Can Stage Presence be Learned?

What is stage presence? Can it be learned?

There are, undoubtedly, some 'naturals' in this field. The fine Welsh actor Richard Burton, for example, on his debut performance at 16, playing an extra scrubbing steps, was said to distract the audience from the Shakespearean play! Many actors commented on Burton's extraordinary stage presence, in particular his stillness ? the audience were drawn to him even when he was apparently doing nothing.

And herein lies a lesson. We never do 'nothing'. Every moment of our lives is filled with interactions. Even lying asleep in bed, you adopt a position which reveals something about your inner state. Every moment, we transmit information about our motivations, concerns and anxieties.

So how do naturals like Richard Burton achieve such presence? How can we be drawn to a man saying nothing, not even moving? There are many ways of not moving. You may be exhaustedly still, not moving because your energy is gone. Or, at the other extreme, you may be poised, ready to spring. We can sense these differences because they matter. They matter for our survival. If you can't tell when a predator is ready to pounce (and humans are the number one predator), then you're likely to be food quite soon.

There are other forms of stillness. Meditative stillness, for example, is characterised by a calm mind, reflected in a relaxed body. Regular meditators can achieve remarkable presence, simply by virtue of the exceptional stillness which they achieve. We can't help but be drawn to such people ? their demeanour is both unusual and calming.

So back to our question : can we learn stage presence? The answer, quite simply, is 'yes'. Actors do it every day. So do businesspeople ? indeed, anybody who has to give presentations or talks as part of their regular routine. Some people acquire increased stage presence naturally, others work at it, and an unfortunate few have disastrous public appearances which undermine their confidence, leaving them with less presence than before.

It should be clear from what I have written that stage presence resides in the unconscious mind. It is intimately bound up with status, with the signals which we transmit and with the integration of mind and body. When we gain experience on stage, or in business presentations, we are slowly reprogramming our inner minds, gradually developing different status signals. It is these altered signs of our mental state which the audience picks up on, and which we interpret as 'stage presence'.

So there are two ways in which you can enhance your stage presence. The first is with practice ? lots of practice, preferably with time for constructive reflection afterwards. The second way is to access your unconscious mind and begin to change some of your status signals from the inside. This process is achieved through hypnosis, and it can have remarkable effects.

For further information concerning stage presence, please visit the Confidence Club website.

Jim Sullivan is a hypnotherapist specialising in confidence development. He may be contacted via the Confidence Club website : http://www.confidenceclub.net

Further information regarding stage presence may be obtained from: http://www.confidenceclub.net/content /stagepresence.php

---

Qualities of Good Communication

Webster's Dictionary defines communication as "a giving or exchanging of... Read More

Improve Your Bottom Line with What You Say

When was the last time you thought about what you... Read More

Clear Communication: The Benefits and How to Achieve Them

Communication is a complex and often difficult process for both... Read More

Beetle Bailey and Presentation Skills

In March 2002, the comic strip Beetle Bailey contained a... Read More

Eight Success Tips for Your First Trade Show Booth

Exhibiting in a trade show can involve a major investment... Read More

Polishing Your Sales Presentation

Summer is here! It's time to bring out your summer... Read More

Your Unique Point of View

I had a chance to go to one of those... Read More

The Ten Essential Tips On Writing A Powerful And Persuasive Presentation

Have you ever had to give a speech?Do you remember... Read More

Ten Fun Ways to Liven up Any Presentation

Most of us would agree that having humor in our... Read More

Super Preparation ? Keys to Getting a Great Start to Every Presentation

Super Preparation ?Keys to Getting a Great Start to Every... Read More

Story Telling As a Business Tool

Long long ago, it was the time when time itself... Read More

Don?t Give Presentations Or Speeches - Give Leadership Talks Instead

The CEO of a worldwide business asked me to help... Read More

How to Convert PowerPoint to Flash Manually

Converting PowerPoint to Flash would be absolutely a good choice... Read More

Story Telling As A Tool For Trainers

Once upon a time????."Yeah right, don't tell us a story,... Read More

Shamus Browns Top 5 Sales Presentation Tips

When its time to give your next sales presentation, here... Read More

The Relationship between Information Sender and Receiver: The Art of Communication

For communication to take place, a message must be transmitted... Read More

Business Presentations - Use Power Pitching - Get the Personal Edge

Whenever and whatever you're pitching, dozens of factors will figure... Read More

Tips for Thinking on Your Feet

If you really aware and alert, your audience's behavior -... Read More

Why You Need a Lesson Plan

LESSON PLAN DEVELOPMENT: Lesson plans, believe it or not, are... Read More

Tips to Temper Speaking Anxiety

People take it for granted that leaders have achieved some... Read More

Can Stage Presence be Learned?

What is stage presence? Can it be learned?There are, undoubtedly,... Read More

How to Attract New Business Like George W. Bush Wins Elections

THE LITTLE-KNOWN SPEECHWRITING SECRETS THAT WON GEORGE W. BUSH THE... Read More

How You Can Save On Conference Calling

In recent years, companies have recognized the need to expand... Read More

Plasma Screen Hire ? What Do You Need to Know for Presentations

How many people will need to see the screen? A... Read More

Death by PowerPoint!

The most critical job of a manager, when you boil... Read More

Present Statistics In Context

"I didn't have 3000 pairs of shoes. I had only... Read More

Cell Phone Dos And Dont During A Meeting

What would we do without our cell phones? Wow, there's... Read More

Let Me Tell You a Little Story

Once upon a time there was a businessperson who had... Read More

Using Your Audience to Your Advantage

Regardless of what response technique may be convenient in a... Read More

Grand Opening: The Key To Great Presentations

Whether you are speaking in front of a civic group... Read More

Give Your Audience Something to Talk About

There is an old saying: "The first thing to do... Read More

Media Training 101: Mastering the Television Interview

As I travel around the world I always enjoy sampling... Read More

Presentation Skill Mistakes

Last week my husband and I attended an awesome 4... Read More