Let Your Posture Speak

Have you ever been in a place where a stranger walks into a room and immediately gets your attention? I guess you have.  What is one difference between this stranger and the other person who you didn’t notice? There is a combination of elements that would make you give your attention to a stranger. Like the looks, attire, facial expression, and, most importantly, charisma. However, a key component of charisma is posture.

The posture you assume while you walk or stand or sit is very important. It is a powerful form of communication. It speaks. Even when your mouth is closed, your posture is speaking. It says; I am tired, I am not in charge, or I am in charge, I am intimidated, I am superior, I am shy, I don’t care, to mention a few. Unfortunately, most people are unaware of the communicative power of posture and how to harness it.

It is important to understand posture and how to use it correctly.

Posture is nonverbal

When we were taught communication in school, all that we learned was reading, writing, and maybe speaking. There was hardly any emphasis on nonverbal communication, of which posture is a very important part.

Nonverbal communication is an important aspect of communication. Several references are made to a 1967 study done by professor Emeritus, Albert Mehrabian, that when we communicate our feeling, 7% of that communication is the words we say, 38% is the tone of our voice, and 55% is the nonverbal aspect of the communication. Other professionals believe that nonverbal communication accounts for up to 93%. Although posture and other forms of nonverbal communication are not taught in schools, the above statistic is a good reason why everyone should learn how to communicate with posture.

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Your posture says a lot

When you walk into a room, how do you want people to perceive you? Do you want to be seen as confident, a leader, in charge? Or would you rather be called weak, not in control or, worst of all, as someone with low self-esteem?  How you hold your body can be the deciding factor. The interesting part is that you don’t even have to say a word, but the people around can feel your presence; they can smell it.

In an interview on CNN, Joe Navarro, an ex-FBI agent, asserts that body language is the secret to inspiring confidence, conveying authority, and building relationships with business clients. You would least expect that posture would have anything to do with a business relationship. The following are scenarios were our posture speaks.

That Job may depend on it.

“He said all the right words. He might be very intelligent. But I don’t SEE him as someone who can lead a team” This is a paraphrased version of a conversation between two human resources executive about a job applicant who was deemed unqualified. He was considered unfit, not because of a gap in his knowledge, but because of how he carried himself. It is a hard pill to swallow for someone who is mentally prepared and probably experienced. In this situation, posture and charisma were required to endorse knowledge and experience.

That relationship may depend on it.

The risk of being underestimated during an interview is not the only drawback of a weak posture. Since posture plays a vital role in the overall concept of the first impression, you stand the chance of losing key relationships, even a romantic relationship. You can fall victim to hasty conclusions that could be drawn based on the first impression.

Some people make a very quick judgment just by how someone carries themself. While several elements constitute a great first impression, like; outfit, strength conversation, facial expression, etc., some individuals associate weak posture with negative energy and ultimately stay away from individuals with weak posture.

Your confidence may depend on it

For those who struggle with their confidence level, this would be good news. A research was done by Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist and one-time faculty member at Harvard University, on how what she called power poses and how it can affect testosterone level and ultimately, confidence. She posits that if you hold yourself in a power pose position for two minutes before you walk into a meeting, it boosts your confidence level.

Your health may depend on it.

Besides the professional or relational mishap that could result from a weak posture, several health issues are associated with poor posture. Poor posture could cause a misalignment of the skeletal system.  It can wear out your spine, neck, shoulder. Poor posture can also result in back pain and a decrease in flexibility. It could affect balance and increase the risk of falling. Also, it can cause difficulty in breathing, to mention a few.

Assuming the proper posture

There is no gainsaying that assuming a proper posture can be beneficial in nonverbal communication. But the challenge is, how do you maintain or develop a proper posture. A good place to start is first understanding what constitutes a proper posture. According to Harvard Health Publishing, a publication of Harvard Medical school,

Good posture means:

• Chin parallel to the floor
• Shoulders even (roll your shoulders up, back, and down to help achieve this)
• Neutral spine (no flexing or arching to overemphasize the curve in your lower back)
• Arms at your sides with elbows straight and even.
• Abdominal muscles braced.
• Even hips.
• Knees even and pointing straight ahead
• Bodyweight distributed evenly on both feet.

You may be silent and sitting alone at a bar. You may be walking.  Whether you are sitting, standing, or walking, always remember that your whole body is a tool for communication. The choice is yours to make. Do you want to be perceived as weak, shy, intimidated, not in charge, incompetent, or do you want your posture to communicate confidence, authority, and leadership? Give it a thought.

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