The Challenge
Let's face it, power players exist in every sector of society. No matter what country you're in, what culture surrounds you or what kind of people you are dealing with, you're going to run into a power player at some point. And if you plan on influencing them, you better be ready because they can be a tough breed.
The good news is there are plenty of ways to subdue them without saying one single word.
It begins with their body language. You see, the one thing about power players is they are extremely easy to read because they're very predictable.
The Solutions
1.) The easiest way to disarm a power player is by countering each offending gesture/expression or movement with your own equalizing body language. Equalizing body language is actually more powerful than a power player’s choice of weapons because equalizing gestures and movements can actually help you gain other peoples’ trust and vote of confidence. Power players are universally disliked and rejected by other people.
2.) Power players usually reveal themselves through the handshake so be observant when a new person shakes your hand. You will be able to see and feel if a person is trying to dominate you because he has a habit of doing so.
3.) Learn to recognize the dominating handshake. A power player always shakes first. That doesn’t mean that every person who shakes first is a power player. It just means that there’s a possibility of detecting a power player when the other person shakes first. A power player will try his best to get your hand under his hand during the handshake. You can counter this easily by changing the angle of your hand so your hands would be more parallel (instead of having your hand under the other person’s hand). You can also use your other hand to slightly change the position of the power player’s hand (so your hands would be more equal) and then shake with both hands. Don’t try to outdo the other person by squeezing his hand too hard or shaking too hard. Equalizing gestures are always better and are best for disarming power players.
4.) Some people would also try to pull you in during a handshake. Don’t let the power player pull you in. If he tries to pull you in, try to extend your arm so that your personal space is preserved.
5.) Energy is important in social interactions. Power players usually try to take control of the whole floor by controlling the energy of the conversation or dialog. Counter this by regulating the energy of the conversation. If the power player is dragging down the energy, make gestures near the chest level to raise the energy strategically. If the power player is raising his energy to intimidate people, counter with gestures near the navel area to tone down the energy. It takes practice, but it works.
Benefits of the solution:
1.) You don’t to directly deal with the power player; the disarming process is indirect and through body language.
2.) You can easily change your tactics if the power player continues his power play.
3.) You won’t feel intimidated anymore when you are in the presence of known power players.
The Bottom Line:Power players will always be there to dominate people. We can’t do anything about that – but we can protect ourselves by playing the power player’s game. Power players can easily dominate people because their body language is aggressive and very straightforward. Knowing how to spot aggressive body language can help you spot a power player and this in turn will help you counter them at their own game.