Amplify your Authority by changing the Way you Move

When somebody walks on to a stage, you don't want somebody aimlessly wandering, not acknowledging the audience, with no clear direction in where he or she is going. You would immediately judge him or her – not a first class act, not self confident or not committed to the job.

The same principle is at play when you make an entrance at a job interview or even a meeting.

So, how can you make sure others perceive you as someone competent, confident and committed? Give every movement a clear and purposeful direction.

On stage, actors often use the Laban movement chart to  refine their physical expression. Laban breaks down how we move into three different areas: space, weight and time. Space can be either direct or indirect, weight can be either heavy or light and time can be either sudden or sustained.

When, as an actor, you are playing a certain character, the different combinations of the three areas (your Laban cocktail) help you to physically portray  your character convincingly; a young frivolous character would have indirect, light and sudden movements, where as an aggressive character would have direct, strong and sudden movements.

So how would this apply to people working in the corporate sector? Remember, up to 80% of our communication is conveyed by the nonverbal signals we send out. If you want to come across as somebody with authority and someone who’s trustworthy, your nonverbal messaging has to match this. Using indirect, strong and sudden movements would send out the signal that you are impulsive and a bit nervous. Those movements certainly wouldn't match the authority and trustworthiness you want to express. A better combination would be to use direct, strong and sustained movements.

A direct, strong and sustained way of moving sends the message that you are energetic, yet focused and in control;  strong but not rigid;  directive – but in a calm way. In other words, all the qualities you want to express as a leader. Add a few sudden, direct and strong movements into the mix and you can amplify your assertiveness. Make a direct, sustained but light movement and you might show more of your analytical side.

To choose which ingredients in the Laban cocktail you need to make a stronger impression in those first seven seconds, you first need to know your habit.

You could call your way you move through space, your movement fingerprint. Once you have analysed your 'fingerprint', you get a clear idea of which Laban cocktail you normally use and what message you send out with this way of moving. Then, ask yourself: what do I want to express, what would the ideal cocktail be? With this awareness you can make focused decisions about what movements you want to keep, what needs to change and what would be your most effective Laban cocktail. After this, the fun part starts: practice!

You can practice this anywhere; while brushing your teeth, cooking a meal, waiting for the bus, ordering a drink, on the dance floor and obviously during interaction with others. So how would you practice direct, strong and sustained movements? Imagine you are moving and gesturing through treacle or water; it takes a bit more effort, your whole body has to be involved and all movements are made with purpose.

And remember - have fun with it!