Fourteen simple behaviours that make people instantly respect you more

Alex Mathers
2 min readSep 29, 2024

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Are there things we can do that influence other people’s perceptions of us?

Years of stumbling through life, and being fascinated in human behaviour answered this question for me.

Here’s a little of what I picked up that worked for me:

1. Talk less.

Speaking less demonstrates comfort in one’s own skin if coupled with a relaxed demeanour and adds to your sense of mystery.

2. Be relaxed and move slow.

Quick movements and fidgeting make you appear nervous and thus lower status.

3. Hold people’s eye.

Nothing says ‘I’m confident and I am interested in other people’ than holding someone’s gaze, especially for a little longer than might feel comfortable.

4. Talk boldly.

Occasionally say something that needs to be said that no one else is daring to say.

Speak your mind honestly.

5. Demonstrate emotional control.

Reactive people don’t leave space between a triggering stimulus and their emotional response.

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