Leading Without Words: Influence Before You Speak

Leadership in 180 Seconds: 14 Secrets of Influential Leaders

Your influence starts before you open your mouth. From your posture to your energy, leaders set the tone before words are even spoken. In this episode, we unpack the hidden cues that determine how others perceive you and how to use them to your advantage.

• Transcript

  Have you ever walked into a room and immediately sensed who the leader was—before they even spoke? Humans have this unspoken ability to sub-consciously create our own pecking order. Yes, just like chickens, people in a room will unconsciously decide who has the greatest power and where we belong within that pecking order. And we will then act accordingly in order to stay safe, to stay within our zone.

  However, when we are conscious of this, we can change this dynamic.

  Research by Dr. Amy Cuddy on power poses and body language shows that people form judgments about competence and trustworthiness within seconds of seeing someone. Before you’ve said a word, your presence is already shaping how others perceive you. That’s a powerful insight—one that every leader should take seriously.

  So, how do you maximise your influence before you even open your mouth?

  • Firstly, Posture matters. Stand tall, shoulders back, feet firmly planted. A confident stance isn’t just about looking strong—it actually affects how you feel. When you carry yourself with assurance, your mind follows, reinforcing your ability to lead. Next time you walk into a room, look at everyone’s posture and you’ll quickly be able to measure where everyone believes they sit within the pecking order.

  • Secondly, eye contact builds connection. Looking people in the eye signals respect and authority. It conveys confidence, openness, and a willingness to engage. People trust those who can hold their gaze. I follow a person on LinkedIn who never looks at the camera when he speaks. His eyes are constantly darting every which way except at the camera. I don’t know this person well enough to make any judgment calls. However, I can tell you that I would really struggle to buy anything from them. This behaviour suggests he can’t be trusted.

  • Thirdly, energy is everything. Emotions are contagious. If you enter a room exuding confidence, calmness, and positivity, others will mirror that energy. Your team will take their cues from you.

  Years ago I used to speak in front of hundreds of people regularly. It certainly created plenty of anxiety for me leading up. However, I developed a couple of habits to help me overcome this. I would actively ‘bounce’ onto stage. And then once I had prepared my notes on the lectern I would step out from behind the lectern and stand with feet firmly planted and begin my address, often with a hands open gesture whilst trying to make eye contact with everyone from left to right in a sweeping gaze. These actions communicated to me and my audience that I was ready, I was confident, I didn’t need to hide anything, and I could be trusted.

  Great leaders don’t wait for words to establish influence—they walk into the room already leading. So, before your next big meeting, take a moment to check in with yourself: What is my presence saying before I even speak? Because whether you realise it or not, your influence starts the moment you step into the room.