Latest news with #ExecutivePresence
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Your Body Is Your Message: How Somatic Presence Builds Credibility
Sue Reynolds-Frost, Managing Director, Sloan Group International. In the first article of this series, I introduced a new way of thinking about Executive Presence—less about performance, more about personal power rooted in authenticity, clarity and intention. This second article dives into one of the most foundational components of executive presence: somatic presence—your physicality, your vessel and how you show up in both in-person and virtual environments. At Sloan, we define somatic presence as the ability to project calm authority, confidence and clarity through body language, voice and nonverbal cues. It's what people notice before you say a word—and once you speak, it either reinforces or undermines your message. Are You Congruent With How You Want To Be Perceived? A core question we ask leaders is this: How do you want to be perceived? We encourage them to consider not just high-stakes meetings but everyday interactions—hallway conversations, performance reviews, video calls or networking moments. The follow-up question is: Are your behaviors aligned with that desired perception? When they're not, you risk incongruence—a mismatch between intent and impact—which quietly erodes your credibility. This isn't just theory. Dr. Albert Mehrabian's well-known research found that when there's a disconnect between what you're saying and how you're saying it, people don't focus on your words. Instead, they notice your body language and tone. Rather than being persuaded by your content, they're distracted by poor eye contact, fidgeting or a tentative tone. Mehrabian's research found that 93% of the emotional impact of communication comes from nonverbal cues: 55% body language, 38% tone of voice and just 7% from words. The key takeaway? If your nonverbal signals don't align with your message, people may doubt your credibility—even if your content is solid. Mastering your physical presence isn't about image—it's about trust and influence. Three Somatic Skills That Build Credibility If you're wondering where to begin, here are three high-impact somatic skills every leader should master: "You can't trust someone who doesn't look you in the eye." Why? Because eye contact builds connection. Here's how to make yours more effective: • Look directly in people's eyes—not their forehead or nose. • Balance eye contact across a group. Don't just scan—connect with one person at a time. • Use pauses as your cue to shift your gaze—natural transitions in your speech help you rotate attention. • In virtual settings, look into the camera when speaking. Avoid glancing at your own thumbnail or notes, and don't speak to a second screen if your camera isn't on it. No one wants to look at the side of your head! How you carry your body can signal strength—or uncertainty. If you're not sure what to do with your arms or hands, you're not alone (cue Ricky Bobby: 'I'm not sure what to do with my hands!'). Try this instead: • Be Grounded: When standing in front of people, feet should be hip-width apart as opposed to crossed or too wide. When you're not moving, avoid swaying. • Home Base Posture: When you're not naturally gesturing (a good thing!), relax your arms at your sides to avoid constant movement. Use the space with intention—avoid constant pacing. • Sit Up Straight: When seated, imagine a string gently pulling you upward from the top of your head to improve your posture. Don't swivel in your chair or excessively bounce your legs. • Clear The Deck: When sitting around a conference table, don't clutter your space with laptops, cups and papers—especially if you're leading the meeting. Remove the barriers to increase connection. • Be Camera-Ready: Ensure your upper torso is visible on video. Avoid sitting too close or letting the camera cut off your head. A tidy background reinforces calm and composure. 'It's not what you say; it's how you say it.' Your voice communicates confidence—or undermines it. To make an impact with your voice, consider the following: • Avoid Filler Words: Eliminate 'um,' 'you know' or 'like.' These dilute your message. Replace them with silence—you pause, and listeners track what you're saying. • Watch Hedging Language: Qualifying phrases like 'I might be wrong but…' or 'I'm not the expert…' weaken your credibility. Instead, try: 'Here's how I'm thinking about it—let me know your take.' • Avoid Upspeak: That rising inflection that makes every sentence sound like a question? It erodes confidence. Practice finishing thoughts with a period, pausing and continuing—your delivery will be stronger. Also, watch out for vocal fry, which is a low, creaky vibration that occurs when the vocal cords are relaxed and vibrate slowly—it sounds gravelly or raspy. The antidote? Practice diaphragmatic breathing and speak from a place of full breath—not the end of your breath. Building Awareness: Feedback And Practice Improving somatic presence doesn't require a personality overhaul. Small changes create real impact—but change requires awareness, course correction and repetition. Here's how to build the muscle: • Ask For Feedback: Before a presentation or meeting, ask a trusted peer for specific feedback. For example, you might say: 'I'm trying to eliminate the 'ums and ya knows' from my language. Let me know how I do after our meeting.' This allows the feedback to go beyond 'You did fine!' • Record Yourself: It may feel awkward, but watching a recording is one of the fastest ways to reveal gaps in your somatic presence. Use your smartphone or record yourself on a video call. The camera doesn't lie! • Practice When It Doesn't Count: Don't wait for a high-stakes meeting to start eliminating fillers or managing your posture—this will make you self-conscious and less effective. Commit to practicing in daily interactions—even at home. That's how new habits stick. Embodied Leadership Starts Here Somatic presence is foundational to cultivating authentic executive presence. How you use your body, voice and energy reflects your leadership. When your physical presence aligns with your intentions, you project confidence, earn trust and build followership. So ask yourself: What's one small shift I could make to show up more congruently with the leader I want to be? With awareness and consistent practice, you'll send the message that matters—without saying a word. Forbes Business Development Council is an invitation-only community for sales and biz dev executives. Do I qualify?
