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It is a common observation that tall people generally assume the leadership role in a group. There are notable exceptions that may or may not confirm this statement, although a distinction could be made between those who grab power and those we select to be our leaders (Napoleon, Mussolini and others).
But it is not only height, knowledge, ego, empathy and communication that give us the person to regard highly, but another factor – posture.
The way we carry ourselves in walking, sitting, talking and relaxing relays messages to the room of observers. Not only that, it also tells much about the way we think of ourselves.
In a paper very recently published in Psychological Science, two research writers from Northwestern University in Illinois give insights into how important this aspect of our being affects our self-esteem, or reveals to others the inner core of how we feel.
Experimenting with 77 students, one test proffered a questionnaire ostensibly to determine their capacity as leaders. Randomly selected results were drawn up, which had absolutely no bearing on the value of their answers. Half were given results telling they would be leaders in the next round. The others were told they would be the underlings.
The total group was then asked to test out ergonomic chairs for five minutes. The half who were told they were subordinates sat with their hands under their thighs, shoulders hunched. The other half sat in a commanding position, legs wide apart, confident.
The set tests, of course, were red herrings to the real experiment: observing the posture of those who believed they were in either command or subordinate roles. The results were convincing.
Having tabulated results, the researchers then put the principles of posture on other related power-play profiles: speaking first in a debate; leaving a plane crash to find help; joining a movement for a noble cause.
Those who had shown confident posture assumed the active roles more often than those who had been in crouched positions.
The simple observation is that those who walk tall with chin up, chest out and shoulders back not only appear to respect themselves, but gain the respect of others.
