Few things make us as uncomfortable as silence. Someone asks a question and there’s a pause. A meeting falls quiet. A client doesn’t immediately respond to your proposal. An interviewer finishes speaking and waits. Within seconds, many of us feel an overwhelming urge to do something. We speak again. We clarify. We apologise. We add another point. We rescue the conversation. Despite our best efforts, it’s often at that moment that we weaken our message. Silence isn’t an empty

When I ask clients what they admire in great communicators, one word comes up again and again. Charisma. People picture the inspiring CEO, the captivating keynote speaker or the politician who can hold an audience in the palm of their hand. It’s understandable. Charisma is attractive. It turns heads. But here’s an interesting reflection. Many of the most influential people I’ve met aren’t particularly charismatic. They’re simply present. And there is an important difference.

Most people think a meeting begins with the first agenda item. It doesn’t. It begins the moment you enter the room. Or, if it’s online, the moment your camera switches on. Long before you’ve shared your ideas, your colleagues have started to form an impression. Not because they’re consciously judging you, but because that’s how the human brain works. We are constantly making rapid assessments based on countless subtle signals. The good news? Most of those signals are within y

Not so long ago, I asked a client to composed an email during one of our coaching sessions. They hesitated. ‘I’d normally put this into ChatGPT first,’ they admitted. I asked why. ‘So I know it sounds right.’ It struck me this wasn’t really about writing. It was more about confidence. Over the past few years, artificial intelligence has become remarkably good at helping us communicate. It can draft emails, refine presentations, rewrite reports and even suggest how to handle d

Every decent actor knows a scene doesn't start when you speak. It starts the moment you cross the threshold. The audience has already formed an impression of your character before a single line is delivered - from how you enter, how you carry your weight, where your eyes go first. Meetings work in much the same way. By the time you've pulled out a chair and said ‘sorry I'm late,’ people have already started deciding how much space you occupy in that room. Most of us walk in o

‘I’m absolutely fine one-to-one.’ It’s a phrase I hear surprisingly often in coaching. The person is articulate, thoughtful and engaging in conversation. Put them in front of one colleague, and they’re relaxed. Put them in a room with eight people, a senior stakeholder and a vague agenda, and suddenly they’re struggling to contribute. If this sounds familiar, the good news is that you’re not unusual. And you’re probably not bad at meetings. The meeting is a different environm

People often assume actors are naturally confident. I can confirm this is not always the case. Over the years I’ve worked with talented performers who still experience nerves before walking on stage, stepping in front of a camera, or speaking to an audience. The difference isn’t that actors never feel nervous. It’s that they learn to use their nerves to enhance their concentration, and not to wait for confidence before acting. Confidence usually comes second One of the bigge

(film still by Ella Frost) Executive presence is one of those phrases everyone seems to use and few people can define. Ask ten leaders what it means and you’ll probably get ten different answers. Confidence. Gravitas. Authority. Charisma. After decades working as both an actor and a communication coach, I think it’s essence is something much simpler: Executive presence isn’t about looking impressive. It's about being present, composed, and making other people feel confident i

I recently read an interesting blog post defending the word like. The author’s argument was persuasive. Linguists have long pointed out that words such as like aren’t simply signs of lazy speech. They can soften statements, signal approximation, introduce quotations and even give us a moment to think. In many conversations, they perform a useful role. I found myself agreeing with much of it. But it also reminded me of an important distinction that often gets overlooked. As a

If you’ve ever left a meeting knowing you had the best idea in the room - and watched someone else get the credit for a version of it - this one is for you. It’s a specific kind of frustration. Quiet, and slightly undermining. If it happens once, you can dismiss it. If it happens repeatedly, you start to wonder whether the problem is you. It isn’t, by the way - but something is worth looking at. Intelligence doesn’t automatically translate This is the thing nobody really tell

There’s a particular kind of person who often gets overlooked in conversations about communication. They’re thoughtful. Analytical. Capable. Usually very good at what they do. But when the subject of presenting, influencing or executive presence comes up, they quietly assume others have the advantage. The ‘charismatic’ people. The ‘alphas’. The 'big personalities'. The people who seem able to magically walk into a room and immediately command attention. And because they don’t

‘I just need to feel more confident.’ It’s one of the most common things I hear people say when they want to improve how they communicate. Before a big presentation. Before giving difficult feedback. Before speaking up in a meeting. And it makes sense. Confidence matters. Of course it does. But there’s a problem. Most people assume confidence is the starting point—when in reality, it’s usually the result. Why chasing confidence directly doesn’t work Confidence is inconsistent

Many people don’t lack confidence. They just don’t sound like they have it. Internally, they know what they’re talking about.: their ideas are strong.; their thinking is clear. But when they speak, something changes: they hesitate.; they soften their language.; they lose clarity. And the result is that they come across as less confident than they actually are. The 'confidence gap' I describe this gap as the gap between: how confident you feel internally how confi

Learn how acting techniques can help you build confidence at work, improve communication, and stay composed in meetings and presentations. Confidence at work is often misunderstood. People think it’s something you either have or don’t. In fact, confidence is built through behaviour—and this is exactly what acting training focuses on. Actors don’t wait to feel confident. They use specific techniques to communicate clearly and stay composed under pressure. The same approach can

Understanding the essence of executive presence in today’s professional landscape. 'Executive presence' is a term frequently heard in business circles, often cited as a crucial ingredient for leadership success. When I ask someone to describe it, however, they often struggle. So what does it actually mean, and how does one cultivate it? In essence, executive presence is the blend of qualities that enable individuals to inspire confidence, command respect, and lead effectively