Leaders: Its About Competence, Not Dominance

Communication Alert: When it comes to leadership, do what is valued: build solid rapport with workers.

Everyone needs to brush up on actions that imply ability and competence (called "task cues" in the psych trade) and play down their dominance cues (actions that imply control and threat), reports a team of psychologists headed by James E. Driskell, Ph.D.

In one study, 159 college students, male and female, listened to the pitches of task-oriented speakers and the same arguments from dominance-oriented speakers, male and female. Almost everyone thought men and women who exhibited task cues were more competent, group-oriented, and likable. Those showing dominance cues were thought of as self-oriented and disliked.

For a corporate decision-making group sitting around a table in a board meeting, poise, attitude, and approach matter more than most people realize.

Here's the rundown on which behaviors they say will earn you respect and which won't:

Task Cues

• Rapid speech rate

• Eye contact

• Verbal fluency

• Choosing the head of the table

• Fluid gestures

• Well-moderated voice tone

Dominance Cues

• Loud voice

• Angry tone

• Finger pointing

• Lowering eyebrows

• Stiff posture

• Forceful gestures

What will you do differently today?

Suggestion: If you found this helpful, I think you will learn from The Value of

Self-Awareness.

 

Comments

[Phil Bowermaster]

How important do you suppose first name is?

http://www.transparencyrevolution.com/2011/05/call-me-pete/

;-)

[Steve Roesler]

Phil

After reading the first comment on your post, I'm either staying away from banks or getting a new mask.

Readers: Check out Phil's URL and post.

[Katielynne MacKay]

You'll probably have more productive workers too!

www.enriching-life.com