Episode 379: Why Your Posture In Important When Presenting
The Cutting Edge Japan Business Podcast
Why does posture matter for presenters on stage and on camera?
Answer: Posture shapes both breathing and perception. A straighter posture aids airflow and spinal alignment, while signalling confidence and credibility. Because audiences often equate height and upright stance with leadership, slouching erodes trust before you say a word.
Mini-summary: Straight posture helps you breathe better and look more credible.
What posture choices project confidence in the room?
Answer: Stand tall with your chin up so your gaze is level. Use intentional forward lean and chin drop only when making a strong assertion—do not default to a habitual lean that reads as weakness. Treat posture as a conscious tool that directs energy toward the audience.
Mini-summary: Neutral tall stance for credibility; deliberate lean for emphasis.
How does age-related posture drift affect credibility?
Answer: As we age, hip flexion and a bent back can make us appear physically weaker. Audiences read that as diminished authority. Counteract the effect by elongating through the spine and avoiding any default stoop.
Mini-summary: Counter “older = weaker” perceptions with upright alignment.
What common online posture and camera mistakes destroy authority?
Answer: Two frequent errors: (1) excellent posture but a low camera that looks up at you, which reads as distant or aloof; (2) correct camera height but rounded shoulders leaning into the lens, which reads as uncertain. In both cases, the message suffers because the image signals the opposite of expertise.
Mini-summary: Bad camera angle or rounded posture undermines expertise online.
How should you set up for online authority?
Answer: Raise the lens to eye level; stand to present if possible to unlock full body language. If seated, sit tall a few centimetres off the chair back, remain vertical, and keep your gaze in the lens. Never slump into the back support, which looks casual and disengaged.
Mini-summary: Eye-level lens + upright body = authority on screen.
Why do filler sounds and posture interact so badly?
Answer: Hesitation (“um” and “ah”) plus a rounded, forward-leaning posture compound into a single signal of uncertainty. Clean alignment and calm pacing reduce verbal fillers and raise perceived expertise.
Mini-summary: Upright posture helps your voice sound more confident.
What is the low-cost posture checklist before you present?
Answer: Straighten through the spine, level the chin, square the shoulders, lift the camera to eye line, and commit to looking into the lens. If you can, stand to present; if not, sit tall, avoid the chair back, and hold posture for the full session.
Mini-summary: Five fixes—spine, chin, shoulders, camera, commitment.
Author Bio
Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie “One Carnegie Award” (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, he is certified globally across leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, and has authored multiple best-sellers including Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery, alongside Japanese editions such as Za Eigyō (ザ営業) and Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人). He publishes daily blogs, hosts six weekly podcasts, and produces three weekly YouTube shows including The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show.