There is an old saying in motivational circles, “Fake it till you make it.” When you encounter a high stress situation or environment where you will be judged on first impressions, the slogan is well intended. The implied wisdom is that you move forward in an encounter, even when you may feel overwhelmed or unsure of yourself.
Two things are confirmed facts when it comes to personal encounters. 1) Communication is both verbal and non-verbal and, 2) We are all assessed by others within the first few seconds of an encounter. This is particularly true in first meetings. Our non-verbal communication governs how others feel about us and then how receptive they are to our verbal messaging. Recent research from Harvard University seems to confirm that the old adage, “Fake it till you make it” is actually sound advice.
Our minds and bodies interact and influence each other in both directions. The mind triggers our physical responses and the body chemistry can in turn trigger our emotional and thought process. The body creates chemicals both in response to physical positions and movement, as well as receiving cues from the thought and emotional process.
The hormones testosterone and cortisol have a lot to do with our sense of confidence or our feelings of stress. When testosterone is released into the body, it gives the mind more confidence and assertiveness, while cortisol acts as a stress reducing hormone that makes us withdraw into a self-preservation mode. These hormones respond to our body language and in turn influence our thinking and emotions.
Harvard researcher Amy Cuddy says the body will naturally produce testosterone when you use what researchers call “power poses”. These are the open stances that you see Olympic athletes take when they have won a race, or when someone is feeling the most confident during a personal encounter. The amazing thing is that if you assume one of these stances for two minutes, that is enough time to produce testosterone that in turn gives you naturally induced confidence. This was conclusively proven via a series of tests where the saliva of the participants was measured before and after “power poses” were used.
Testosterone plays a role in certain behaviours. It helps to spark competitiveness and boost self-esteem. Taking part in competitive activities can also cause testosterone levels to rise or fall. Low testosterone, on the other hand, may result in a loss of confidence and lack of motivation. Low testosterone levels can also lower a person’s ability to concentrate and even cause feelings of sadness, sleep disturbances and lack of energy.
The body has a system for controlling testosterone, sending messages through hormones and chemicals that are released into the bloodstream. In technical terms, the hypothalamus area of the brain tells the pituitary gland how much testosterone is needed, and the pituitary relays that information to the body. The hypothalamus, however, can be fooled by physical motion. This is why the “power pose” increases hormone levels.
It’s important to note, however, that testosterone is only one factor that influences personality responses.
If we withdraw into a closed stance or a “submissive pose”, our stress levels are reduced and we signal submission and surrender to those around us in a non-verbal way. The hormone cortisol takes over when our body assumes the closed physical stance. While cortisol’s primary targets are metabolic, it also affects ion transport, the immune response and even memory. It operates on our stress levels as a kind of stress reducer, as part of our “fight or flight” mechanism.
Before you enter a listing presentation or a social encounter that requires an air of confidence, remember to take a couple of minutes in private and assume a “power pose” to build your testosterone levels. This puts your non-verbal signals and your thoughts into their peak performance. Whatever fears you may be encountering in your mind can be dealt with by fooling your brain into a confident frame of mind.
So, according to research into non-verbal communication, the new saying should be, “Fake it till you create it” because in truth, that is what happens. The most powerful leaders don’t merely think a certain way, they carry themselves a certain way. You can do the same.
Ari Lahdekorpi is the managing broker at YPA Realty Inc. in Surrey, B.C.
