I recently delivered a Career Management Class to 45 2nd-year students in our MA Translation, MA Translation & Interpretation and MA Conference Interpretation programs. These are two-year programs, so by this time next year, the participants would be practitioners in the language industry. As I delivered my course content, I split part of my attention to observing the students’ body language with the eye of a hiring manager who has interviewed and hired hundreds of employees internationally. I asked myself how I, as a hiring manager, would feel about each one of them. It was a fascinating experience “reading” them. Each and every person’s confidence level and their receptivity of my course came through quite clearly from their body language.
I came across this TED Talk by Amy Cuddy regarding the power of body language that night and of course I dived into the video. Here are my take-aways:
- I knew how our body language affects others’ perception of us, but I was not as conscious about how our body language affects our own minds. Our body language even affects the levels of testosterone (power) and cortisol (stress).
- The concept of high testosterone/high cortisol vs. high testosterone/low cortisol among leaders resonated with me. How a leader regulates her own stress level affects her effectiveness.
- Fake it till you make it. Absolutely true! Performing with intentionality is key.
Here is the link. Enjoy!
~Winnie Heh
Career & Academic Advisor
wheh@miis.edu