by Kathy O'Brien | Feb 27, 2026 | Executive Body Language, Executive Presence
People often ask how they can use deliberate body language while seated. They want to contribute to meetings with presence and conviction yet feel limited by the seated position and struggle to ‘own the space’ when trapped in a chair, behind a boardroom table,...
by Kathy O'Brien | Jul 17, 2023 | Executive Body Language, Executive Communication
If you struggle to use eye contact effectively, you’re in good company. Some people feel direct eye contact is aggressive. You may have cultural associations that suggest one is not allowed to meet the eyes of a different gender or a more senior leader. Maybe you...
by Kathy O'Brien | Oct 13, 2019 | C Suite, Executive Body Language, Executive Communication, Executive Presence, Presentation Skills
We all know body language is a powerful tool for communicating. When you stand and present, you have many elements at your disposal – your posture, movement, gestures. But what about when you’re seated? People often ask how they can use deliberate body language while...
by Kathy O'Brien | Dec 31, 2018 | Executive Body Language, Executive Communication, Executive Presence
Consider the following scenario: you have recently joined a company and are giving a presentation to your boss and colleagues. Your boss yawns several times and keeps looking at his phone as you speak. Although you’re relatively new, based on prior behaviour you had...
by Kathy O'Brien | Dec 4, 2018 | Executive Body Language, Executive Presence
So your presentation is all set. You’re about to walk in the door. How do you make that ideal first impression? Whenever you make a new acquaintance, that person forms decisions about you. This is natural human behaviour: we take in the visual picture, the way...
by Kathy O'Brien | Apr 9, 2018 | Executive Body Language, Executive Communication, Executive Presence, Listening
We’ve all known that feeling when a new meeting goes smoothly, and you can comfortably say ‘We really connected’. But it doesn’t happen all the time. When the stakes are high and you want to build that easy rapport with another, what can you do?...