Forbes
24-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Beyond Metrics: How CEOs Can Measure Emotional Engagement On LinkedIn
Justin Nassiri is the CEO of Executive Presence, helping companies build trust & awareness through executive thought leadership on LinkedIn. As CEOs, we're often taught to optimize for what we can measure. But when it comes to LinkedIn, the most meaningful signals of impact often don't show up in the analytics. I was reminded of this recently when I shared a vulnerable post on my profile—one that I knew might resonate, but didn't expect to go viral. The metrics were solid, but what followed told a deeper story: texts from colleagues I hadn't heard from in years, emails from team members saying the post made them feel 'seen' and a client who brought it up on a call as the reason they reached out. None of those responses showed up as likes or comments. But each one represented something much stronger: real, high-intent engagement. Why Traditional Metrics Don't Tell The Full Story LinkedIn's native analytics are great for tracking reach and optimizing format: impressions, likes, comments and reshares. But I think they fail to capture three key signals: • They highlight visibility over depth. A post may be seen by thousands, but that doesn't mean it resonated. • They miss high-signal actions. A like is easy. A text or email is intentional. • They don't factor in trust. The content that builds the strongest relationships often performs modestly by the numbers. The most powerful outcomes—like new business, deeper relationships and inspired teams—often originate from what I call off-platform engagement. The Case For High-Intent Signals In working with hundreds of executives, I've noticed a pattern: the most important reactions to CEO content tend to happen offline. These aren't just 'silent' signals. They're strong signals. In many cases, they reflect a deeper level of trust, resonance or readiness to act. Here's what high-intent signals can look like: • A prospect sends a DM or text saying 'this really struck a chord'—and books a meeting. • A potential hire references your post in an interview without ever liking it. • A board member forwards your post privately, saying 'More of this, please.' • A team member shares your content in a Slack channel, sparking internal alignment. These aren't vanity metrics. They're buying signals. Culture signals. Trust signals. In marketing terms, a like is top-of-funnel. A message, email or offline reference? That's middle- or bottom-of-funnel behavior. It often indicates someone is emotionally invested—or ready to take action. How CEOs Can Identify And Track High-Intent Engagement So how do you measure what doesn't show up on the dashboard? Here are a few strategies I recommend: • Create a 'signal log.' Keep a running document of texts, DMs, emails and meeting mentions in response to your posts. Over time, you'll spot patterns in what content drives trust or action. • Ask your team to share what they're hearing. Reactions from clients, investors or job candidates often come through private channels. • Track conversions. If someone reached out after reading a post—even if they didn't engage publicly—tie that back to the content that moved them. • Look for delayed responses. Some of the best signals come weeks after a post. That's a sign the message stuck. The ROI Of Vulnerability It's tempting to optimize only for posts that perform well on paper. But in my experience, the ones that move people most deeply are often the ones that feel a little risky to hit 'post' on. When I shared my recent post, I wasn't chasing numbers. What I received instead were high-signal responses—people reaching out because they connected with the message. That connection led to renewed conversations, deeper trust, and even business opportunities. For CEOs, that's where the real ROI lies. The Takeaway Vanity metrics can tell you who saw your content. But the strongest signals often come from those who felt something—and reached out. So the next time you post, don't just ask, 'How many people engaged?' Ask instead: 'Who engaged with enough intention to take action?' Those are the signals that move relationships, and your business, forward. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
