It hit me at the Texas Women’s Conference in Austin lately that audiences REALLY WANT to like the speaker. The women in the room arrived at each session hoping that the speaker would be warm and relatable. We wanted to look at that panel of women and think, “She’s cool. She’s been around the block, and she’s honest and funny about it. She’s like … [Read more...] about We WANT to like you
Likeability
Hey, I think I like you…
Hey, I think I like you... So, what makes us instantly like someone? Here are some general research principles: We like good-looking people Studies show time after time that we not only appreciate a physically attractive stranger, we also bestow upon them all sorts of positive personality traits... even before he's opened his mouth! It's … [Read more...] about Hey, I think I like you…
Power and Likeability
Two axes of persuasion When I teach and coach people on presentations skills, I talk a lot about the two concepts of power and likeability. Being persuasive is more likely when you have high levels of both. Power: this is the idea of authority. People who have power have it because of their title, position, or status (formal power). They … [Read more...] about Power and Likeability
Who’s got a good poker face?
Sometimes, when I come across someone who has low likeability, it is because they have flat affect. In other words, they are not visually expressive. Expressiveness is a personality trait. High expressives enjoy showing their emotions: happiness, disgust, anger, excitement, sadness... They don't mind using their emotions to influence others, … [Read more...] about Who’s got a good poker face?
