SoIwanttostartbyofferingyouafreenotechlifehack,andallitrequiresofyouisthis:thatyouchange

yourposturefortwominutes.ButbeforeIgiveitaway,Iwanttoaskyoutorightnowdoalittleauditof
yourbodyandwhatyou'redoingwithyourbody.Sohowmanyofyouaresortofmakingyourselves
smaller?Maybeyou'rehunching,crossingyourlegs,maybewrappingyourankles.Sometimeswehold
ontoourarmslikethis.Sometimeswespreadout.(Laughter)Iseeyou.(Laughter)SoIwantyoutopay
attentiontowhatyou'redoingrightnow.We'regoingtocomebacktothatinafewminutes,andI'm
hopingthatifyoulearntotweakthisalittlebit,itcouldsignificantlychangethewayyourlifeunfolds.
0:58So,we'rereallyfascinatedwithbodylanguage,andwe'reparticularlyinterestedinotherpeople'sbody
language.Youknow,we'reinterestedin,like,youknow(Laughter)anawkwardinteraction,ora
smile,oracontemptuousglance,ormaybeaveryawkwardwink,ormaybeevensomethinglikea
handshake.
1:22Narrator:HeretheyarearrivingatNumber10.Thisluckypolicemangetstoshakehandswiththe
PresidentoftheUnitedStates.HerecomesthePrimeMinisterNo.(Laughter)(Applause)(Laughter)
(Applause)
1:38AmyCuddy:Soahandshake,orthelackofahandshake,canhaveustalkingforweeksandweeksand
weeks.EventheBBCandTheNewYorkTimes.Soobviouslywhenwethinkaboutnonverbalbehavior,or
bodylanguagebutwecallitnonverbalsassocialscientistsit'slanguage,sowethinkabout
communication.Whenwethinkaboutcommunication,wethinkaboutinteractions.Sowhatisyourbody
languagecommunicatingtome?What'sminecommunicatingtoyou?
2:04Andthere'salotofreasontobelievethatthisisavalidwaytolookatthis.Sosocialscientistshave
spentalotoftimelookingattheeffectsofourbodylanguage,orotherpeople'sbodylanguage,on
judgments.Andwemakesweepingjudgmentsandinferencesfrombodylanguage.Andthosejudgments
canpredictreallymeaningfullifeoutcomeslikewhowehireorpromote,whoweaskoutonadate.For
example,NaliniAmbady,aresearcheratTuftsUniversity,showsthatwhenpeoplewatch30second
soundlessclipsofrealphysicianpatientinteractions,theirjudgmentsofthephysician'snicenesspredict
whetherornotthatphysicianwillbesued.Soitdoesn'thavetodosomuchwithwhetherornotthat
physicianwasincompetent,butdowelikethatpersonandhowtheyinteracted?Evenmoredramatic,Alex
TodorovatPrincetonhasshownusthatjudgmentsofpoliticalcandidates'facesinjustonesecondpredict
70percentofU.S.Senateandgubernatorialraceoutcomes,andeven,let'sgodigital,emoticonsusedwell
inonlinenegotiationscanleadtoyouclaimmorevaluefromthatnegotiation.Ifyouusethempoorly,bad
idea.Right?Sowhenwethinkofnonverbals,wethinkofhowwejudgeothers,howtheyjudgeusand
whattheoutcomesare.Wetendtoforget,though,theotheraudience
3:28that'sinfluencedbyournonverbals,andthat'sourselves.Wearealsoinfluencedbyournonverbals,
ourthoughtsandourfeelingsandourphysiology.SowhatnonverbalsamItalkingabout?I'masocial
psychologist.Istudyprejudice,andIteachatacompetitivebusinessschool,soitwasinevitablethatI
wouldbecomeinterestedinpowerdynamics.Ibecameespeciallyinterestedinnonverbalexpressionsof
poweranddominance.
