When you’re ready for a raise, try bringing a cup of tea to the meeting. And go high. New research suggests you might just get it!

Metro’s article, “A cup of warmth” reports Yale psychologists recently found that temperature stimulates different areas of the brain. Hot seems to trigger the emotion center and cold activates the practical part of our organic computer.

The students in the study sipping on the hot drinks were more likely to feel warm towards other people, while those enjoying a cold beverage tended to be more critical. In the second experiment, those holding a hot pack were more generous while those holding a cold pack were more self-absorbed.

So you see, by bringing some tea to your meeting you’ll not only be showing your boss your thoughtful self, but also stimulating their generosity and perhaps even making them more agreeable!

Summary:

• Hot drinks make people open, trusting and more likely to say yes to suggestions.
• Cold drinks make people more rational, skeptical and cold.

I can’t wait to test this out for myself! Where would you start if you were to conduct your own research?