What Your Posture Says About Your Presence as a Communicator
Posture refers to how you hold yourself, including your back, shoulders, and head position. For communicators, it has a powerful impact on how clients, executives, reporters, and stakeholders perceive credibility, confidence, and leadership presence. Just as good posture sends nonverbal signals of energy and authority, poor posture can make you look bored, tired, or unmotivated, even when your message is strong.
The heart, brain, and nervous system are so closely connected that people can often sense whether someone is happy or discouraged simply by observing posture. Landing a new job or promotion may have you walking taller, shoulders back and chest lifted with pride. A setback or disappointment, on the other hand, can automatically trigger rounded shoulders and a collapsed chest, the familiar look of someone who’s been emotionally winded.
People also tend to judge you as more confident and credible when you use height and space effectively. Standing often conveys authority and assurance to those who are seated. Moving with intention and taking up appropriate space reinforces that impression. When seated, planting both feet on the floor, opening your arms slightly, or comfortably claiming space at a table can subtly signal confidence and ease. In high stakes meetings, media briefings, client presentations, and boardrooms, these physical cues often reinforce or undermine the message you’re trying to deliver.
By contrast, standing with your feet close together can make you appear hesitant or unsure. Crossing your feet can lead to swaying or leaning, which may distract others and unintentionally convey discomfort or insecurity. Widening your stance, relaxing your knees, and centering your weight creates a grounded, steady presence that reads as confident and composed.
For virtual meetings, the most effective way to project confidence is surprisingly simple. Sit facing the screen with shoulders squared, head upright, and feet flat on the floor. Viewers often make judgments about leadership presence, credibility, and command of the room based more on posture than on title or role, especially in a digital setting where visual cues carry extra weight and distractions are constant.
Good posture doesn’t just shape how others see you. It also influences how you feel about yourself. The way you hold your body sends constant feedback to your brain, shaping mood, confidence, and mindset.
Research backs this up. A study from Ohio State University found that people who sat up straight were more likely to believe positive statements they wrote about their qualifications, while those who slouched were less likely to view their own statements as credible. Researchers at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management found that expansive posture activated a sense of power that influenced behavior regardless of rank or role, consistently showing that posture could matter more than hierarchy in shaping how people think and act. Studies from Harvard and Columbia business schools also found that expansive poses increased feelings of power and raised tolerance for risk.
In everyday terms, poor posture often signals boredom, disengagement, or low energy. Standing or sitting tall, with shoulders back and head held high, makes you look and feel more self assured.
For communicators whose influence depends on trust, clarity, and presence, small physical adjustments can make a measurable difference in how messages land and how leadership shows up. Your mother may have been right when she told you to stand up straight. If you grew up with that reminder, served in the military, or took ballet lessons, you may already have this habit baked in. If not, try this quick reset now. Lift your shoulders toward your ears, roll them back, drop them down, and gently lift your head. Hold that position. It’s a simple shift that instantly strengthens your professional presence.
