What are some effective ways to use posture during salary negotiations?

1 Why posture matters

Posture is a form of nonverbal communication that can affect how others perceive you and how you feel about yourself. Research has shown that posture can influence your mood, self-esteem, hormones, and performance. For example, adopting an expansive, open, and upright posture can make you feel more powerful, assertive, and optimistic, while a slouched, closed, and hunched posture can make you feel more insecure, passive, and pessimistic. Posture can also signal your intentions, emotions, and attitudes to your negotiation partner, and affect their responses and reactions.

2 How to use posture before the negotiation

Before you enter the negotiation room, you can use posture to prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. You can practice some power poses, such as standing with your feet apart, your chest out, and your hands on your hips, or sitting with your legs crossed, your arms behind your head, and your back straight. These poses can boost your confidence, reduce your stress, and increase your testosterone levels, which are associated with dominance and competitiveness. You can also use posture to calm your nerves, such as taking deep breaths, relaxing your shoulders, and smiling. These gestures can lower your cortisol levels, which are associated with anxiety and fear, and increase your endorphins, which are associated with happiness and pain relief.

3 How to use posture during the negotiation

During the negotiation, you can use posture to convey different messages and influence the rapport and trust between you and your negotiation partner. Generally, it's best to maintain a balanced and symmetrical posture, such as sitting or standing straight, keeping your head level, and aligning your shoulders and hips. This can demonstrate confidence, professionalism, and respect. Additionally, open and relaxed gestures, such as spreading your arms, showing your palms, and nodding can indicate interest, cooperation, and honesty. Mirroring or matching the posture of your negotiation partner can show attentiveness, empathy, and agreeableness. On the other hand, closed and tense gestures like crossing your arms, clenching your fists, or touching your face can portray defensiveness, hostility, or nervousness.