3:56Andwhatarenonverbalexpressionsofpoweranddominance?Well,thisiswhattheyare.Sointhe
animalkingdom,theyareaboutexpanding.Soyoumakeyourselfbig,youstretchout,youtakeupspace,
you'rebasicallyopeningup.It'saboutopeningup.Andthisistrueacrosstheanimalkingdom.It'snotjust
limitedtoprimates.Andhumansdothesamething.(Laughter)Sotheydothisbothwhentheyhavepower
sortofchronically,andalsowhenthey'refeelingpowerfulinthemoment.Andthisoneisespecially
interestingbecauseitreallyshowsushowuniversalandoldtheseexpressionsofpowerare.This
expression,whichisknownaspride,JessicaTracyhasstudied.Sheshowsthatpeoplewhoarebornwith
sightandpeoplewhoarecongenitallyblinddothiswhentheywinataphysicalcompetition.Sowhenthey
crossthefinishlineandthey'vewon,itdoesn'tmatterifthey'veneverseenanyonedoit.Theydothis.So

thearmsupintheV,thechinisslightlylifted.Whatdowedowhenwefeelpowerless?Wedoexactlythe
opposite.Wecloseup.Wewrapourselvesup.Wemakeourselvessmall.Wedon'twanttobumpintothe
personnexttous.Soagain,bothanimalsandhumansdothesamething.Andthisiswhathappenswhen
youputtogetherhighandlowpower.Sowhatwetendtodowhenitcomestopoweristhatwe
complementtheother'snonverbals.Soifsomeoneisbeingreallypowerfulwithus,wetendtomake
ourselvessmaller.Wedon'tmirrorthem.Wedotheoppositeofthem.
5:24SoI'mwatchingthisbehaviorintheclassroom,andwhatdoInotice?InoticethatMBAstudents
reallyexhibitthefullrangeofpowernonverbals.Soyouhavepeoplewhoarelikecaricaturesofalphas,
reallycomingintotheroom,theygetrightintothemiddleoftheroombeforeclassevenstarts,likethey
reallywanttooccupyspace.Whentheysitdown,they'resortofspreadout.Theyraisetheirhandslikethis.
Youhaveotherpeoplewhoarevirtuallycollapsingwhentheycomein.Assoontheycomein,youseeit.
Youseeitontheirfacesandtheirbodies,andtheysitintheirchairandtheymakethemselvestiny,and
theygolikethiswhentheyraisetheirhand.Inoticeacoupleofthingsaboutthis.One,you'renotgoingto
besurprised.Itseemstoberelatedtogender.Sowomenaremuchmorelikelytodothiskindofthingthan
men.Womenfeelchronicallylesspowerfulthanmen,sothisisnotsurprising.ButtheotherthingInoticed
isthatitalsoseemedtoberelatedtotheextenttowhichthestudentswereparticipating,andhowwellthey
wereparticipating.AndthisisreallyimportantintheMBAclassroom,becauseparticipationcountsforhalf
thegrade.
6:33Sobusinessschoolshavebeenstrugglingwiththisgendergradegap.Yougettheseequallyqualified
womenandmencominginandthenyougetthesedifferencesingrades,anditseemstobepartly
attributabletoparticipation.SoIstartedtowonder,youknow,okay,soyouhavethesepeoplecomingin
likethis,andthey'reparticipating.Isitpossiblethatwecouldgetpeopletofakeitandwoulditleadthem
toparticipatemore?
6:57SomymaincollaboratorDanaCarney,who'satBerkeley,andIreallywantedtoknow,canyoufakeit
tillyoumakeit?Like,canyoudothisjustforalittlewhileandactuallyexperienceabehavioraloutcome
thatmakesyouseemmorepowerful?Soweknowthatournonverbalsgovernhowotherpeoplethinkand
feelaboutus.There'salotofevidence.Butourquestionreallywas,doournonverbalsgovernhowwe
thinkandfeelaboutourselves?
7:24There'ssomeevidencethattheydo.So,forexample,wesmilewhenwefeelhappy,butalso,when
we'reforcedtosmilebyholdingapeninourteethlikethis,itmakesusfeelhappy.Soitgoesbothways.
Whenitcomestopower,italsogoesbothways.Sowhenyoufeelpowerful,you'remorelikelytodothis,
butit'salsopossiblethatwhenyoupretendtobepowerful,youaremorelikelytoactuallyfeelpowerful.
