Page 50 - ConvinceThemFlip

convince them in 90 seconds or less
But take heart. You can neutralize the fight-or-flight
response in others and encourage favorable snap judg-
ments, and thereby establish a receptive mood and posi-
tive expectations. To start with, what do you think is the
number-one trait that people unconsciously admire in
others? First and foremost, they are drawn toward indi-
viduals who look healthy and vital, people who are put-
ting out energy into the room, rather than those who are
sucking it in. People seek out those who will encourage
their growth, those who are giving rather than taking.
If there’s one thing that suggests health and vitality,
it’s positive energy, which can be projected in the way
you come into a room, the way you occupy your space in
the room, and the way you give attention to what others
have to say. Attitude, posture, facial expressions, and eye
contact influence the energy you radiate, and the people
you encounter are passing judgment on what you’re put-
ting out every second of the day.
Dr. Nalini Ambady of Harvard University made a stun-
ning discovery during a study of the nonverbal aspects of
good teaching. After videotaping hundreds of classroom
hours, Dr. Ambady showed one group of students a two-
second clip of unfamiliar teachers with the sound turned
off. Then she gave this group, as well as a second group of
students who had spent an entire semester studying under
these same teachers, a checklist of educational attributes
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