28/10/2026
On Stillness and Command of Space in Executive Presence:
"In high-stakes situations, many speakers attempt to project confidence by adding more—more energy, more movement, more words. Yet presence often increases when you subtract.
Stillness is not rigidity. It is control. A grounded speaker does not sway or pace aimlessly. Instead, they establish a base position: feet planted shoulder-width apart, one slightly ahead of the other.
Shoulders are relaxed. Spine is upright. Hands are visible. From this position, movement becomes intentional rather than reflecting nervousness.
Strategic movement enhances presence. When you move to emphasize a new point, step toward the audience to underscore importance, or use the stage as a timeline to illustrate progression.
Stillness also appears in the pause before speaking. Confident leaders do not rush to fill silence. They take a breath. They make eye connection, not just eye contact. They begin deliberately.
In Toastmasters, the meeting environment offers a valuable laboratory for practicing this. Try delivering your opening sentence after a full, two-second pause. Notice how the room settles. Notice how your breathing steadies. Often, doing less communicates more authority than doing more."
From the Toastmasters International article by Diane Windingland, DTM.
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