Office Body Language Vs. Vacation Body Language
It’s not surprising that most of us feel some level of stress when we are at work. It could be the pressure of deadlines or challenges with coworkers or clients. These feelings show up in our body language. What does mild stress look like in the office? You...
How AI Bots Read Your Nonverbals Without Your knowledge
Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is being leveraged by companies to aid in communications. Most of us have come into contact with this kind of AI through products like Siri and Alexa, but did you know that there are bots being used on video and audio calls to assess...
One-Minute Solution For Avoiding An Email Disaster
Sending and receiving emails – it takes up so much of our business day that many people try to save time by sending without checking for mistakes. I’m not talking about typos (although that doesn’t help your professional image), but rather subtle details that can have...
What is Bag Body Language and what does it say about you?
In case you haven’t heard the term “bag body language,” it refers to the insights revealed by the way you hold your bag or purse. In the past few days, news talk shows from around the country have reached out to me to comment on the topic as their body language...
How Body Language in the Courtroom Informs Executives in the Conference Room
Recently, I’ve been interviewed on news talk shows regarding the nonverbals of witnesses in a high-profile court case. As I was watching the videos, I realized that the nonverbals displayed in the courtroom were the very same ones you might see in business meetings –...
To Zoom or Not to Zoom? That Is The Question New Research Answers.
On Zoom, or any virtual platform, it is hard to be creative because you are paying too much visual attention to the faces on the screen. But virtual platforms are superior to in-person meetings for other kinds of meetings.
How to Thrive in a “Sink or Swim” Economy
I should warn you, the inspiration for this blog came from those who live their whole lives in a “sink or swim” world: the fish in my 125-gallon aquarium. I didn’t ask for this aquarium, but it came with the purchase of our house… and now I’m glad it did. For one...
This Memory Tip Never Fails
Have you ever walked into a room to get something, and then you can’t remember what in the world you needed? Good news – it’s not just you. We’ve all been there.
What a Fly Can Teach You About Zoom
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past couple of weeks, you’re aware of the impact one small fly had on the nationally televised U.S. Vice Presidential debate. I don’t want to focus on politics or the candidates, but I would like to share with you how this could help you have more influence when you participate in virtual meetings, whether on Zoom or other platforms.
After COVID, will we continue to work virtually or return to the office?
COVID-19 has changed the way many of us work. People, who never worked virtually, have now become accustomed to it. Some companies are trying to blend the two approaches by alternating when staffers work at home and when they come to the office. Will that become the new normal?
Do Open Office Spaces Lead To Open Communications?
As a consultant who specializes in the science of influencing people, I find myself inside many corporate work places. I’ve noticed a lot of companies have done away with private offices and gone to an open space model. If you ask managers, they’ll tell you the move...
Does working together beat working alone?
Does your company give employees the flexibility to work virtually from home? It’s a growing trend, which many employees like, but what is the impact on productivity? A number of studies have produced some unexpected results. In the next few weeks, I will be looking...
New Research: Doctors’ Words More Potent Than Meds
A doctor with a great bedside manner is often considered a nice bonus – but not a requirement – for patient care. Now, scientific research shows there are compelling reasons for physicians to develop better patient communications skills to improve both the patient...
Can Influence Impact How the Tax Assessor Sees Your Home?
Here is another great illustration of the power of Influence, which shows: “It’s not what you present, but how you present it that influences your outcome.” The property tax protests in my neighborhood played out just as the Science of Influence would have predicted...
Surprising Truth Behind Logical Decisions
The truth is that decisions are not based on logic. In their research, neuroscientists can actually see what areas of the brain light up first when people are asked to make decisions. While most of us want to believe we are using logical thinking – especially for...
How organizations influence your subconscious with nonverbal communications aimed at your senses
Many people do not realize that nonverbal communications encompass far more than just body language… and apply to more than human beings. Places – including your office – send their own nonverbal messages. Even though you may not be conscious of it, your brain...
