When you stand up and present, people look at you, but that’s not the same as having their attention.
In this post, Dean explores what you can do from the very first moment of your presentation to capture that attention — and what you can do throughout your presentation to sustain and build it.
To learn more about commanding presence, check out our presentation coaching page here.
If you want to get your audience’s attention, try saying nothing at all.
It sounds counterintuitive. But it works.
We talk a lot about the power of the pause in leadership presence coaching and executive presentation coaching. The idea is simple: those who own the silence own the room.
Most people use pauses inside their presentation.
I’m suggesting you take it one step further.
Start with silence.
Before you say anything, take a moment.
Look at one person. Then another. Then another.
Let the room settle.
And then — begin.
That silence becomes your first message.
In business speaking, keynote speaking, and shareholder meeting presentation coaching, this is one of the fastest ways to establish presence. You’re not rushing. You’re not reacting. You’re leading.
You’ve taken ownership of the room before a single word is spoken.
Here’s where most people get it wrong.
They think silence is just… nothing.
But silence is not empty. It’s filled with energy.
And the way you feel in that moment shapes how your audience experiences it.
If you feel nervous, the silence looks awkward.
If you feel disconnected, the silence looks uncertain.
But if you feel grounded, intentional, and present, the silence becomes powerful.
In Leadership Presentation Coaching and Presence Coaching, we focus on this internal state because it directly impacts your external presence.
Before you step into that opening pause, decide how you want to feel.
Your emotional energy colors the moment:
My most common approach is a blend: I enjoy being there, and I recognize that it matters.
That combination creates a tone that is both welcoming and purposeful.
In AEC presentation skills, sales pitch coaching, and executive presence coaching, this emotional clarity helps you set the tone immediately.
If starting in silence feels like a big leap, begin with smaller steps.
Practice inserting pauses inside your presentation:
This builds comfort with silence.
It strengthens your confident presence and improves your screen presence coaching outcomes in both live and virtual presentation skills coaching environments.
Once you’re comfortable pausing during your presentation, move it to the front.
Open in silence.
Feel something intentional in that moment.
Let your audience experience your presence before your message.
Because in leadership presence coaching and leadership confidence training, we know this:
The way you begin shapes everything that follows.
So if you want their attention —
Try saying nothing at all.
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