Emerging Leaders: Three weird tips for instant influence

From time to time while browsing online, I discover odd bits of information that wouldn't fit neatly into a corporate-leadership training program but are intriguing, nonetheless.

So in the spirit of those Internet ads promising 'one weird trick to reduce belly fat,” here are three weird tips for instantly increasing your influence.

1. Wake up to a power pose

Harvard Business School associate professor Amy Cuddy's TED Talk has gathered more than 16 million views, popularizing the power pose - the 'Wonder Woman” stance, with fists on hips. Use your power pose before a meeting, and you'll pump up your confidence and authority.

According to the New York Times, Cuddy also has been examining the effect of sleeping sprawled out versus curled up.

'Early results show that people who arise with arms and legs extended feel brighter and more optimistic than the 40 percent who start the day in a fetal position,” wrote David Hochman, for the Times.

So if power posing during the day is too much effort, you can now do it in bed. Cuddy says, 'Open yourself up like the guy on the subway taking up too much space, and soon enough you'll feel like a happy warrior.”

2. Be an energizer

'Be an energizer” is the message shared by Robert L. Cross and Andrew Parker in their book, 'The Hidden Power of Social Networks.” They discovered that ' …

those who energized others are much higher performers.”

These 'energizers” also are better at persuading others to act, such as when seeking a colleague's assistance or getting a client to make a purchase.

'Our results suggest that those who energize others may be more likely to be heard and have their ideas put into action,” say the authors.

But being an energizer is not about being the most entertaining or charismatic individual in the room. According to Cross and Parker, 'Rather, they bring themselves fully into an interaction.”

Want to influence others to take action? Be fully present and focused when you interact.

3. Use the most powerful word in the English language

In his article, 'Are You Using the Most Powerful Word in the English Language?,” Jonathon Goodman wrote:

'In Robert Cialdini's must-read book, ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,' he describes a study done by Langer, et al. Langer would approach a stranger in line waiting to use the Xerox machine and say, ‘Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine?'”

Interestingly, 60 percent of people complied. But what happened next was remarkable.

In the next two trials, Langer vastly improved his chances of influencing by including one specific word. That word is 'because,” and it didn't even matter if the request made sense. For example, adding ' … because I have to make copies” was as effective as adding ' …

because I'm in a rush.”

Simply using the word 'because” led to a 33 percent increase in results.

So if you lack the inclination to take a class on influencing, you've now got three handy shortcuts. Be fully present in your interactions, wake up in the Wonder Woman pose, and say 'because” - because although they are three of the weirdest influencing tips, it can't possibly hurt to try them.

' Jo Miller is founding editor of BeLeaderly.com and CEO of Women's Leadership Coaching Inc.; @jo_miller