Presence is intangible, yet we feel it.

People who are confident tend to have more presence.  People who are happy have more,  as do people who have a deep sense of purpose.

People with good posture have more presence. People who move with abundant energy have it, especially if it’s calm, assertive energy, (I’m quoting Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer.)

People have more presence when they expand rather than contract.  I think many presenters contract when in front of an audience, out of fear.  People who are able to expand, through experience, preparation, or their own innate qualities, are more engaging and persuasive.

Expansion and contraction are not necessarily physical acts.  They are psycho-physical.  They come from the inside and move outward.  If your inner state is buoyant, you’re likely to be more physically expansive, and project more presence.

Stillness can also create a sense of presence.  It can signal control and power.  However, if you are still and contracted, then you signal anxiety and uncertainty.

Finally, people who are endlessly curious also have presence, especially when they’re endlessly curious about a topic that other people are also interested in.

Ultimately, you have presence by being interested in others.  People like people who like them.  If you become a “presence” in their lives, then you have “presence.”

That’s the best kind.

Sims Wyeth is a private speech coach in Montclair, NJ specializing in executive speech coaching and public speaking training in order to give accomplished people the knowledge and skill they need to become accomplished speakers. Learn more public speaking tips at www.SimsWyeth.com.