How to Speak with Confidence: Tips to Lead with Impact

How to Speak with Confidence and Eloquence: Communication Tips to Lead with Impact

Whether you're leading a team, presenting to execs, or pitching your big idea, how you say something often matters just as much as what you say. Eloquence isn’t about using big words—it’s about clarity, conviction, and connection.

Here’s the good news: Eloquence can be learned. Many of the most compelling speakers aren’t naturally gifted—they’re practiced, intentional, and self-aware. If you want to speak with more confidence and sound like the leader you are (or aspire to be), here are tips to help you grow your communication presence and impact.

1. Slow Down. Seriously.

When you’re nervous, it’s easy to rush. But speed dilutes impact. Slowing down gives your words weight and allows your audience to fully engage with what you’re saying.

Why it matters: Fast talk can signal anxiety. Slower, more intentional speech signals confidence and control.

Try this: Before speaking in a meeting or presentation, take a full breath. Use punctuation as a pacing guide—pause at commas, breathe at periods.

Pro move: Practice reading a paragraph from your favorite book or article slowly, pausing to exaggerate the pauses. This muscle memory builds control for when you need it most.

2. Speak from the Center of Gravity

Confidence doesn’t live in your throat; it comes from your core. Your posture affects how you sound. Speaking from a slouched position makes your voice weaker and less grounded. Speaking from an upright, supported posture creates vocal presence. Try this: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, shoulders back, and spine tall. Breathe from your diaphragm, not your chest. When your breath originates from your center, your words carry authority.

If you're participating in a virtual meeting, raise your laptop so that your screen is at eye level, sit tall, and lean in slightly. It projects energy and leadership, even through a screen.

3. Eliminate Filler Words (But Don’t Obsess Over Them)

We’ve all been there: “Um... like... You know...” These fillers can distract from your message and reduce your perceived confidence.

How to improve: Start by becoming aware. Record yourself speaking for 2–3 minutes about your day, then replay and note the filler words. Try replacing them with silence. The pause adds intention.

Use this mantra: “Pause is power.” Silence gives your brain time to catch up, and your audience time to absorb your point. Don’t let the fear of “ums” paralyze you. Progress, not perfection.

4. Use Plain Language to Sound Smart

Complex jargon creates distance between you and your audience. Clear, relatable language creates a connection. Eloquence is about clarity, not complexity. Instead of: “Utilize” Try: “Use” Instead of: “Synergize cross-functional initiatives.” Try: “Work together across teams.”

Speak to be understood, not to sound fancy. You’re not dumbing things down, you’re elevating your communication so more people can engage with it. Why it matters: Leaders who communicate clearly are seen as more credible and trustworthy. Simplicity signals mastery.

5. Mirror the Energy of a Strong, Calm Leader

Eloquence isn’t loud, it’s poised. It’s not about dominating the conversation; it’s about being in control of your message and energy. You don’t have to be loud to command attention. In fact, quiet confidence is often more powerful. Practice grounded presence:

• Lower your shoulders.

• Soften your facial expressions without going flat.

• Keep your hands visible but calm.

Before high-stakes moments: Close your eyes, take three deep breaths, and visualize yourself owning the room, not from a place of ego, but from a place of quiet authority.

Watch powerful speakers like Michelle Obama or Brené Brown. Their calm conviction is often more persuasive than forceful charisma.

6. Use the Power of Story

People may forget facts, but they’ll remember how you made them feel, and stories do that best. Facts inform, but stories move people. Sharing a quick story (even one sentence) gives your message emotional resonance. Whether you're answering a question or making a point, stories help people remember what you said and who you are. Why it works: Stories create an emotional bridge between you and your audience. They humanize you, reinforce your point, and make your message sticky.

How to incorporate a story: Use a brief example to illustrate your message, this could be a challenge you overcame, a client win, a lesson learned, or something relatable from your personal life.

Quick structure to try:

• Setup: "Last year, I faced..."

• Conflict: "It taught me how important it is to..."

• Resolution: "Now, I always..."

• Lesson: Tie it back to your audience’s world.
  

7. Make Eye Contact (Even in Virtual Meetings)

Connection builds credibility. Eye contact signals connection, confidence, and attentiveness.

In-person tips:

• Practice “the triangle”—rotate between the left eye, right eye, and mouth.

• 3–5 seconds per person in group settings is ideal.
  

Virtual tip: Look directly at the camera lens, not the screen. It may feel unnatural at first, but it creates the illusion of eye contact on the receiving end. Here is a trick you can use: Place a sticky note near your webcam with a smiley face or “You’ve got this.” It redirects your focus and boosts confidence.

8. Practice Out Loud (Not Just in Your Head)

You may think you know what you want to say, but saying it out loud helps iron out awkward phrasing. Thinking about what you want to say is not the same as saying it out loud.

Why it works: Your brain processes information differently when you speak it aloud. Practicing vocally helps iron out awkward phrasing and boosts recall.

Try this: Before your next presentation or interview, say your key points out loud three times. It builds fluency and familiarity. I like to use tools like your phone's voice memo app or Otter.ai to listen and refine my ideas. I also use AI to refine my thoughts.

9. Record & Watch Yourself (Even if it’s Cringe)

It’s hard, I know, but so effective. Watching yourself will teach you what your audience sees and hears. Although watching yourself on video may be uncomfortable, it’s the fastest path to growth.

Why it’s powerful: You’ll spot distracting habits you didn’t realize—like fidgeting, slouching, or unclear phrasing, up-speak (ending statements like questions), or inconsistent volume.

What to look for:

• Are your gestures aligned with your message?

• Is your facial expression engaged and open?

• Are your points landing clearly?

  
  

Start small: Record yourself delivering a 60-second intro. Watch once without judgment, then again to identify 1–2 things to improve.

10. Reframe Nervousness as Excitement

The physical symptoms of nervousness and excitement are nearly identical: a racing heart, sweaty palms, and an energy surge. You’re not weak for being nervous. It means you care. Reframing your nerves helps convert that energy into power, not panic. Physiologically, excitement and anxiety feel almost identical. But labeling the feeling as “excitement” activates a more productive emotional state. Tell yourself: “I’m excited to share this.” That slight mindset shift can help calm your nerves and redirect your energy. Preparing a short ritual, such as deep breathing, listening to a motivational song, or reviewing my notes calmly, helps me. Rituals ground your energy and signal to your brain: “It’s game time, and I’ve got this.”

Another great tip is to ask yourself, before speaking, “What do I want my audience to remember or do?” Helpful structure to guide your speaking:

1. Headline: Start with the key takeaway.

2. Why it matters: Explain the impact.

3. What now: Share a call to action or next step.
   

Leadership example: Instead of saying, “We need more alignment across departments.”Try: “Let’s schedule a monthly check-in between teams to speed up communication and reduce delays. I’ll take the first step and send the invite.”

You’ve not only made your point, you’ve modeled the leadership behavior you want to inspire. A simple guide for your delivery. Be concise, intentional, and bold.

Eloquence Is a Skill, Not a Trait

Eloquence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s something you build with intention, self-awareness, and repetition. It’s the ability to be clear without being cold, powerful without being pushy, and memorable without being over the top. Because here’s the truth:

“Confidence comes from not always being right, but from not worrying your wrong.” — Mary Killelea

Speaking with eloquence isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being authentic, clear, and intentional. You’ve got something worth saying. Say it like you mean it.

👇 Ready to Practice?

Record yourself answering this question: “What’s one idea or value you want people to associate with you professionally?” Watch it back. Refine your message. Then try it again. Need help refining your pitch or elevating your executive presence? I help women grow their visibility and voice through strategic communication and personal branding.