When Bill Clinton was a young politician, he used big, wide gestures to punctuate his words, which made him look untrustworthy. His advisors had him imagine a box in front of his belly and chest and keep his hand movements within it. Borrow the "Clinton box" to stay dynamic without letting your hands become a distraction.
Stand Big, Balanced and Still. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, your weight balanced, and resist the urge to sway. Look at the journalist at all times and ignore the camera entirely.
Ditch the lectern. Move around, use the space, and let nothing stand between you and your audience.
Use your hands with intention. They're powerful tools for underscoring a point or signalling structure (1, 2, 3…). Keep your posture open and avoid folding your arms.
Make eye contact with individuals in the room. Or fake it, by looking just above their heads. It reads the same from the audience.
For a masterclass in all of this, watch Steve Jobs introduce the first iPhone (LINK). Notice how he owns the space, controls his pace, and makes a huge arena feel intimate.
BBC: Bum in Back of Chair. Sit up straight, look into the camera rather than at the screen, and don't fidget or swivel. Frame yourself so people can see more than just your face, and pay attention to your background, lighting and the height of your (laptop) camera. A clear image goes a long way toward keeping people engaged and nobody wants to look up your nose.
Lean in. It's the single fastest way to signal that you're interested and engaged, whether you're sitting at a table, standing on a stage, or joining on a screen.
Keep your posture open. Each time you cross your arms, you risk coming across as defensive or closed off, even when that's the last thing you mean.
Turn your body toward the person you're talking to. We instinctively angle our three T's — toes, torso, and top — toward whatever has our attention. It's called fronting, and it's one of the most powerful ways to make someone feel heard, welcomed, and respected.
Make eye contact with purpose. Every time you hold someone's gaze, you both release oxytocin, a hormone directly linked to trust and connection. That makes eye contact one of your most powerful tools in any room. Use it to read emotion, to signal attention, and to build rapport. Just don't overdo it: holding a stare too long stops feeling warm and starts feeling unsettling.
