If you are in front of a group, move away from the podium and closer to the people you are speaking to.

Ground your feet so they are planted solidly on the ground.

Maintain your shoulders back and chest open.

Sit or stand up straight in every interaction.

When we carry ourselves with pride and personal power, we create strong internal connections that improve our performance and help us manage through the most challenging situations. They sit and walk upright, not hunched over. They take up more space and expand their bodies wide and long. Our body language shapes how other people perceive us and how we perceive ourselves. Studies show powerful people make more eye contact, speak more slowly and pause more often. On the contrary, the hormone profile related to “responsible power” is one of higher testosterone (which increases our assertiveness and likelihood of action) and low cortisol (stress hormone). Research does not support the notion that powerful people are stressed by their responsibilities. Low stress is a fundamental aspect of feeling and being powerful. Showing that you care, even if it means you come off a little nervous, is a sign of confidence and endearment.

Instead of trying to force ourselves to be calm, channel the nerves to demonstrate your passion and enthusiasm.

In challenging moments, nervousness results from the release of flight-or-fight hormones. Presence stems from “believing and owning our stories.” We’re better off focusing less on the impression we want to have on others, and more on the impression we make on ourself.Ĭonfidence and nervousness are not mutually exclusive. When we choreograph the impression we want to make on others, we come off as fake and insincere. Small tweaks in our body language and mindset lead to a state of psychological presence. Presence has more to do with the everyday, ordinary moments than an enormous transformation. In Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges, Cuddy defines presence as “the state of being attuned to and able to comfortably express our true thoughts, feelings, values and potential.” What Does The Research Tell Us About Presence?

All of us want to get through our toughest challenges – job interviews, idea pitches, public presentations, tough conversations – with grace, confidence and executive presence.Īmy Cuddy, the Harvard professor who gave the immensely popular TED talk Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are, recently authored a book which explores the fascinating research on presence.

Presence ann cuddy