I rowed this past fall at the Head of the Charles, the world’s largest three-day racing event. It’s a sport I got hooked on during college, rowing on the Connecticut River.
There were 8 of us rowers, two former teammates and six other alumnae from various years who I met for the first time that morning. We may have been strangers at the start, but we share a crazy passion, one that got us out of bed on icy mornings while our classmates slept in all those years ago.
It was a balmy fall morning — clear skies, flat water, and a rush of adrenaline after launching the boat. As we headed up the Charles River, we reveled in the long paddle to the starting line, shouting encouragement to each other, testing our stroke rate.
Rowing requires precision and when it clicks — when all eight oars dip into the water in perfect sync — it feels like one fluid movement. We call it “swing”, when the boat glides forward with each stroke. You can feel it — your power, your rhythm, the boat surging ahead with a life of its own.
Public speaking works the same way. It’s not just about the words…your physical presence makes a difference. Posture, body awareness, and balance are keys to shaping the experience and propelling the audience forward along with you.
Here are three ways to enhance your physical presence the next time you present:
#1. Be Aware of Your Stance
Your body speaks as powerfully as your words.
Keep an open stance — no crossed arms or hands in pockets. These are closed-off postures; they signal to the audience that you’re disengaged or defensive. Stand comfortably, feet shoulder-width apart. And do your best not to move around or sway! It’s distracting. Plant your feet and ground yourself. You’ll signal ease and confidence.
My client Leo had a habit of always keeping his hands in his pockets when he presented. So we practiced having him pay more attention to his stance and hand position. By making this simple change, he immediately appeared both confident and approachable, and he felt more in control and relaxed overall.
#2. Use Gestures to Emphasize Your Message
Now that you’re more aware of your hands, and they’re of out of your pockets, what do you do with them? Gesture! Your hands are powerful tools for reinforcing your ideas.
Use them to highlight points, emphasize key concepts, or create visual images for your audience. Just as a rower’s oar pulls through the water — every gesture should move your message forward. Once you start thinking about how your gestures support your message, just as you do in everyday conversation, you may find yourself using them more during presentations.
#3. Stay in Synch With the Audience
Your words, gestures, and eye contact should flow together. But if you are constantly focused on your slides (or, even worse, reading them to the audience), you miss the opportunity to create your own “presentation swing.”
Try to make strong eye contact, especially after a key point. Pause to engage with the audience so they can absorb your message and feel a deeper connection with you.
In rowing, timing each stroke correctly keeps the boat moving forward — your eye contact and speaking rhythm should work the same way.
One More Thing: Give it Time
Few of my rowing buddies had spent very much time in a boat these past few decades (myself included). It took time for us to reawaken our muscle memory and get back in rhythm.
Don’t expect to figure this all out immediately. Like rowing, mastering physical presence takes time and it can help to experiment with one technique at a time as you evolve.
Just remember that when you integrate presence, gestures, and eye contact, your delivery becomes more powerful and authentic. You and your audience will move together in harmony, enhancing both your connection and the effectiveness of your message.
You might even call it speaking with “swing” — a blend of physical presence and spoken word that carries your message with energy and impact.
