Controlling the conversation ............................................................
You can use your glasses to control a conversation. Think of yourself as a con-
ductor. When you want the attention to be on what you’re saying, put your
glasses on. When you want to demonstrate that you’re listening, take them off.
To indicate that the conversation is over, fold your glasses and put them away.
Showing resistance.............................................................................
Some people take their glasses off quickly in a flash of annoyance, or slowly
with much deliberation. Both of these gestures are sure signs of resistance to
what is occurring. Someone rejecting a proposal may throw her glasses onto
her desk.
To relieve the emotional tension, you need to change your approach so that
the other person puts her glasses back on. Then the two of you together can
see the situation more clearly.
Appearing cool....................................................................................
Sunglasses belong in the sun, not in nightclubs and meetings. Their original
purpose was to protect your eyes by blocking out light. Some celebrities and
wannabes use sunglasses to keep other people from getting too close to
them. Your eyes are one of your primary means of communication. Speaking
to someone who’s wearing sunglasses is a bit like speaking to the Wizard of
Oz. You can hear the person, but you can’t see them.
Wearing sunglasses on your head creates the impression of being cool, in the
groove, and youthful. Parking your sunglasses on your head gives the appear-
ance of having a huge pair of doe-like eyes with enticingly enlarged pupils,
mimicking the positive effect that babies and cuddly toys with big painted
eyes have on a person.
Spectacles at the office ......................................................................
Studies show that people wearing glasses in a business context, whether
male or female, are perceived as intelligent, knowledgeable, conservative,
and genuine.
The heavier the frames of the glasses, the more frequently these descriptions
were reported. Business leaders who wear glasses tend to choose heavy
frames, which may be why, in a business context, glasses can be seen as
power props.
Chapter 11: Playing with Props 183