7:57Sothesecondquestionreallywas,youknow,soweknowthatourmindschangeourbodies,butisit
alsotruethatourbodieschangeourminds?AndwhenIsayminds,inthecaseofthepowerful,whatamI
talkingabout?SoI'mtalkingaboutthoughtsandfeelingsandthesortofphysiologicalthingsthatmakeup
ourthoughtsandfeelings,andinmycase,that'shormones.Ilookathormones.Sowhatdothemindsofthe
powerfulversusthepowerlesslooklike?Sopowerfulpeopletendtobe,notsurprisingly,moreassertive
andmoreconfident,moreoptimistic.Theyactuallyfeelthey'regoingtowinevenatgamesofchance.They
alsotendtobeabletothinkmoreabstractly.Sotherearealotofdifferences.Theytakemorerisks.There
arealotofdifferencesbetweenpowerfulandpowerlesspeople.Physiologically,therealsoaredifferences
ontwokeyhormones:testosterone,whichisthedominancehormone,andcortisol,whichisthestress
hormone.Sowhatwefindisthathighpoweralphamalesinprimatehierarchieshavehightestosteroneand
lowcortisol,andpowerfulandeffectiveleadersalsohavehightestosteroneandlowcortisol.Sowhatdoes
thatmean?Whenyouthinkaboutpower,peopletendedtothinkonlyabouttestosterone,becausethatwas
aboutdominance.Butreally,powerisalsoabouthowyoureacttostress.Sodoyouwantthehighpower
leaderthat'sdominant,highontestosterone,butreallystressreactive?Probablynot,right?Youwantthe
personwho'spowerfulandassertiveanddominant,butnotverystressreactive,thepersonwho'slaidback.

9:37Soweknowthatinprimatehierarchies,ifanalphaneedstotakeover,ifanindividualneedstotake
overanalpharolesortofsuddenly,withinafewdays,thatindividual'stestosteronehasgoneup
significantlyandhiscortisolhasdroppedsignificantly.Sowehavethisevidence,boththatthebodycan
shapethemind,atleastatthefaciallevel,andalsothatrolechangescanshapethemind.Sowhathappens,
okay,youtakearolechange,whathappensifyoudothatatareallyminimallevel,likethistiny
manipulation,thistinyintervention?"Fortwominutes,"yousay,"Iwantyoutostandlikethis,andit's
goingtomakeyoufeelmorepowerful."
10:19Sothisiswhatwedid.Wedecidedtobringpeopleintothelabandrunalittleexperiment,andthese
peopleadopted,fortwominutes,eitherhighpowerposesorlowpowerposes,andI'mjustgoingtoshow
youfiveoftheposes,althoughtheytookononlytwo.Sohere'sone.Acouplemore.Thisonehasbeen
dubbedthe"WonderWoman"bythemedia.Hereareacouplemore.Soyoucanbestandingoryoucanbe
sitting.Andherearethelowpowerposes.Soyou'refoldingup,you'remakingyourselfsmall.Thisoneis
verylowpower.Whenyou'retouchingyourneck,you'rereallyprotectingyourself.Sothisiswhat
happens.Theycomein,theyspitintoavial,fortwominutes,wesay,"Youneedtodothisorthis."They
don'tlookatpicturesoftheposes.Wedon'twanttoprimethemwithaconceptofpower.Wewantthemto
befeelingpower.Sotwominutestheydothis.Wethenaskthem,"Howpowerfuldoyoufeel?"onaseries
ofitems,andthenwegivethemanopportunitytogamble,andthenwetakeanothersalivasample.That's
it.That'sthewholeexperiment.
11:28Sothisiswhatwefind.Risktolerance,whichisthegambling,wefindthatwhenyouareinthehigh
powerposecondition,86percentofyouwillgamble.Whenyou'reinthelowpowerposecondition,only
60percent,andthat'sawhoppingsignificantdifference.Here'swhatwefindontestosterone.Fromtheir
baselinewhentheycomein,highpowerpeopleexperienceabouta20percentincrease,andlowpower
peopleexperienceabouta10percentdecrease.Soagain,twominutes,andyougetthesechanges.Here's
whatyougetoncortisol.Highpowerpeopleexperienceabouta25percentdecrease,andthelowpower
peopleexperienceabouta15percentincrease.Sotwominutesleadtothesehormonalchangesthat
configureyourbraintobasicallybeeitherassertive,confidentandcomfortable,orreallystressreactive,
andfeelingsortofshutdown.Andwe'veallhadthefeeling,right?Soitseemsthatournonverbalsdo
governhowwethinkandfeelaboutourselves,soit'snotjustothers,butit'salsoourselves.Also,our
bodieschangeourminds.
