Have you wondered why people might find you haughty, when you’re just trying to explain something? Or perhaps you wonder why you might not be taken seriously in meetings?
Just the way we talk, stand, and hold ourselves can have a huge impact on others.
I am currently on an improvisation training programme with the Nursery Theatre. This is a great opportunity to look at your growthtraps and try out being, and acting differently. One area we are we are looking at character at the moment and what status do you hold in an interaction. Sometimes we want to be powerful, other times sub-servient. In all cases it’s useful to know specifically what choices you are making.
The Improv Wiki has a really good section on status:
https://improwiki.com/en/wiki/improv/status
Your status is conveyed by 12 elements:
- Movement
- Speech
- Pitch of Voice
- Breathing
- Posture
- Touching Others
- Interacting with your own body
- Looking at others
- Social Adequacy
- Attitude to Problem Solving
- Calmness
- Types of Questions
If you are finding you are not getting your message across, people are not listening to your ideas, or you feel dumped upon. You might wish to look at these 12 areas, and think about which to change to shape the conversation differently.
Next time you are with a close friend or at a business meeting and you want a result, take notice of these 12 areas and consider whether you need to change something to be more successful.
The growth trap might not be about prejudice or stereotypes, but rather taking a status in a conversation which is contrary to your intention.
