cover image Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact

Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others, and Maximizing Your Personal Impact

Nick Morgan. Harvard Business Review, $25 (224p) ISBN 978-1-4221-9350-1

In this practical and useful guide, Morgan (Give Your Speech, Change the World) gives a blueprint for effective leadership, primarily by teaching how to read the conscious and unconscious signs others give. The conscious signs are illustrated using seven key “power cues”—the way you enter a room; the emotions conveyed through body language at important moments; the unconscious messages one gleans from others; possession of “a leadership voice”; the honest signals sent out in key situations; whether your unconscious mind is holding you back; and the impact your stories have. Equally important are Morgan’s lessons on intuition, which he believes is chiefly a person’s unconscious “trying hard to get in touch.” “When humans have a strong emotion and try to conceal it,” he posits, “it’s liable to leak out in very quick facial expressions that are contrary to the predominant facial expression the person is maintaining.” He also maps overt body language and teaches readers “how to spot the person in power,” differentiate friend from foe, distinguish lies from truths, and determine if a person is listening. Morgan rounds out his book with tips on improving public speaking, finding an authoritative voice, and using body language for success. [em](May) [/em]