12:36Butthenextquestion,ofcourse,is,canpowerposingforafewminutesreallychangeyourlifein
meaningfulways?Thisisinthelab,it'sthislittletask,it'sjustacoupleofminutes.Wherecanyouactually
applythis?Whichwecaredabout,ofcourse.Andsowethinkwhereyouwanttousethisisevaluative
situations,likesocialthreatsituations.Whereareyoubeingevaluated,eitherbyyourfriends?For
teenagers,it'satthelunchroomtable.Forsomepeopleit'sspeakingataschoolboardmeeting.Itmightbe
givingapitchorgivingatalklikethisordoingajobinterview.Wedecidedthattheonethatmostpeople
couldrelatetobecausemostpeoplehadbeenthrough,wasthejobinterview.
13:21Sowepublishedthesefindings,andthemediaarealloverit,andtheysay,Okay,sothisiswhatyou
dowhenyougoinforthejobinterview,right?(Laughter)Youknow,sowewereofcoursehorrified,and
said,OhmyGod,no,that'snotwhatwemeantatall.Fornumerousreasons,no,don'tdothat.Again,thisis
notaboutyoutalkingtootherpeople.It'syoutalkingtoyourself.Whatdoyoudobeforeyougointoajob
interview?Youdothis.You'resittingdown.You'relookingatyouriPhoneoryourAndroid,nottrying
toleaveanyoneout.You'relookingatyournotes,you'rehunchingup,makingyourselfsmall,whenreally
whatyoushouldbedoingmaybeisthis,like,inthebathroom,right?Dothat.Findtwominutes.Sothat's
whatwewanttotest.Okay?Sowebringpeopleintoalab,andtheydoeitherhighorlowpowerposes
again,theygothroughaverystressfuljobinterview.It'sfiveminuteslong.Theyarebeingrecorded.
They'rebeingjudgedalso,andthejudgesaretrainedtogivenononverbalfeedback,sotheylooklikethis.
Imaginethisisthepersoninterviewingyou.Soforfiveminutes,nothing,andthisisworsethanbeing
heckled.Peoplehatethis.It'swhatMarianneLaFrancecalls"standinginsocialquicksand."Sothisreally
spikesyourcortisol.Sothisisthejobinterviewweputthemthrough,becausewereallywantedtoseewhat

happened.Wethenhavethesecoderslookatthesetapes,fourofthem.They'reblindtothehypothesis.
They'reblindtotheconditions.Theyhavenoideawho'sbeenposinginwhatpose,andtheyenduplooking
atthesesetsoftapes,andtheysay,"Wewanttohirethesepeople,"allthehighpowerposers."Wedon't
wanttohirethesepeople.Wealsoevaluatethesepeoplemuchmorepositivelyoverall."Butwhat'sdriving
it?It'snotaboutthecontentofthespeech.It'saboutthepresencethatthey'rebringingtothespeech.
Becauseweratethemonallthesevariablesrelatedtocompetence,like,howwellstructuredisthespeech?
Howgoodisit?Whataretheirqualifications?Noeffectonthosethings.Thisiswhat'saffected.These
kindsofthings.Peoplearebringingtheirtrueselves,basically.They'rebringingthemselves.Theybring
theirideas,butasthemselves,withno,youknow,residueoverthem.Sothisiswhat'sdrivingtheeffect,or
mediatingtheeffect.
15:35SowhenItellpeopleaboutthis,thatourbodieschangeourmindsandourmindscanchangeour
behavior,andourbehaviorcanchangeouroutcomes,theysaytome,"Itfeelsfake."Right?SoIsaid,fake
ittillyoumakeit.It'snotme.Idon'twanttogetthereandthenstillfeellikeafraud.Idon'twanttofeel
likeanimpostor.Idon'twanttogetthereonlytofeellikeI'mnotsupposedtobehere.Andthatreally
resonatedwithme,becauseIwanttotellyoualittlestoryaboutbeinganimpostorandfeelinglikeI'mnot
supposedtobehere.
16:06WhenIwas19,Iwasinareallybadcaraccident.Iwasthrownoutofacar,rolledseveraltimes.I
wasthrownfromthecar.AndIwokeupinaheadinjuryrehabward,andIhadbeenwithdrawnfrom
college,andIlearnedthatmyI.Q.haddroppedbytwostandarddeviations,whichwasverytraumatic.I
knewmyI.Q.becauseIhadidentifiedwithbeingsmart,andIhadbeencalledgiftedasachild.SoI'm
takenoutofcollege,Ikeeptryingtogoback.Theysay,"You'renotgoingtofinishcollege.Just,you
know,thereareotherthingsforyoutodo,butthat'snotgoingtoworkoutforyou."SoIreallystruggled
withthis,andIhavetosay,havingyouridentitytakenfromyou,yourcoreidentity,andformeitwas
beingsmart,havingthattakenfromyou,there'snothingthatleavesyoufeelingmorepowerlessthanthat.
