--- description: Make sure you smile and give a firm handshake title: This Body Language Makes You Look Like a Leader image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0309d3234883bd8e/69876fec55a85970a6a84e31/businessmen-handshake-smile.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Ideas](/section/ideas/) ## Ideas Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Psychology](/tag/psychology/) ## Psychology Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This Body Language Makes You Look Like a Leader by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 22, 2014 5:01 AM CUT  Businessmen shaking hands Businessmen shaking handsGetty Images by [Eric Barker](/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 22, 2014 5:01 AM CUT It’s important to balance the appearance of power and warmth. Via [The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help–or Hurt–How You Lead](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470876360/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470876360&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- What shows authority and power? Via [The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help–or Hurt–How You Lead](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470876360/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470876360&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- And what communicates warmth? Via [The Silent Language of Leaders: How Body Language Can Help–or Hurt–How You Lead](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470876360/ref=as%5Fli%5Fss%5Ftl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0470876360&linkCode=as2&tag=spacforrent-20 "undefined"): --- > “” --- **_This post originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/11/body-language-signals-leadership/ "undefined")**_. Join over 145,000 readers and get a free weekly email update_** [**_here_**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD "undefined")**_._** Related posts: * [How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done – 5 Expert Tips](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/08/how-to-stop-being-lazy/ "undefined") * [What 10 things should you do every day to improve your life?](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2012/05/what-10-things-should-you-do-every-day-to-imp/ "undefined") * [How To Make Your Life Better By Sending Five Simple Emails](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/07/make-your-life-better/ "undefined") **_READ NEXT_** [_How to Be a Great Leader — 5 Insights From Research_](http://time.com/3618929/great-leader-insights/?xid=time%5Freadnext "undefined") [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3640682/body-language-leader/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3640682/body-language-leader/"},"headline":"This Body Language Makes You Look Like a Leader","datePublished":"2014-12-22T05:01:05.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T08:05:49.067Z","description":"Make sure you smile and give a firm handshake","url":"https://time.com/3640682/body-language-leader/","keywords":["Psychology","Leadership","body language"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0309d3234883bd8e/69876fec55a85970a6a84e31/businessmen-handshake-smile.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eric Barker","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/eric-barker/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0309d3234883bd8e/69876fec55a85970a6a84e31/businessmen-handshake-smile.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"businessmen-handshake-smile","caption":"businessmen-handshake-smile","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/psychology/","name":"Psychology"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3640682/body-language-leader/","name":"This Body Language Makes You Look Like a Leader"}}]}] ```