To show power but with a little less force than you would use in a tightly held
power grip, let your fingers and thumb curl inwards as if they are loosely
grasping an object. This is a way of getting people to take your message
seriously without having to act out with an abundance of force.
If you’re speaking to an audience and want to establish authority, let your fin-
gers and thumb curve inwards as if they’re almost but not quite holding an
invisible object. You’ll be perceived as in control and sure of what you’re
doing.
The power chop .................................................................................
Sometimes when you speak you may feel so passionate that you find yourself
using your hand like a weapon, jabbing, punching, or chopping. Hopefully,
you’re just hitting empty air rather than a person or an object.
Your listener had better take you seriously when you use these gestures
because they’re a sure sign that whatever you’re feeling is pretty strong and
you aren’t going to accept any arguments or contradictions. In other words,
you mean business!
To demonstrate real forcefulness when you’re speaking and to underline your
determination to swash-buckle your way through the obstacle course, turn
your hand into a symbolic axe blade by positioning it sideways with your fin-
gers held closely together (see Figure 9-10). Now, make strong downward
chopping movements. Your hand and arm start acting like a meat cleaver and
woe betide the person who gets in your way.
The scissors or double-chop motion is a great one to use when you’re reject-
ing or disagreeing with what someone else is saying. Cross both your fore-
arms in front of your body and make outward cutting motions with your
hands. You’re indicating that you don’t want to hear any more by cutting
off the conversation.
When my teenage son Max was doing his best to convince me why he should
be allowed to travel the world on his own, I wasn’t about to be swayed. His
passionate arguments were countered with my motherly wisdom. Not only
did my words say, ‘No’, everything I was doing was rejecting his proposal. It
was when I combined the double-chop motion with the finger shake that my
daughter Kristina came in with the conciliatory palms down, gently beating
gesture that reduced the tension and created a modicum of calmness.
Chapter 9: It's in the Palm of Your Hand 153