How monkey business became big business
In case you missed it the first time, the “Monkey Selfie” photo is back in the news. A few years ago, a precocious 6-year-old Indonesian crested macaque monkey named Naruto stole a camera from a professional nature photographer, and took several photos, including a...
Why talking to yourself isn’t crazy
Think about a time when you felt nervous about an important business presentation… Remember how fast your heart was beating before you began to speak. Maybe your throat felt dry as you were giving your presentation. Both are normal stress responses from your brain’s...
What’s the best way to deal with an unethical request from someone in business?
The answer may surprise you… When I took a self-defense course, my black-belt martial arts instructor advised, “The best self-defense is to not put yourself in a vulnerable position in the first place.” Turns out, the same is true in business. A recent study published...
What’s Warren Buffet’s Secret To Instantly Building Trust With Shareholders?
I’ve had the opportunity to learn directly from some of the front-line researchers in the Science of Influence. One of those experts, Dr. Robert Cialdini, was recently quoted on CNBC News about the way billionaire Warren Buffett builds trust through his shareholder...
What is more powerful than money to make behavior changes in your workforce?
When employers want to motivate a change in behavior from their employees, often their first instinct is to use financial incentives. That usually comes in the form of bonuses, contests and other monetary rewards… but, even when they achieve the behavior change, how...
Have you ever made a bad hiring decision?
The more hiring experience you’ve had, the more likely the answer is, “Yes.” You remember how impressed you were at the interview… then when the new hire gets on board, they under perform – or worse – they disrupt your workplace with bad behavior. What influenced you?...
Is your Flextime schedule helping or hurting your career?
In working with both employers and employees, I’ve consulted on the pitfalls of unconscious biases. Recently, I came across one that may be impacting your career path because it involves Flextime programs. On the positive side, research shows Flextime leads to higher...
The Bias Nobody Talks About: The Beauty Bonus
Are looks really important? In studies by both psychologists and economists, the answer keeps coming up “Yes!” University of Texas Economics Professor Daniel Hamermesh reviewed several studies over the years that showed attractive people – both men and women – have a...
Split-second Judgments Make Lasting Impressions
When I speak about Insights from the Science of Influence, most people in my audiences are amazed at how fast we form judgments about others… and how difficult it is for people to change their minds after they form the first impression. A new study from Cornell...
Oxford Dictionaries “Word of the Year” validates The Science of Influence
What is the 2016 “Word of the Year”? If you haven’t heard it, yet, here’s a hint: this newly invented word rose in usage by 2,000% in just the last year. Events like Brexit and the U.S. Presidential Election gave birth to this hyphenated adjective that is officially...
Go Ahead, Float Your Ideas Out There
I was recently visiting the Chihuly Glass and Gardens in Seattle, and was surprised to learn that my favorite glass artist “lives the message” in my TED Talk. If you’ve ever seen his beautiful boats filled with glass floating on water, you may have wondered how Dale...
What’s Stopping You?
It was a thrill to give my first Ted Talk at the TEDxPlano event in Texas! I will send out the video link in about a month when it posts to the TED site. In the meantime, here’s a brief overview… I’ll try not to spoil any of the surprises (of which there were many in...
What’s worse than profanity in email?
Before you bang out a quick email to a client, there’s something you should know about what thrills and what kills your image in email. People are making quick judgments about you based on things you may have never guessed were important. New research shows there are...
Does the way you dress affect the way you think?
Business casual is great, right? Last week I was interviewed by CBS radio talk-show host George Russell about a very interesting study which showed that dressing casually for work may make you feel more comfortable, but it will not help you perform better. In fact,...
What Separates Confidence and Arrogance?
Ever met someone in business who comes across as arrogant? My executive clients say if they sense a person is arrogant, it’s an instant deal-killer. So, what’s the distinction between arrogance and confidence? I heard business author Dr. Alan Weiss...