Thursday, July 9, 2009

WHAT'S YOUR STATUS

Dictionary.com defines the word status in this way:  "the position of an individual in relation to another or others, esp. in regard to social or professional standing."

Instantly, we recognize the status of others. He seems shy. She looks nervous. He carries himself like a celebrity. She has movie star quality. He acts like he can buy a small country.

Many of our relations are really status driven. I order my obedient underlings to do their jobs. He cowers in the presence of the beautiful girl. 

And a good number of our issues with other people arise from one person's need to raise his/her status at the expense of another's losing status.

Lots more can be said about this, but as a speaker you want to give off HIGH STATUS SIGNALS, not LOW STATUS RED FLAGS.

Note the NO and Yes chart below.

NO--LOW STATUS PHYSICALITY                                    

YES--HIGH STATUS PHYSICALITY


NO--moving head randomly                                                      --

YES--keeping head still

NO--darting eyes                                                                        

YES--keeping eyes still --directing one phrase to one person’s eyes--changing expression when moving to another’s eyes             

NO--looking at empty spaces                                                     

YES--looking at people

NO--obsessing with notes                                                      

YES--looking down sparingly at notes, if permitted

NO--moving body jerkily                                                                       

YES--moving body smoothly                                                     

NO--not using gestures                                                                       

YES--using box, grapefruit, recreatives (more later)

NO--not completing gestures                                                      

YES--extending them out, holding them  still, returning them smoothly (w/o wagging and dangling) --gesturing above the waist

NO--slumped posture                                                                       

YES--erect but comfortable posture

NO--unsteady stance: NO--swaying, shifting weight, rocking, twisting                                                                      

YES--steady stance (being still is good)

NO--frozen positioning                                                                        

YES--facile movement during transitions in the speech

NO--blank look                                                                       

YES--smile, facial expressions; eyes thinking               

NO--unconcerned about feedback                                                      

YES--concerned about audience reaction and Comprehension/appreciation; adaptation

NO--dressing for failure--casual, unmatched, rumpled, wrinkled                                                                   

YES--dressing for success: conservative elegant attired                                                                                         

NO--un-combed, unkempt hair                                                     

YES--neatly styled hair that says I mean business; hair away from eyes

NO--not “packaged” before walking up: no visibly emptying pockets, adjusting clothing, combing hair                               

YES--ready to seize the stage

NO--unprofessional visuals                                                     

YES--professional visuals

                                                                                                       

NO--LOW STATUS VOCALS                                                     

YES--HIGH STATUS VOCALS

 

NO--no contrast in  pitch, volume, rate, phrasing                                                                   

YES--meaningful contrast

NO--fuzzy articulation                                                                        

YES--clear articulation

NO--lack of emphasis of pivotal words                                    

YES--emphasis of pivotal words

NO--inaudibility                                                                        

YES--clear projection

NO--memorized sound                                                                        

YES--conversational, friendly sound

NO--low energy                                                                        

YES--high energy: enthusiastic, passionate

NO--no Tonal meaning behind the words                                                      

YES--subtextual tonal meaning behind the words, a clear indication of emotion, feeling, thoughts, memories, desires

 

 

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