9 Ways to Use Your Body to Get Promoted (Without Seducing Your Boss)

When you enter a room and see someone, smile and arch your eyebrows in a “hey, how are you?” greeting, says Navarro. “This combination of behaviors makes people more comfortable,” he says.

Mothers tend to do this effectively with their babies, which means we learn to respond to this very subtle cue from an early age, Navarro says. 

Why does it work? When you “defy gravity” by arching your eyebrows or raising your arms in a welcoming gesture, you put forth energy and effort, says Navarro. This conveys positivity in any social situation or job interview.

Related: Talk Your Way To a Better Job

Where you stand in relative distance to another person during a conversation determines how long the other person is likely to listen to you. Standing too close makes people uncomfortable (no one likes a close talker), as does standing right in front of them, says Navarro. 

“We’ve found that when people stand directly in front of each other, meetings don’t last as long as when they’re standing at an angle to each other,” he says. 

Related: 13 Insanely Simple Ways to Be More Likeable

“To gain power, you want to take up space,” says Navarro. One simple way is to spread out your stuff on the table in front of you.

Here’s an even more effective tactic: Find an excuse to get up and walk around, particularly if you’re in a meeting and feel you’re being picked on or hammered by someone else. “You will be perceived as powerful,” says Navarro. 

Law enforcement officers use this tactic with people they interview to demonstrate control.

As part of strategically taking up space, reach out to people as you talk—as if you’re handing them a piece of paper—and then pull your arm back in, says Cara Hale Alter, president of SpeechSkills, a communication training company in San Francisco and author of The Credibility Code.

“This natural gesture exhibits a sign of executive presence and shows you’re perfectly at ease,” Alter says. “When we’re intimidated, we tend to pull our hands in toward our body.”

You should also avoid keeping your hands folded in your lap in “best behavior” mode. Instead, use your hands as you speak. 

This tactic conveys confidence: Research in Psychological Science shows that using big hand gestures will increase your testosterone and can make you feel more confident and in charge.

Related: Every Man Can Exude Confidence—As Long As He Follows These Three Steps

Imagine observing a person who’s sitting still but his eyes shift around the room. He appears nervous and uncertain, maybe even a little shady. 

“When you’re comfortable, you turn your entire face toward the person when you talk,” says Alter. “A nervous person will keep their head still and track the conversation only with their eyes. You want to make your head move like a camera on a tripod.”

Your casual stance may cost you points in the eyes of your boss. People tend to stand asymmetrically—with more weight on one foot than the other—when they’re uncomfortable, says Alter. 

Related: Are You Standing All Wrong? Take Our Easy Test

“Stand with your weight equally distributed on both feet for a leadership presence,” she says. “Present a strong spine. You’ll look and feel better.”

Avoiding eye contact makes you look shy, evasive, distracted, or bored—none of which gives you an advantage in any situation. 

“Eye contact is a key indicator of credibility,” says Alter. “It’s not just about making eye contact but maintaining and holding eye contact.” 

But for how long? Eye contact acceptability varies with cultures, says Alter, but in the U.S., 3 seconds of eye contact is considered optimal. Any longer makes people uncomfortable.

Related: You Can Stare At Someone For This Many Seconds Before They Start to Find You Creepy

Before your next big meeting or job interview, stand for 2 minutes with your hands on your hips and lift your chest and head high. 

According to research from Harvard Business School, holding this “power stance” for 2 minutes increases your testosterone by 8 percent and lowers the stress hormone cortisol by 25 percent. This pose can help you perform better and feel calmer, the researchers say.

Although body language speaks louder than words, the way you say your words also matters, says Alter. 

“To command authority, make sure you always finish your sentences and don’t end statements on an ‘up’ note as if asking a question,” she says, 

Related: 8 Ways to Sound More Confident

Keep these same tips in mind for Skype and phone interviews. Alter recommends talking with your hands like the person is standing in front of you. “What you do physically changes your voice,” she says.

The article 10 Ways to Get What You Want Without Saying Anything was originally published by our partners at Prevention.com.