How to improve your impact when giving a business presentation?

If you aren’t getting the influence, results or progression you want in your career perhaps you may need to pay more attention to your “impact” and confidence within the business. Do think you have personal impact when you are presenting or speaking in business meetings? The truth is you probably don’t know unless you’ve had specific feedback on it. So here are some thoughts on personal impact and how it relates to our unofficial,  rarely spoken about “status”.

Having personal impact is about creating a strong positive impression on others so they pay attention and listen to you when you speak. Human nature drives us to follow (and trust) high impact or “high status” individuals, so if you want to influence and persuade – avoiding unconscious low status behaviours is a good idea.

Here are top 7 tips to help you increase your status when giving a business presentation at work or speaking in a corporate meeting.

1. High status is shown from those who are genuinely calm and confident. Showing  anxious energy will lower your status.
2. It is often said that confidence (high status) isn’t a thing in itself, it’s simply the absence of insecurity so there is another good reason to “Tame Your Public Speaking Monkeys” and not just hide them!
3. Physical quirks and fidgeting show anxiety and discomfort, and emphasise low status. If you want to demonstrate high status be still and slow with any movements.   
4. Size does matter. High status people allow their body and their energy to expand into the space, whereas low status individuals curl up.
5. Don’t try too hard. You never see high status players trying hard to get things. They may exert effort, but it never seems that way on the outside. Stay cool!
6. Do you give up some status to placate someone else? Changing your behaviour on account of someone else is sometimes appropriate but beware it communicates low status.
7. No, it’s not just a laugh! If you are the butt of all jokes, even if it is funny – you will unconsciously be conveying your low status. Avoid it.
8. Did you know that you are always unconsciously conveying your “status” and most status-communicating behaviours are hard to fake. That’s why I believe it is so important to solve any confidence issues at their roots, rather than brush them under the carpet with a few breathing techniques!  

If you want to learn more about how to “Tame Your Public Speaking Monkeys” and not just hide them get in touch today.