Executive presence is reinforced or weakened by nonverbal signals. Posture. Eye contact. Movement. Facial expression. Energy. Below are the most common nonverbal patterns that quietly undermine leadership presence — and what to replace them with.

1️⃣ Bad Posture

Rounded shoulders, lowered head, hunched back, uneven shoulders, lifted shoulders. - this signals hesitation or tension.

Instead:
Stand and sit upright. Open your chest. Ground your feet. Physical expansion creates psychological authority — both for you and for your audience. You can find posture and supporting breathing exercises in the app 4Ps, Power, Pitch, Pace, Pause.

2️⃣ Avoiding Eye Contact

Looking down. Looking at notes excessively. Scanning the room nervously. This signals insecurity.

Instead:
Hold steady eye contact for a full sentence. When speaking to a group, anchor key messages by looking at one person at a time.

Eye contact equals ownership and reinforces your credibility.

3️⃣ Excessive or Nervous Movement

Fidgeting. Touching your face or constantly improving your hair. Adjusting clothing repeatedly. Shifting weight constantly. Movement without intention weakens presence.

Instead:
Move with purpose. Pause physically when making an important point.
Stillness is power.

4️⃣ Inconsistent Facial Expressions

Smiling when delivering serious information.
Showing visible frustration.
Blank expression when enthusiasm is required.

Your face must match your message.

Leadership requires emotional control — not emotional suppression, but alignment.

5️⃣ Open Gestures & Owning Your Space

Confident leaders take up space — physically and energetically.

People who lack confidence often shrink themselves. They cross their arms, keep gestures small and tight, pull their shoulders inward, or make themselves physically smaller in the room.

This sends a subtle but powerful signal: I do not deserve to take up space. I am unsure of myself.

Instead:
Use open gestures. Keep your arms relaxed and visible. Allow your hands to move naturally to support your message. Stand grounded, with a balanced posture. Sit fully in your chair — don’t perch on the edge.

Owning your space is not arrogance. It is a visible sign of self-assurance.

Executive presence happens when:

Your words are clear.
Your voice is controlled.
Your body reinforces the message.
When all three align, authority becomes natural — not forced.

This concludes the Executive Presence series. If you had to improve just one element — speech, voice, or body language which would create the biggest shift in your leadership impact?

Look forward to your comments

Warmly

Olga Smith

www.batcsglobal.com

For a long time, I thought my rushed speech was just part of my personality. I’m enthusiastic. I get excited about ideas. I like forward motion. So when I spoke quickly or acted fast, I assumed that was a feature, not a bug.

Even a speech tutor who has known me for 20 years once told me I needed to “remove the attack” from my voice. At the time, I didn’t fully understand what she meant. Now I do. That comment makes perfect sense in the context of how my pace and intensity can unintentionally create pressure for others.

But over time, I started noticing a pattern that was harder to ignore: when I felt excited—or when I wanted something—people tensed up.

Not because the idea was bad.
Not because the request was unreasonable.
But because my pace carried urgency.

And urgency, even when well-intentioned, often feels like pressure. The real issue wasn’t speed — it was velocity. What finally clicked for me is this:

Trying to “talk slower” doesn’t work if your nervous system is still in move-this-forward-now mode.

When we’re excited or motivated:

Our speech compresses
Our breathing shortens
Our bodies lean forward
Our ideas stack on top of each other

To us, it feels like clarity and momentum. To others, it often feels like being pushed. So the work isn’t reducing energy. It’s learning how to separate excitement from urgency.

A simple reframe that changed everything:

I don’t need momentum. I need permission. Permission comes from safety, space, and choice — not speed. When I slow down enough to give people room, conversations become easier, not harder.

I learned that small changes make an immediate difference:

1. I slow the start, not the whole conversation.

The first 10 seconds set the emotional tone.

Starting slower than feels natural creates safety.

I can always speed up later.

2. I pause after the headline. Instead of explaining everything at once, I separate it:

One clear headline
A pause
Then the details

That pause signals confidence and respect.

3. I add an explicit release valve when I’m asking for something.

Simple phrases like:

“No rush - just wanted to float it.”
“If this isn’t a fit, totally fine.”
“Think about it and let me know.”

Choice lowers tension instantly.

4. I ground my body before speaking

Feet flat on the floor.
One full exhale.
Jaw and shoulders relaxed.

Stillness in the body creates stillness in timing.

5. I delay the ask by 20–30 seconds. Connection first. Ask second. People are far more open when they don’t feel hunted.

In leadership, collaboration, sales, and communication in general, intensity without space creates resistance. Calm doesn’t mean low energy. It means contained energy.

And contained energy is:

Easier to trust
Easier to follow
Easier to say yes to

Urgency narrows people. Calm expands them.

I’m still practising this — especially when I care a lot. But every time I slow the pace, I notice:

Better conversations
Less resistance
More genuine engagement

The skill is learning how to let that motivation land gently.