130. Best Of: How to Maintain a Powerful Presence in Your Communication | Think Fast, Talk...

Introduction (00:00:00)

• Matt Abrahams introduces the topic of power and presence in communication.
• Stanford Graduate School of Business offers Executive Education programs to enhance leadership skills.
• Power and presence are crucial for effective communication.

Defining Power and Status (00:01:31)

• Jeff Feffer defines power as the ability to get things done despite opposition.
• Feffer's class on power and status is popular because he provides practical advice on achieving goals in challenging situations.
• Feffer believes that people appreciate honesty and truthfulness in communication.

Nonverbal & Verbal Behaviors to Communicate Power (00:02:45)

• Avoid tilting your head, looking down, hunching over, and constricting your body.
• Maintain eye contact, stand up straight, use expansive postures, and use forceful gestures.
• Be big, balanced, and still to demonstrate presence.
• Speak loudly, be moderately impolite, and interrupt others.
• Avoid being interrupted.
• Use simple, forceful, and vivid language.
• Keep your answers direct and simple.
• Filler words and words of hesitation can weaken your communication and make you appear less powerful.
• Avoid using filler words and words of hesitation such as "kind of" and "sort of".

Emotion and Power (00:05:46)

• Avoid filler words and speak fluently.
• Display strong emotions like anger to convey power and get results.
• Passion, conviction, and confidence are contagious.
• Use strong language and body language to display confidence.
• Avoid hedging language and be passionate about what you're saying.
• Strong emotions can drive non-verbal and verbal behavior.

Virtual Communication (00:09:11)

• Dress and show up the way you want people to perceive you.
• Take up half the screen and avoid sitting too far away during virtual communication.
• People read a lot on faces, so ensure your face is visible and well-lit.

Communicating Across Power Levels (00:10:55)

• When communicating with someone of higher status or power, ensure your message is concise and direct.
• Lead with the most important part of your message.
• Show up in a way that demonstrates you should be taken seriously.
• Consider your body language and spoken language.

Tailoring Messages with Flattery (00:12:06)

• Flatter the person you are communicating with.
• Research suggests that there is no such thing as too much flattery.
• Show them how much you admire and respect them.
• Express your happiness to be in their presence.

The Importance of ‘Warming Up’ (00:13:33)

• Warming up before communication is crucial for a powerful presence.
• Warm-up includes getting your voice and body ready, as well as calming yourself.
• Many people focus on what they're saying but neglect preparing their bodies, minds, and voices.
• Virtual communication offers advantages as you can warm up without being seen.

The Final Three Questions (00:16:33)

• The final three questions are:
  • Who is a communicator that you admire and why?
  • What are the first three ingredients that go into a successful communication recipe?
  • Tell me a little bit more about forcefulness.

Conclusion and Appreciation (00:19:20)

• The podcast host thanks Jeff for his detailed advice and guidance.
• The host encourages listeners to sit up straighter, talk louder, and be more forceful to have a strong presence.
• The host mentions other episodes and resources on power and status.
• The host invites listeners to subscribe, rate, and follow the podcast on various platforms.