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Build Presence

Presence includes verbal and non-verbal patterns, appearance, posture, voice quality, and movements. This is what others process to evaluate their impression of you.

Try these activities in order to build your presence:

• Find your most natural way of telling who you are by the way you stand, walk, talk, dress, and interact. Express your own "voice." Think about meeting you for the first time, what would that be like? How would you like it to be?
• Leave a long message on your voice-mail system and play it back a few days later. This will let you know how you sound to strangers. Note any changes.
• Record a lengthy conversation with friends (audio or video). Study yourself and others noting any behaviors or habits that show empathy or authenticity.
• Ask one or more close friends to share with you the impressions they got when meeting you for the first time. This might help learn aspects to improve.

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