body in an assertive, “victory” posture.  Throw open your arms.  Hold your head up.  Smile broadly, or laugh without restraint.  Combine this with whatever mind-focus technique works for you.  Do the treadmill, work-out, do yoga, meditate, visualize, pray, journal, read inspirational works — do it all. This brand of mind-body combination will likely yield measurable, successful results.

Contact Karen Alphonse at Karena@execSearches.com or visit ExecSearches.com for more information about our career coaching services.

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