Two sides of leadership
Two sides of leadership
There are two sets of non-verbal cues that are especially important for leaders. When first introduced to a leader, people immediately and unconsciously assess him or her for warmth and authority. Obviously the most appealing leaders are seen to encompass both qualities, and the least effective leaders are those regarded as cold and insecure.
So the best strategy for leaders is to employ both sets of signals – and to do so early and often. Let people see both sides of their leadership character and know right from the beginning that you are caring and credible.
And always remember that people will be watching, evaluating and scrutinizing leaders’ behavior. Many executives underestimate the importance of their “off-line” behavior to the people they lead. But Sue, the savvy CEO of a telecommunications company, is not one of them. As Sue says: “I know that anything I do in the hallway is more important than anything I say in a meeting.”
I’ve learned a lot about warmth by observing effective executives like Sue and noting how they work with their staff. The best of these leaders connect with people in a way that makes them want to do a really good job because of that personal connection, affection and respect. These “warm” leaders send signals of empathy, friendliness, and caring with open body postures, palm-up hand gestures, facing people directly, positive eye contact, synchronized movements, head nods, head tilts and smiles.
But people also want leaders who display power, authority and influence. Especially in times of chaos and confusion, employees look for leaders who project stability and certainty, who make them feel secure, and whom they believe will achieve results. And they will assess leaders for these qualities through body language displays of authority that include erect posture, command of physical space, purposeful stride, firm handshake and an array of hand gestures including “steepling” (palms separated slightly, fingers of both hands spread and finger tips touching) and palms-down signs of certainty.
What must be kept in mind, however, is that any body language cue can be overdone or displayed inappropriately. For example, one non-verbal signal of confidence is to holding your head straight up – but if you tilt your head back even slightly, the signal changes to one of “looking-down-your-nose.” Similarly, a smile (which is the most positive and powerful display of warmth) can work against you if you smile too often when delivering a serious message or stating an objection.