Do you have “presence”?

I first became interested in "presence" when I was 18. I had just moved to the inner-city Melbourne suburb Brunswick and found myself living on the second story of a shopfront that shook as the tram screeched past. I had a thin-glassed window that overlooked a pub, and felt like a portal into a new world. I'd walk to the local blues jam on Tuesdays and occasionally join the spoken word night on Wednesdays. I was fascinated by performers and how they connected or disconnected with audiences.?

The performers that had "presence" were not always the most accomplished musicians or poets. But they knew what to say or play when the moment came. Great performers seemed to connect with their own energy first before they expressed their craft and engaged with their audience.?

Since those early days watching blues artists and poets, and through my experience as an educator, coach, and researcher on effective teams, I have realised that anyone who wants to connect well with a group would benefit from developing a thorough understanding of "presence".

Voice and acting coach Patsy Rodenburg, defines "presence" as the "energy" we are born with but often lose. Presence lives in our body, breath, and voice. It thrives with "unconditional love and joy" and is beaten out of us by negativity, "shallow breathing," "underpowered voices," and "cynicism" (p. 12).

I recently came across an excellent example of "presence" through the performance of English multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier.

Collier is a virtuoso of musical theory and dozens of instruments, yet what he conveys to audiences is the idea that they, too, are musicians, and he wants to make music with them.?In the live version of his song, Little Blue, he arranged for fans to meet him at a church to record a song and form an impromptu choir (Little Blue, Jacob Collier). As you can see in the video, Collier makes his fans feel so connected to him and his music by acting with great confidence and humility. Collier has an incredible presence because he appears comfortable being himself and allowing others to benefit from what that self offers the world.

Many of us struggle to find our presence when we most need it. We speak too quietly or fly under the radar. Or we talk loudly to feign confidence and enthusiasm. But quiet, loud or over enthusiastic will not connect to us to anyone when we are at odds with our own being. We need to find our presence, our voice, and speak from that.

To explain how to regain your "presence", Rodenburg identifies three circles of energy.

First circle: Circle of self and withdrawal.

In first circle, a person is withdrawn and introverted. Their energy is contained like a shy child. The person speaks, but people find it hard to listen.

Second circle: The circle of connection

In second circle, a person feels comfortable in their own skin and alive. Energy moves between the speaker and the audience. There's synergy in the conversation.

Third circle: The circle of bluff and force

In the third circle, energy is broadcast over people, like a fire drill in an emergency. The person projects but does not connect.

Being conscious of the three circles of energy can empower you to making better choices around how you speak to and connect with people. If there is a fire, yes, it's the third circle all the way. But if it’s a meeting and the issues are sensitive, find your second circle with the group you are speaking with. Gentle, confident and engaged – ?the second circle is your voice.

For Rodenburg, finding presence enables success in many domains. She comments:?

?"No one wins a gold medal without fantastic talent…but a champion also has a supreme ability to stay focused in the present…During a crisis, the presence of the leader is essential. Those they are leading will only feel safe and confident if they connect to their leader…Great healers can only wholly heal if they are present with their patients" (p. 23)

Many of us have lost the capacity to be "present" and struggle to speak from second circle. You might be stuck "loudly" in the third circle because you feel you are in control (p. 45). But no one feels close to a megaphone. To come down from the third circle, you could?

• Stop bluffing and projecting false emotions
• Start expressing more genuine emotions
• Name and address your group's mood
• Engage in dialogues not pep talks or lectures

Others might be stuck in the first circle and not want to be noticed. You could come out of your hobbit hole by

• Feeling your breath
• Recognising you have something to share
• Sharing an important story that you care about
• Connecting with the emotions of people in the room

Sometimes, I am asked to help speakers prepare for high-stakes presentations. The challenge is to help them find their presence in second circle. I usually ask them to draw on a few stories that personally meaningful; to think about a calming and comfortable way to stand in the room. Try to sound like "you", on a good day, I say. That's what people want to listen to.

#presence #leadership #publicspeaking #connection

References?

Collier, J. (2023). Little Blue. Jacob Collier - Little Blue | @MahoganySessions

Rodenburg P. (2007).?Presence: How to use positive energy for success in every situation. Michael Joseph.