Communication and Presentation Skills: How to Command the Room

You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room to be heard. You just need to be the most intentional.

Strong communication is one of the most underrated leadership skills. Whether you’re presenting to executives, running a team meeting, or pitching an idea, how you show up matters.

Your presence, tone, gestures, and pacing all play a part in whether people listen, trust you, and take action.

Here are five core skills that will help you communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact.

1. Make Eye Contact That Builds Trust

People decide in seconds whether they believe you and eye contact is one of the fastest ways to build or lose trust. If you avoid it, you may come across as uncertain. If you overdo it, you might seem aggressive.

The key is to treat every interaction as a conversation, even when you’re speaking to a group. Make eye contact with one person at a time, hold it for a few seconds, then move on. This helps you create connection without forcing it.

Try this:

• Make steady eye contact with one person for 3–5 seconds before shifting.

• Avoid darting your eyes across the room or looking above people’s heads.

• Practice during 1-on-1 conversations to build the habit.

2. Use Hand Gestures to Support Your Message

Your hands are one of the most effective visual tools you have. When used with purpose, they can reinforce your message and help you appear more confident and engaged. When used poorly, or not at all, they can distract or even contradict what you're saying.

The goal is to match your gestures with your words. Think of your hands as an extension of your voice.

Try this:

• Use gestures to signal transitions, contrast ideas, or emphasize key points.

• Keep your hands visible and natural. Avoid putting them in your pockets or behind your back.

• Eliminate distracting habits like tapping or fidgeting.

3. Move With Purpose

Movement is powerful when done with intention. Many presenters either freeze in place or pace aimlessly. Neither helps your message land.

Purposeful movement draws attention and helps you reset the room. You might take a step forward to emphasize something, or shift your position when changing topics. These small actions create presence and give your words more weight.

Try this:

• Anchor yourself when making important points.

• Move only when it aligns with the flow of your content.

• Avoid swaying, rocking, or shifting back and forth.

4. Use Inflections in Your Voice to Keep Attention

Even the best message falls flat if it’s delivered in a monotone. Your tone, speed, and volume are tools to guide the audience through your message.

Raising your voice slightly shows energy. Slowing down can show seriousness. A pause lets something land. Great communicators use their voice like an instrument.

Try this:

• Vary your pace and tone to highlight key ideas.

• Practice using pauses for effect instead of filler words.

• Record yourself to hear how you sound to others.

5. Eliminate Filler Words

Words like “um,” “like,” and “you know” are natural, but too many make you sound uncertain. They interrupt the rhythm of your message and signal that you are unsure or unprepared.

The fix is simpler than most people think: stop filling the silence. A pause is powerful. It gives you space to think and your audience space to process.

Try this:

• Slow down and pause instead of rushing to fill silence.

• Become aware of your most common filler words.

• Practice replacing those fillers with a moment of quiet.

The Bottom Line

Presence is a skill, not a personality trait. You don’t need to be extroverted to command a room. You just need to be aware of how you show up and speak with intention.

The best leaders communicate with clarity, confidence, and calmness. They are able to make people feel seen, understood, and inspired.

And they do it by practicing these foundational habits over time.