Presence isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room — it’s about showing up with clarity, coherence, credibility, and in the right places. This is how your values become visible in the way that can make the most impact.

Presence is the intersection of how you show up, what you say, and how you say it. It’s the tone you set in meetings, the perspective you bring to conversations, the way you communicate online, and the consistency with which your values show through your decisions. Ultimately, presence is your reputation in motion.

Why your presence matters

The data is clear: people trust people — not faceless brands. And that means leaning towards consistency and authenticity over perfection.

Brand Loyalty: 81% of consumers say they need to trust a brand before they buy.

Influence: 75% of executives say strong thought leadership has led them to explore a new offer.

Employee Engagement: 80% of employees believe leadership has the greatest influence on company culture.

Credibility: 82% of people trust a company more when senior leaders are active and visible on social media.

Your presence shapes trust, culture, and visibility. And yet, many leaders hesitate to use their voice. This is often for understandable reasons: fear of backlash, concerns about having the “right” opinion, uncertainty about expertise, worry about seeming performative, or feeling that it’s “not their place.” Although these fears are common, they are often misplaced — and can be overcome.

Building an authentic voice

Authenticity isn’t a personality trait, it’s a practice. And if one of your fears is seeming performative, then this is the answer. Here are a few core principles of ensuring your voice is authentic:

Speak from experience. Share what you’ve learned or witnessed first-hand when you can.

Show your reasoning. People trust the “why” behind your beliefs. Back your opinions up with facts and data when it calls for it.

Be consistent. Values come through in small, repeated cues: tone, imagery, decisions. If you slowly start to speak consistently on an issue, it won’t seem out of the blue or “not your place” when it makes the headlines and you feel compelled to dive deeper.

Acknowledge imperfection. Honesty humanises you more than polish ever will. Not sure about a subject or your thoughts on it? Then admit that! Made a mistake in an earlier post or article? Then make a point of it in your next one!

Pair words with action. Communication becomes credible when your choices match your message.

Authenticity in Action: Books Are Magic

A powerful example of presence done well comes from Books Are Magic in Brooklyn. Co-owner Emma Fusco-Straub began using the store’s Instagram to talk about her favorite banned and challenged books — why they mattered to her and why these stories deserved space.

The posts were simple and personal, rooted in her identity as a bookseller invested in access to diverse narratives. Because her voice was authentic and consistent, Emma became a trusted resource for parents, educators, and librarians as book bans intensified. That trust opened new doors — including invitations to radio and TV to speak about the issue.

She didn’t pursue influence; she pursued honesty. Influence simply followed.

Where Should Your Voice Live?

Your voice only matters if people can hear it. You don’t need to show up everywhere — just in the places where your presence would be the most meaningful. A few to consider:

Internal platforms 

Team meetings

Slack or internal chat channels

Company newsletters

All-hands meetings

Internal blogs or intranet posts

Leadership AMAs or town halls

Employee training sessions

Internal presentations or decks

Company-wide emails or memos

Internal podcasts or video updates

External platforms

LinkedIn

Instagram

Company website

Podcasts (hosted or guest appearances)

YouTube

Speaking events or conferences

Print media (magazines, newspapers)

Online media or digital publications

Webinars or virtual events

Email marketing or external newsletters

Community platforms 

Partnerships/ collaborations

Local panels or forums

Local billboards, notice boards, or other physical listings

Community workshops or trainings

Industry roundtables

Nonprofit or civic engagement initiatives

University or school partnerships

Community newsletters or listservs

Grassroots or volunteer-led events

Community advisory boards or councils

Choosing the right channels isn’t just about reach. It’s mainly about relevance and resonance.

Self-Guided Exercise: Mapping Your Presence Platforms

This short exercise helps you identify where your authentic voice naturally fits and where it can have the greatest impact.

Step 1 — Identify Your Natural Modes of Expression

Reflect on which communication styles feel easiest for you:

Long-form writing: In-depth essays, reports, or articles that explore root causes, lived experiences, and systemic solutions with nuance and evidence.

Short, reactive commentary: Timely responses to news, policies, or cultural moments that clarify stakes, name harms, and mobilise attention or action in real time.

Speaking: Public talks, panels, or keynotes that humanise issues, inspire collective responsibility, and translate values into shared urgency.

Conversational dialogue: Two-way exchanges, whether in forums, workshops, or community discussions, that build trust, surface diverse perspectives, and co-create pathways forward.

Visual storytelling: Images, video, or design that centre people and impact, making complex issues emotionally resonant and accessible across audiences.

Circle the formats that feel most natural to you.

Step 2 — Map Your Audiences

Now circle the three groups who you want to reach the most:

Your team: Colleagues or other internal stakeholders who turn values into daily practice and culture.

Customers or clients: These are the people you serve, but whose needs, trust, and outcomes define your work’s impact.

Partners or community groups: Collaborators with lived expertise who co-create and sustain change.

Industry peers: Fellow practitioners shaping norms, standards, and collective accountability.

Prospective talent: Potential future contributors to your mission, drawn by an aligned mission and vision, integrity, and the chance to matter.

Note how and where you already communicate with each.

Step 3 — Match Format to Platform

Using your answers above, map each natural communication style to the platforms where your audiences are present. For example:

Say you’re a strong writer and working in graphic design, an industry  active on LinkedIn → Try communicating via LinkedIn posts, articles or newsletters.

Or maybe you communicate best via speaking and own a wellness business → Try speaking on podcasts, face-to-camera videos, panels, or industry-specific conferences.

Perhaps you thrive in visual storytelling and work in the cosmetic industry→ Try informative video or slide-based explainers on Instagram.

Aim to choose 2–3 priority platforms, not an exhaustive list. You can still turn to others from time to time to keep things varied!

Step 4 — Define Your First Presence Habit

Consider all your previous answers and commit to one small, repeatable action that expresses your values. Here are some examples:

Share one short reflection or lesson as a LinkedIn post every other week.

Open weekly team meetings with a quick story, observation, or value cue.

Offer monthly “office hours” for cross-team conversations.

Spotlight one community partner or book/article that shaped your thinking in each monthly newsletter.

Remember: start with consistency, not scale.

👣 Keep Going

If you enjoyed this reflection, explore:

Worksheet: Begin Anywhere

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