Establishing Presence and Authority in Presentations

Command Stance and Intentional Movements

When starting a presentation or speaking in public, your physical presence is the first thing that communicates your authority and confidence. Adopting a command posture is critical.

This involves standing erect, with your shoulders relaxed but back, maintaining a balanced posture with your feet approximately shoulder-width apart.

This solid foundation projects stability and control. Equally important is the quality of your movements.

They should be intentional and purposeful, such as walking deliberately toward a point on stage to emphasize an idea.

Avoid nervous movements at all costs, such as excessive weight shifting from one foot to the other or constant fidgeting, as these betray insecurity and distract the audience.

Controlling nerves: Breathing techniques

Physical presence plays a crucial role in how your control over nerves is perceived during a presentation.

Although specific breathing techniques are helpful (and are addressed in other sections), the sources for this point emphasize how your posture and movements reflect your internal state.

An upright, balanced posture not only projects confidence outwardly, but can also help you feel more centered.

Consciously avoiding excessive fidgeting, swaying or fidgeting is key, as these are classic nonverbal indicators of nervousness.

By controlling these movements and opting for a calm and steady presence, you communicate composure and authority, even if internally you feel some anxiety. The key is to project control through your body.

Use of gestures to inject passion and enthusiasm.

Gestures are a vital tool for emphasizing key points and, above all, for conveying passion and enthusiasm for the topic you are presenting. A presentation without gestures can seem monotonous and dispassionate.

Using your hands in a natural and fluid way, making sure your gestures are consistent with your message, helps to energize your speech and keep the audience engaged.

Gestures can illustrate ideas, mark transitions or simply add visual energy.

When your hand movemen