Truth 25
You Need to "Read" Like a Leader in the Blink of an Eye

What people see in front of them is powerful. Marketers know this. They pick their actors and spokespeople to "read" right—to look and feel believable in the blink of an eye—for their products. Young, hip actors sell soft drinks better, and substantial middle-aged businesspeople capably represent their own companies. The viewers don't notice every nuance of the person's behavior or look, but they do notice how the person reads overall. If that character is credible, the viewer is more likely to believe in the product.

This message has strong implications for the workplace. As a leader, however well you speak, or however intelligent your words, you still need to "read" as a leader if you are to have the impact you want. Why? Your overall body language has the greatest impact on others—perhaps 60% of what they remember about you—since most people notice visual clues first and retain them longest. Next comes your tone of voice, making up perhaps 30% of what people remember. The least remembered is usually the content of what you say: about 10% of the impact. This means that, in key meetings and presentations, you need to present yourself as a leader with every part of yourself that's visible to others.

Leaders tend to look
neutral to positive
except in very
serious moments.

If you want to read like a leader every time you communicate, observe the following pointers:

• Set your intention. Your mind-set is a powerful force for grounding you and putting you in a leadership frame of mind. If you think ahead about what you want to accomplish, you'll make a team meeting or presentation more powerful and effective. Do you want to move people to action? Empower them? When you move up in an organization, how you set your thinking subtly affects how you react to others. And your team gets it! Like children with their parents, it's amazing how soon your team learns to read you and your thinking by how you set your face and position your body. They will interpret every shrug, frown, and clench of your teeth. Since you can't control all your expressions and movements, you should prepare your body to know how you want to come across by preparing your thinking instead. You might prethink: "In this meeting I will come across as in control of the situation and optimistic about the outcomes of this challenge."
• Compose your expression. Is this a serious communication or a motivational one? Carefully set your expression to match the mood. Look in a mirror, or ask a colleague to give you feedback on how your expression comes across. If you are uncomfortable about setting your expression, remember that leaders tend to look neutral to positive except in very serious moments. Here's a tip: Use your smile judiciously on an occasional basis, or smile with your eyes only. Even president Jimmy Carter lost impact with his trademark toothy smile.
• Compose your hands. Whether standing in front of an audience or sitting at a conference table, hold your hands in front of you in the "steeple," or a kind of relaxed prayer position, with your fingertips touching. This is the classic hand position for leaders worldwide. Holding your hands this way helps you control unwanted gestures or nervous habits like pulling your hair or clutching the arms of your chair. The "point" of the steeple invades the space in front of you, especially when you're sitting at a table, and therefore gives the unconscious message that you are in charge because you're claiming the space.

To see how successful leaders "read," make it your business to observe how they present themselves on television. BBC's Breakfast with David Frost, CNN's Last Word and Lou Dobbs Tonight, and ABC's Good Morning America all regularly showcase world leaders. Try turning off the sound and just watching the picture to see how each of the leaders "reads" and what they do with their bodies, faces, and hands.

From Vladimir Putin, whose neutral-to-positive facial expression helped George W. Bush see him as trustworthy, to Tony Blair, with his relaxed and friendly open body posture, these leaders have practiced composing themselves to read right for their roles. You need to practice too. It's worth taking time to pay attention to your look and feel if you want to fulfill your leadership role and potential.