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Become a Power Player: The Confidence-Boosting Cheat Sheet

By Sharon Sayler

Words are only a small part of communication. The most influential parts of communication are your nonverbals. Your nonverbals can actually destroy or produce the results you want. When you are trying to display self-confidence, your nonverbals are especially important. Here's how you can use them to show you are a confident power player:

Move with intent. Weight evenly centered over hips whether moving or not.

Use more eye contact than you normally do. Limit blinking.

Be slow to smile.

Use side palm hand gestures to punctuate what you are saying.

When not speaking, hold arms either at your sides or parallel to the ground.

Use the connection voice for relationships and the credible voice for business:

Connection voice: This voice pattern is used to seek information, soften news, and create an emotional connection. To achieve it, use clear articulation and pacing of words. End each statement with the voice going up. Lightly bob your head as your voice flows up and down in a rhythmic pattern.

Credible voice: This is the voice pattern to use when stressing or sending information and working with issues. To achieve it, maintain clear articulation as well as distinct pauses and controlled pacing of words.

Use clear articulation and pacing of the words-a calm cadence.

Use short pauses between segments of statements and a longer pause at end of each statement.

Maintain low natural breathing.

Read What Your Body Says (and how to master the message) for more quick and easy ways to adjust the nonverbal message you're sending.

Sharon Sayler, MBA, is author of What Your Body Says (and how to master the message): Inspire, Influence, Build Trust, and Create Lasting Business Relationships (Wiley, 2010, ISBN: 0470599162, www.WhatYourBodySays.com). She teaches people how to speak and present to be remembered. As a certified group dynamics and behavioral coach, Sharon trains, counsels, and coaches professionals to become stronger, more influential communicators and leaders. Sharon is an active contributor to SelfGrowth.com, has, for the past two-and-a-half years, written the weekly blog Best Impressions, and is host of BlogTalkRadio's Beyond Lip Service.

Visit Sharon online at www.WhatYourBodySays.com

What Your Body Says (and how to master the message): Inspire, Influence, Build Trust, and Create Lasting Business Relationships (Wiley, 2010, ISBN: 0470599162, www.WhatYourBodySays.com is available at bookstores nationwide, major online booksellers, or directly from the publisher by calling 800-225-5945. In Canada, call 800-567-4797.