Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Negotiation Secret # 401:
Male Dominance Display - Faux pas



















Most men, including heads of state, are completely unaware of just how much most women detest the "wide open crotch" display. It has two primary interpretations which are sometimes related. Here, former U.S. President George W. Bush is sitting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. This example of a seated crotch display is a strong sign of Male dominance.

The second meaning of this signal can be overtly sexual, meaning its user is physically attracted to someone in the immediate vicinity. This is obviously not the context in which Mr. Bush is using it here, nor is this what I want to imply. In many business settings however, men are complete oblivious that this behavior places them at a significant disadvantage when doing business with the fairer sex. The opposite extreme is not a smart one either - for a man to sit with his feet and knees close together - as this sends signals of low confidence and submissiveness.

_______________________________________________________________________________________