Standing vs. Sitting: How to stand in the spotlight with more ease

Today, I want to talk to those of you who might not be able to sit at a desk all day. Whether it’s because you're back to in-person work, or you have more of an on your feet job. Throughout this time, I know a lot of my tips have been focused on how to feel comfortable in your chair. I, myself personally, am transitioning to a standing desk. For those of us who spend many hours a day in virtual meetings, it is really important to have some energy and movement within our bodies.

The most important factor to transitioning to a standing position is, of course, the camera angle. Take a screenshot of yourself to see how you show up on a video call. Make sure you're matching the same kind of angle that you've mastered when you're sitting down. I'm always going to be looking for a three-quarter portrait, for the eyes to be level with your camera, so you're looking right at the camera or slightly up into the camera. I recommend using a few books or a box to elevate your computer camera.

One of my favorite clients of all time is a ranch manager in Colorado. He always says, “Leah, I know for all your business folks, they can sit, but what about me when I'm on my feet all day?” I always say to anyone who's standing, you can, in fact, lean back while standing. With your feet in parallel, railroad your feet, step one foot in front of the other a little bit, and you can then put your weight on your back foot. This method is a great way to be welcoming to what's happening in front of you, but still creating your own space, so you know where you end and where your audience begins.

The other thing you want to be careful of is too much extraneous movement. When we are moving a lot, we lose our ability to feel focused within ourselves, to think on our feet with a good amount of strength and clarity. We are also creating difficulty for our audience in terms of listening to us and receiving what we are saying. This is because so much of our communication is nonverbal. 93% of our communication comes down to everything but the words. If there's a lot of extraneous movement, it can create difficulty with people focusing on you. I recommend you think about planting your feet firmly on the ground, and this is really only for those big communication moments like your virtual presentations.

Try rooting your feet into the ground, and keep them there while you're speaking. Think of your feet as tree trunks. Not only will this create more presence for your audience as they're watching you, but the really cool trick is by cultivating stillness within yourself, you're actually signaling confidence to your own body. The hormones that are manifested are then signaling to your body that you know what you want to say, instead of feeling like you have to think your way there. By cultivating stillness, your thoughts are actually coming to you in a more effortless way.

I’d love to hear how this all sounds in terms of transitioning from sitting to standing. Please share your thoughts and what you need when you're standing, in order to feel sturdy, stable, and safe.

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