Well, to be specific, I’ve got the Power Poses.

And I’m a huge advocate of them. The more eagle-eyed among you may have noticed on video calls that I work in a standing position; I even narrated my book for Audible on my feet. But you won’t know (until now!) that a few minutes before every meeting, presentation, or video recording, I take 5 minutes to complete my Power Poses.

Power poses help you feel more confident. More powerful. By ‘striking a pose’ just like Madonna, your body signals to your mind that you’re ready for the next challenge. And we all know that each day is full of those.

My coach, Liz,  told me about them a while back,  and I’ve used them ever since. But PPs came to mainstream attention when Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy wrote “Presence: How to Bring Your Best Self to Your Boldest Challenges”. She also hosted the most popular TED Talk ever, convincing millions worldwide that power posing can positively influence behaviour.

How And Why Do Power Poses Work?

It’s thought that when we adopt strong, confident power poses, hormone levels in our bodies are changed by increasing testosterone (connected with dominance) and decreasing cortisol (associated with stress).

When you assume those positions, you become biologically primed to be more confident and assertive. You also feel more relaxed. But perhaps what’s even more interesting is that those positions are typically associated with dominance and power, and when we assume them, we also feel those emotions.

Adopting any of several possible Power Poses can improve how we feel about ourselves, but the poses also impact those around us. They signal to others that we’re strong and confident. Even though that might not be how we feel, people will usually believe what you want them to believe. What we project non-verbally is as important as the words that leave our lips and have often been used to influence the outcomes of promotions, employment and even elections.

That’s the “Science Bit”. Now, let's look at my favourite PPs:

The Wonder Woman

A particular favourite of mine, and possibly the most well-known power pose, is the “Wonder Woman” pose – I use this a lot! Not because I’m fulfilling a childhood dream to be her (😉) but because it really works.

Stand with your feet apart, your chest and head lifted, and (of course!) put your hands on your hips. This one is perfect for business scenarios as it helps you feel powerful. It allows you to command a room and demand attention and respect.

The Salutation

Once your feet are firmly planted, lift your chest and head, and stretch up, raising both arms, with palms and face lifted towards the sun and stay there for at least 60 seconds.

I love this one because it’s hard not to feel energised, powerful, and empowered when you do it.

The Victory

When an athlete wins, you’ll see them raising their fists and arms above their head in celebration. Ms Cuddy shares in her Ted Talk that even blind athletes do this, so it’s a matter of instinct rather than witnessing and replicating behaviour. It’s a natural reaction to feeling triumphant,so if you ‘reverse engineer’ that, if you’re feeling victorious, you can become victorious!

The LBJ

Ms Cuddy named this pose after former American president Lyndon B. Johnson, who used his height to intimidate or seduce his audience–whichever was required at the time!

To execute the LBJ, place your hands on the back of a chair and lean slightly forward, creating a dominant posture.

The Carol Vordeman

Or, depending on your age, the Rachel Riley. (I’m assuming you’re Countdown fans; apologies if I’ve lost you here!)

PPs empower you by accessing high-power postures; taking up space with exaggerated gestures is a great way to do that. The CV/RR adopts elements of other poses, but the movements are discreet, allowing you to use them to boost confidence in social situations. For example, if you’re using a whiteboard or sitting behind another chair, you can create an LBJ situation by leaning on the chair or stretching out towards the whiteboard. Use expansive gestures to provide elements of the Sun Salutation pose.

Smiling

If you need ‘subtle’, one way to boost your mood and confidence instantly is to SMILE! 😁

When you smile, your body signals to your brain that you are feeling happy, which makes you feel more relaxed and confident.

So that’s my collection of adopted Power Poses. I use them before client meetings, presentations, and making videos or if I’m expecting a challenging conversation or have a tough day ahead; because I believe in Cuddy’s philosophy, “Fake it until you become it”.

Do you use PPs? Have you discovered any that are different to the ones I’ve mentioned? Why not share your favourites with us?