It sounds easy. It looks gentle. But it changes the entire dynamic of how people approach you, how they think, and how they grow.
So what do you think you should do?
It Builds Confidence
Many people come to you with a problem because they believe your answer is better than theirs. As soon as you ask this question, you hand the thinking back to them. You let them see that their judgment matters. Confidence does not grow from outsourcing decisions. It grows from making them.
It Trains the Mind
Most problems are not solved by knowing every fact. They are solved by understanding the options, the tradeoffs, and the impact. When you ask this question, you force the person to walk through these steps. They learn to think through consequences. They learn to compare paths. They learn to slow down and choose.
It Reduces Dependence
If you answer every question, people stop thinking for themselves. If you ask them what they would do, they begin to trust their own reasoning. Over time, you spend less time firefighting and more time guiding. The person becomes someone who brings you solutions, not crises.
It Reveals Their True Concern
Sometimes the problem they share is not the real issue. When you ask what they think they should do, you uncover what they are afraid of, what they are unsure about, or where they are stuck. You hear their reasoning. You see the gap. You know exactly where to help.
It Creates Ownership
The moment someone says what they think the next step should be, they take responsibility for it. They are no longer waiting for your instruction. They are taking action. Leadership is not given. It is practiced. This question helps people practice.
One sentence that captures the idea: When someone brings you a problem, the smartest thing you can do is ask the question that sends the thinking back to them.
Not to avoid solving, but to help them grow, to help them reason, and to help them become the kind of person who knows what to do next time.
Strategy is a disciplined series of choices rooted in clear trade-offs and built on understanding both internal competencies and external competition. Strategic thinking for elite leaders requires categorically distinguishing between operational effectiveness doing things right and true strategy doing the right things.
Competitive positions are not found in best practices. They are created by either doing what others do, but more efficiently, or by doing what others cannot. Sustained advantage comes from this separation.
Core concepts anchor the discipline. “Adjacency expansion” is disciplined growth by moving into closely related markets only when supported by clear customer and economic insight. “Core competencies” are the roots—collective learning that deliver end-product differentiation and resist imitation.
Balanced Scorecard frames strategy execution via four key lenses—Customer, Internal, Innovation, Financial. This provides multidimensional accountability and is a strategic bridge between intention and result.
Disruptive innovation occurs when new entrants meet overlooked customer needs at lower cost before gradually moving upmarket. Defending requires recognizing early signals and deploying containment or absorption strategies, not just improving existing operations.
Blue Ocean Strategy creates new market space, making competition irrelevant by shifting boundaries and redefining consumer expectations. The alternative, “Big-Bang disruption,” quickly upends an industry by simultaneously being better and more affordable.
Five Forces Framework analyzes the profit structure of industries, emphasizing the competitive context—rivalry, new entrants, substitute threats, buyer power, supplier power.
Strategic execution is the result of countless decisions, driven by information flow, clear rights, meaningful incentives, and effective structure. The strategy-to-performance gap is closed by making strategy actionable, setting priorities, and embedding tracking and learning.
Portfolio approaches see strategy as a set of options, not a fixed plan—leaders make staged decisions under uncertainty, using real options reasoning and continuously deploying and withdrawing resources as volatility plays out.
Modern imperatives: Lean startup models favor disciplined experimentation and customer feedback over premature scaling. Platform strategies embrace external ecosystems rather than mere resource accumulation.
Purpose and stakeholder-centered strategies move beyond shareholders—linking competitive advantage to broader societal value and integrating purpose directly into strategy for endurance and trust.
Transient advantage thinking replaces the fantasy of sustained dominance with agility—amassing portfolios of short-lived advantages and scaling down as soon as the context shifts.
Have you ever noticed how certain leaders command attention the moment they enter a room? It’s rarely just about what they say—it’s how they carry themselves. The most influential leaders understand that body language speaks volumes before they utter a single word.
Research shows that up to 55% of communication is nonverbal. By mastering these 10 powerful body language techniques used by world-class leaders, you can dramatically enhance your presence and influence.
1. Strategic Pausing
Watch footage of Barack Obama speaking, and you’ll notice his masterful use of the pause. Rather than rushing to respond to questions or challenges, effective leaders take a moment to gather their thoughts. This deliberate pause projects thoughtfulness and control rather than reactivity.
Try this: Count to three in your mind before responding to important questions. This brief moment allows you to formulate a more thoughtful response while signaling confidence and composure.
2. Expansive Posture
Leaders naturally take up appropriate space. This doesn’t mean appearing aggressive or domineering—rather, it’s about standing tall with shoulders back and chest open. This expansive posture signals confidence and commands respect.
Try this: Before important meetings, stand in a “power pose” for two minutes (feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips or stretched overhead). Research suggests this can actually increase testosterone levels and decrease stress hormones.
3. Purposeful Gestures
Notice how influential leaders use clear, deliberate hand movements to emphasize key points. These purposeful gestures draw attention and reinforce their message, unlike the small, fidgety movements that signal nervousness.
Try this: Practice using broader, more deliberate hand gestures when making important points. Keep movements above the waist and visible to your audience.
4. Consistent Eye Contact
Steady, confident eye contact demonstrates engagement and conviction. Leaders maintain appropriate eye contact without the unnerving, unblinking “threat tracking” stare that creates discomfort.
Try this: Practice the “triangle technique”—moving your gaze between both eyes and the forehead of the person you’re speaking with. This creates connection without appearing intimidating.
5. Voice Modulation
The most compelling leaders vary their vocal tone, pace, and volume strategically. This prevents monotony and helps emphasize key points. Think of Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful speeches with their rhythmic crescendos and thoughtful pauses.
Try this: Record yourself speaking and identify places where you can add emphasis through volume, slow down for important points, or speed up to create energy.
6. Selective Mirroring
Skilled leaders subtly adopt elements of others’ body language to build rapport, while still maintaining their own authoritative presence. This creates connection without sacrificing leadership stature.
Try this: Subtly match the energy level and speaking pace of those you’re communicating with, while maintaining your leadership posture.
7. Controlled Facial Expressions
Exceptional leaders maintain facial composure, particularly during challenging situations. They don’t telegraph every emotion, maintaining a calm, steady demeanor that inspires confidence.
Try this: Practice your “neutral but engaged” face in the mirror. This expression should appear attentive and interested without revealing anxiety or distress.
8. Grounded Stance
Watch footage of world leaders and notice how they stand—feet shoulder-width apart, weight evenly distributed. This grounded stance projects stability and confidence.
Try this: Practice standing with feet planted firmly, about shoulder-width apart. Feel the connection with the ground and avoid shifting weight from foot to foot.
9. Limited Self-Touching
Effective leaders avoid nervous habits like touching their face, adjusting clothing, or fidgeting with objects. These self-soothing behaviors signal insecurity and undermine authority.
Try this: Become aware of your self-touching habits and practice keeping your hands still or purposefully engaged in gestures rather than nervous adjustments.
10. Intentional Movement
The most commanding leaders move with intention rather than rushing. As mentioned in body language research, this “Royal Bengal Tiger” quality of deliberate movement draws attention and signals confidence.
Try this: Practice moving slightly more slowly than your natural pace. Take your time entering rooms, approaching podiums, or crossing stages.
Bringing It All Together
These techniques are most powerful when they become natural extensions of your authentic leadership style rather than forced affectations. Start by focusing on one or two areas where you see the most opportunity for growth.
Remember—effective leadership body language isn’t about manipulation. It’s about ensuring your nonverbal communication aligns with and reinforces your message, allowing your true leadership qualities to shine through unhindered by distracting habits.
What body language technique will you focus on developing first?
Maverick 