She borrows the term 'nudge' from economists and psychologists who discovered about a decade ago that you can spark significant behavior changes by nudging people in the right direction. In the book, Cuddy puts power posing in the broader context of what she calls 'self-nudges,' or small tweaks to your body language and mind-set that can produce psychological and behavioral improvements in the moment. On the other hand, shouting, 'I'm awesome!' requires first a substantial attitude shift, which most of us know isn't so easy to make. That means assuming the body language of a powerful person can make you feel confident. When you adopt one, you take up a lot of space and hold your arms and legs away from your body.įor example, in 'The Wonder Woman' power pose, you stand with your feet apart, your hands on your hips, and your chin tilted upward.Ĭuddy suggests that our attitudes often follow from our behaviors, as opposed to the other way around. She describes power poses as expansive and open. She argues that power-posing can be more effective than traditional confidence-boosting exercises, like telling yourself how great you are. In her new book, ' Presence,' Cuddy further explores the benefits of mimicking the body language of powerful people.

In 2012, Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy gave a now famous TED Talk on the benefits of ' power-posing,' or changing your body language in ways that can make you feel more confident.

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