SoIfeltentirelypowerless.Iworkedandworked,andIgotlucky,andworked,andgotlucky,andworked.
17:02EventuallyIgraduatedfromcollege.Ittookmefouryearslongerthanmypeers,andIconvinced
someone,myangeladvisor,SusanFiske,totakemeon,andsoIendedupatPrinceton,andIwaslike,Iam
notsupposedtobehere.Iamanimpostor.Andthenightbeforemyfirstyeartalk,andthefirstyeartalkat
Princetonisa20minutetalkto20people.That'sit.IwassoafraidofbeingfoundoutthenextdaythatI
calledherandsaid,"I'mquitting."Shewaslike,"Youarenotquitting,becauseItookagambleonyou,and
you'restaying.You'regoingtostay,andthisiswhatyou'regoingtodo.Youaregoingtofakeit.You're
goingtodoeverytalkthatyouevergetaskedtodo.You'rejustgoingtodoitanddoitanddoit,evenif
you'reterrifiedandjustparalyzedandhavinganoutofbodyexperience,untilyouhavethismomentwhere
yousay,'Ohmygosh,I'mdoingit.Like,Ihavebecomethis.Iamactuallydoingthis.'"Sothat'swhatIdid.
Fiveyearsingradschool,afewyears,youknow,I'matNorthwestern,ImovedtoHarvard,I'matHarvard,
I'mnotreallythinkingaboutitanymore,butforalongtimeIhadbeenthinking,"Notsupposedtobehere."
18:07SoattheendofmyfirstyearatHarvard,astudentwhohadnottalkedinclasstheentiresemester,
whoIhadsaid,"Look,you'vegottaparticipateorelseyou'regoingtofail,"cameintomyoffice.Ireally
didn'tknowheratall.Shecameintotallydefeated,andshesaid,"I'mnotsupposedtobehere."Andthat
wasthemomentforme.Becausetwothingshappened.OnewasthatIrealized,ohmygosh,Idon'tfeel
likethatanymore.Idon'tfeelthatanymore,butshedoes,andIgetthatfeeling.Andthesecondwas,sheis
supposedtobehere!Like,shecanfakeit,shecanbecomeit.SoIwaslike,"Yes,youare!Youare
supposedtobehere!Andtomorrowyou'regoingtofakeit,you'regoingtomakeyourselfpowerful,and,
youknow(Applause)"Andyou'regoingtogointotheclassroom,andyouaregoingtogivethebest
commentever."Youknow?Andshegavethebestcommentever,Andpeopleturnedaroundandwerelike,
ohmyGod,Ididn'tevennoticehersittingthere.(Laughter)

19:14Shecomesbacktomemonthslater,andIrealizedthatshehadnotjustfakedittillshemadeit,she
hadactuallyfakedittillshebecameit.Soshehadchanged.AndsoIwanttosaytoyou,don'tfakeittill
youmakeit.Fakeittillyoubecomeit.Doitenoughuntilyouactuallybecomeitandinternalize.
19:33ThelastthingI'mgoingtoleaveyouwithisthis.Tinytweakscanleadtobigchanges.So,thisistwo
minutes.Twominutes,twominutes,twominutes.Beforeyougointothenextstressfulevaluativesituation,
fortwominutes,trydoingthis,intheelevator,inabathroomstall,atyourdeskbehindcloseddoors.That's
whatyouwanttodo.Configureyourbraintocopethebestinthatsituation.Getyourtestosteroneup.Get
yourcortisoldown.Don'tleavethatsituationfeelinglike,oh,Ididn'tshowthemwhoIam.Leavethat
situationfeelinglike,IreallyfeellikeIgottosaywhoIamandshowwhoIam.
20:10SoIwanttoaskyoufirst,youknow,bothtotrypowerposing,andalsoIwanttoaskyoutoshare
thescience,becausethisissimple.Idon'thaveegoinvolvedinthis.(Laughter)Giveitaway.Shareitwith
people,becausethepeoplewhocanuseitthemostaretheoneswithnoresourcesandnotechnologyand
nostatusandnopower.Giveittothembecausetheycandoitinprivate.Theyneedtheirbodies,privacy
andtwominutes,anditcansignificantlychangetheoutcomesoftheirlife.Thankyou.