How to Have Posture & Why You Need It by Janet Callaway

In the network marketing industry “you must have posture” is a phrase you hear repeatedly. Yet oftentimes people mistake “posture” for arrogance which is definitely incorrect. Posture is confidence and alignment whereas arrogance is an obnoxious display of self-importance.

Let's face it, people “buy” with their eyes and their ears. If you come across as “needy” and trying to “sell” them something rather than as listening, caring and offering a solution to their problem, they simply won't buy what you have—even if it would benefit them.

Why is that? Simple. How we hold ourselves, our expressions and our words, all affect the choices other people make. Let's look at three quick examples.

You are walking down the street looking for a new restaurant. As it happens, from a distance you see two restaurants and each one has a person in front waving you into the restaurant. As you get closer, you note that one restaurant is virtually empty; the person in front is intense and urgent as he waves you inside. At the other, the restaurant is about half full, the person is relaxed, smiling welcoming and telling you to come inside because the food is delicious.

If you are like 99.9% of the people, you are going to enter restaurant #2 because the posture of the person in front leads you to believe it will be a good experience.

If you are a parent, think about how your posture affects what your young children do. If you are happy, they are happy. If you are frightened; they are frightened. If you are scattered; they are scattered. They react to how your present yourself; your posture.

Since Dancing with the Stars is so popular, I will use that as a final example. When professional dancers line up to begin, from their posture you can “see” the confidence they radiate. You know, just by looking at them, that they are going to be terrific.

Leaders have posture. If you want to be a leader in network marketing, lead your own home business to success or be effective in any endeavor, you must have posture. In Seth Godin's book Tribes he says this about the posture of leaders.

If you hear my idea but don’t believe it, that’s not your fault; it’s mine.
If you see my new product but don’t buy it, that’s my failure, not yours.
If you attend my presentation and you’re bored, that’s my fault too.
If I fail to persuade you to implement a policy that supports my tribe, that’s due to my lack of passion or skill, not your shortsightedness.
If you are a student in my class and you don’t learn what I’m teaching, I’ve let you down.

Do you have posture?