Story time:
I heard this third hand and it was years ago. I might be misremembering details. It might never have happened. Who knows, this could be a famous story and I’m making a fool of myself. Or it’s been famously debunked and I just haven’t heard about it.
It’s worth the risk.
Because it’s plausible and there’s a lesson in it.
Here’s how it allegedly went down.
There was a venture capitalist firm where the VCs liked to play games to unnerve the pitchers. If the pitchers felt psychologically off-balance, they’d more likely agree to the VCs’s terms.
Part of that involved the furniture.
Pitchers would sit in low chairs before a large, imposing desk, with the VCs elevated on the other side. The height difference was huge. So was the desk. It was like begging outside the castle walls, rather than attending a business meeting.
They had this setup for a while. And it must have worked on a lot of folks. Even if they spotted the power dynamics at play, what could they have done?
Gone along with them?
Called them out on it?
Either way plays into the power dynamic.
How someone overcame it?
They walked in with a friendly, genuine smile and – before sitting in the tiny, lowered chair – extended their hand towards the VCs.
Even though the desk was so big they could barely reach across it.
And they waited.
The VCs were so uncomfortable by the awkwardness of it all that they had the desk removed before continuing the meeting.
The world teems with ridiculous people. It always has but, with the internet and low socialisation, it’s getting worse.
That means you’ve had plenty of practice telling people they’re ridiculous. It doesn’t change anything.
But making them feel ridiculous…?
This technique took more than a handshake. It took genuine friendliness and an unflinching attitude.
Being able to ride out an awkward silence is incredibly powerful. Most folks can’t stand pauses, so they’ll say or agree to things much quicker just to break the tension.
That means you need to be able to ignore or overcome your anxiety.
If you anxiously wait, it doesn’t apply any pressure to others. It just makes them want to ignore you.
That’s why The Virtus Path is so great.
With a few simple exercises, you can learn to overcome your anxiety, control your mental state and perform better under pressure.
Find it here: