Amy Cuddy, social psychologist, author and lecturer will deliver the Forum address. This forum will not be broadcast live or available for on-demand streaming.
Amy Cuddy is no stranger to failure. It has defined her path to professional success and landed her as the second most-viewed TED Talk speaker of all time. Renowned for her research on presence and performance, the social psychologist seeks to understand how individuals can bolster self-confidence and achievement in the face of fear.
Cuddy will bring her expertise to the Marriott Center on March 27 in a BYU forum address, teaching what simple methods are needed to engineer personal and professional success.
The former Harvard Business School professor gained national attention for her 2010 research on body language. Universally recognized as “power posing,” Cuddy’s findings on stereotyping and success took the world by storm. Many have put Cuddy’s research into practice and herald her as a champion as they achieve their goals.
Cuddy’s first battle with failure came after a near-fatal car accident left her with brain damage and little hope for the future. The college sophomore pushed past doubts of graduation and made it to graduate school, and eventually on to teach at Harvard Business School.
Having previously shied away from intimidating settings herself, Cuddy noticed that the females in her Harvard business classes lacked the body posture and presence of their male counterparts. Intrigued, Cuddy investigated the relationship between body language, behavior and success. Results showed that something so simple as changing the way one sits can command power and confidence, both internally and externally.
Professional women are perhaps most significantly impacted by Cuddy’s research. Invigorated by a new surge of confidence, women have taken on the professional world after implementing Cuddy’s research findings.
“The power pose became the sun salutation for the professional woman on the cusp of leaning in,” The New York Times reported.
Cuddy’s 2012 TED Talk “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are” first catapulted her to fame— the video has been viewed more than 40 million times on YouTube and is now the second most-viewed TED Talk. Cuddy’s book “Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges” has been published in 29 languages since its 2015 release and is a New York Times best-seller.
“I have incorporated the principles in Amy Cuddy's book ‘Presence’ in my personal life and with my students,” said BYU Marriott School of Business faculty member Dr. Marianna Richardson. “I use power posing when I'm preparing to teach difficult concepts. My students enjoy power posing before they do mock interviews in class.”
Cuddy was named Game Changer by Time and one of the 50 Women Who Are Changing the World by Business Insider. Originally from Pennsylvania, Cuddy graduated with a Ph.D. from Princeton University. She has taught at Harvard Business School and Northwestern University.