Leadership Today - Practical Tips For Leaders
Business:Management
Summary
Interviewers place a strong emphasis on perceptions of nervousness. But there are practical steps we can take to appear less nervous in meetings and interviews.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 219 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we work through ways to appear less nervous in meetings and interviews.
Research demonstrates that anxious candidates perform worse at job interviews, even when their skills and experience align well with the role. Interviewers place an oversized importance to the appearance of anxiety when making judgements. And this tendency can extend to other important meetings.
To avoid this, we might consider visible signs of nervousness such as shaky hands or nervous laughter. We might then focus on the use of our hands, slowing our speech or avoiding fidgeting. We can risk becoming overly sensitive to how our behaviours are coming across.
However, In the research, the only consistent behavioural indicator of nervousness that the interviewers focused on was long pauses before responding to questions. This was potentially seen as the candidate being less prepared and less assertive than if they answered questions directly. Negative perceptions of anxiety in meetings and interviews was less about nervous signs, and more to do with perceptions of assertiveness and warmth as traits. Those who were perceived as less warm and less assertive were also rated as more anxious. Those who came across as friendly and assertive were seen as less anxious. It appears the overall impression we leave is far more important than any nervous tics that we might show.
So what can we do to appear less nervous in meetings and interviews? To increase others’ perceptions of our warmth and assertiveness, you can try these techniques:
We often feel more nervous than we appear. Focus on the overall impression of warmth and assertiveness that you give to others. Apply these tips in your next meeting or interview.
Research
Feiler, A.R., Powell, D.M. Behavioral Expression of Job Interview Anxiety. J Bus Psychol 31, 155–171 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-015-9403-z
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Episode 222 - The Leader’s Mindset - Part Two - Goal Orientation
Episode 221 - The Leader's Mindset - Part One - Introduction
Interview - Alexa Chilcutt - Executive Communication and Public Speaking
Episode 220 - How To Bend The Rules With Integrity
Episode 218 - How To Boost First Impressions on Zoom
Episode 217 - How to Be More Real on Video Calls
Episode 216 - How To Lead Through a Crisis
Episode 215 - How To Be More Courageous
Episode 214 - How To Negotiate Effectively
Episode 213 - How To Build a Great Career
Episode 212 - How to Drive for Results
Episode 211 - How To Maintain Composure Under Pressure
Episode 210 - How To Use Artificial Intelligence at Work
Episode 209 - How To Transition Into a New Role
Episode 208 - How To Handle Sensitive Issues at Work
Episode 207 - How To Lead a Multigenerational Team
Episode 206 - How To Deal With a Persistently Negative Team Member
Interview - Juliette Powell - The AI Dilemma
Episode 205 - How To Develop a Leadership Succession Plan
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