Have you ever made up your mind about someone—before they even said a word?

Maybe they seemed confident, trustworthy, magnetic—someone you wanted to listen to.
Or maybe something felt off, uncertain, or unconvincing—like they didn’t fully own the space.

That’s because research shows that within the first seven seconds of meeting someone, we believe we’ve already formed a solid impression of them. And in as little as a tenth of a second, we start making snap judgments about traits like trustworthiness and competence.

How you carry yourself shapes the way people perceive you—and even more importantly, how YOU feel.

A Quick Story

A while back, I was at a train-the-trainer event with my mentor, Marshall Goldsmith. As part of the training, we had to present in front of each other. And I got put into a group with a bunch of high-powered CEOs—most of them running massive companies and 2-3x my age.

If the past me had walked into that room, I would’ve immediately shrunk. I probably would’ve thought:
"Why am I even here? What happens if I totally blank in front of these guys?"

But I didn’t shrink.
And it wasn’t because I was “performing” confidence or trying to be someone I’m not.

It was because I implemented the exact tools and insights I’m about to share with you.

The Science Behind Leadership Presence

So why does this matter?

What I know to be true through years of studying leadership presence—and as a Certified High-Performance Coach, Master NLP Practitioner, and a graduate of Cornell’s Women in Leadership program—is that how you show up shapes how people perceive you before you even say a word.

Research shows that 93% of communication isn’t even about what you say.

• 55% is body language.

• 38% is your tone.
• And only 7% is the actual words you use.
  
  

That means people aren’t just listening to your words—they’re picking up on how you carry yourself.
And it goes deeper than things like posture or the gestures you use.

Your Presence Is Energetic—Not Just Physical

You’ve felt this before.

•  Have you ever walked into a room and instantly felt tension—like you could cut it with a knife? No one said anything, but you knew something was off.
• Or on the flip side, have you ever met someone whose presence just felt good? Like, the moment they walk in, people relax, feel more open, or even happier?

That’s not random. That’s leadership presence. And science backs it up.

Doc Childre, the founder of the HeartMath Institute, says:

“Our thoughts, emotions, and attitudes affect the heart’s magnetic field, which energetically affects others—whether or not we are aware of it.”

HeartMath research shows that our presence isn’t just physical—it’s energetic.

• The heart’s magnetic field can be measured up to 10 feet away from the body!
• In comparison, the brain’s magnetic field only extends about 3 inches from the head.
• And the heart’s field is 100 times stronger than the brain’s.

This means that how you feel—your emotions, your confidence, your energy—gets radiated out and actually affects those around you.

So when we talk about leadership presence, we’re not just talking about body language—we’re talking about the energy you project.

Embodying Confidence Physically

Now, let’s actually put this into practice.
Because once you apply this, you won’t just look more confident—you’ll feel it, and people will pick up on that.

1. Posture & Presence Hacks

Let’s do an experiment together.

First, shrink down:
I invite you to let your shoulders slump. Drop your gaze. Let your breath get shallow.
Hold that for a second. Just sink into that smallness.

Notice how you feel when you hold your body like this.
Do you feel powerful or kinda invisible? What thoughts are you having?

Probably not great.

Now, shake it off and reset:
Let’s flip it. Let’s shake that off and reset.

Expand:
Good. Now, sit up taller. Pull your shoulders back. Lift your gaze slightly, looking out using your peripheral vision. Breathe slower and deeper.

Compare the two states:
What’s different for you?
Do you feel more grounded? Clearer? Like you could actually walk into a meeting and hold your own?

That’s because your posture doesn’t just change how others see you—it affects your emotions and mindset.

Amy Cuddy’s studies on power posing found that expansive postures can increase confidence and even impact hormonal shifts linked to feelings of power.

2. Take Up Space

One of the biggest differences I’ve seen in leadership presence is how much space people take up.

• Some people (especially common among women) unconsciously shrink—keep their elbows in, cross their legs, stack their materials in a neat little pile.
• While other people tend to expand—lean back, arms stretched out, spread their stuff all over the table like they own the place.

The physical space you take up sends a message.
It tells people how you see yourself—and that influences how they see you, too.

3. Voice & Tone: Speaking with Authority

Here’s a simple exercise:
Practice saying this statement out loud two different ways:

• Uncertain tone: "We should move forward with this strategy?" (voice rises at the end)

• Confident tone: "We should move forward with this strategy." (voice stays steady)

Notice the difference.
The first version sounds like you're asking for permission.
The second version sounds like you own it.

I invite you to practice this with a few of your own statements.
Feel how your energy shifts when you speak with calm certainty—and how that energy naturally boosts your presence.

Locking It In

Now that we know what to do, let’s make sure it sticks—so you’re not just confident sometimes, but can call on it anytime you need it.

This is where rehearsal comes in.

Future You Visualization 

Take a moment and imagine:

• Picture the version of you who’s already nailed it.
• See yourself walking into the room like you belong.
• See yourself delivering effortlessly.
• Hear yourself speaking with clarity and confidence.
• Feel what it’s like to already be that version of you.

Because here’s the thing:
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between a real and vividly imagined experience—so when you mentally rehearse success, you’re training your nervous system to embody that state before you even step into the room.

The Authenticity Factor

Now, I know you might be thinking…
But I don’t want to fake it. I don’t want to pretend to be someone I’m not.

And I completely agree.

Leadership presence isn’t about pretending—it’s about calibrating into the most confident version of yourself.

•  If you’re naturally warm, you can be warm and confident.
•  If you’re introverted, you can be introverted and grounded.
•  If you’re bold and direct, own that.

Your power comes from owning who you are—while showing up with conviction.

Instead of asking, "How can I be more like someone else?" ask, "How can I be even more confident as myself?"

Try It Today

So I invite you to try just ONE of these things today.

Sending you love.