How To Command Any Room—From A Boardroom To A Zoom Room

This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.Karolyn Raphael is President & CEO of Winger Marketing, a marketing and PR agency known for its strategic B2B campaigns and media training.

gettyThe ability to command a room when speaking is a significant career asset. While the words “public speaking” can scare many, the truth is that we are all public speakers. Whether you’re presenting at a conference to an auditorium full of people or to a few colleagues on a video call, speaking in front of others is an integral part of modern work life.

Here’s some good news: It’s easier to command a room than most people think. By understanding the impact of your voice, body language and message, you can turn your existing strengths into tools that command respect and attention.

A strong voice is one of the most important elements of commanding a room. That doesn’t mean speaking loudly or with exaggerated energy. It means speaking clearly and confidently, with a dynamic cadence that’s neither too fast nor too slow.

I landed my first public relations job because I had a strong voice. I learned this after I was hired, when I asked the owner why I was chosen over the other candidates. At the time, we did most business by phone, and my new manager believed my clear, confident voice gave me instant authority and credibility.

I developed this strong voice in ways that may seem surprising. As a teenager and young adult, I was an accomplished ballet dancer; I even performed in The Nutcracker with the Joffrey Ballet. Dance requires strong posture, endurance and breath control. Your breath sustains your movements and gives them energy. Your voice needs the same support. ​

Choir, ensembles and musical theater also taught me how to find my voice and use my breath so I could be heard. Ultimately, my parents did not waste a dime on all of the dance and vocal lessons, or all the driving to competitions. I’m forever grateful because they helped me develop an instrument I would use throughout my career: myself.

It’s likely something in your past has helped prepared you, too. Sports and performing arts, for example, require varying degrees of breath management and physical control.

You can further develop a commanding voice through vocal exercise and breathwork. As a starting point, I always advise clients to practice diaphragmatic breathing rather than breathing into the chest. That means learning how to breathe properly: Breathe in through the nose, let the air expand your belly and then release your breath. This is the right way to breathe, according to the American Lung Association, and it gives your voice greater support while helping your body remain relaxed.

Much of our body language happens subconsciously, so managing it requires awareness. This is another place where my dance and theater background has helped me professionally. Early in my career, I noticed that when speaking, I naturally gestured when it enhanced what I was saying. I had muscle memory from years of using my arms and body to tell a story.

As we spend more and more time on screens, it’s important to remember that body language still matters. On a video call, people may not see your leg shaking, but that nervous energy can affect your facial expressions and posture. For virtual calls and presentations, set up your desk and monitor so you can sit comfortably upright with your shoulders back. Position your camera so you can look directly into the lens. And don’t forget your hands. Gestures provide important signals to your audience, even if you need to lift them slightly higher to be visible on camera.

In person, body language becomes even more apparent. When I coach clients and conduct media training workshops, we work on using posture, purposeful gestures and other nonverbal cues to reinforce the message rather than distract from it. The goal isn’t to choreograph every movement; it’s to become aware of what your body is communicating while you speak.

Commanding a room isn’t about delivering a perfectly memorized presentation. It’s about knowing your message well enough that you can communicate it confidently and naturally, no matter how the conversation unfolds.​

Rehearsal matters, but instead of memorizing a presentation word for word, identify the three ideas you most want your audience to remember. Practice expressing those points in different ways, and try to anticipate questions you’re likely to be asked. The better you know your message, the easier it becomes to stay present with your audience instead of concentrating on what you’re supposed to say next.​​

Just as important is knowing your audience. What do they already know? What matters most to them? What do they need from you? Adjusting your message to their level of interest and knowledge doesn’t mean diminishing your expertise. It means making that expertise accessible. The goal is to have a conversation with your audience, not deliver a lecture.​

Chances are you’ve already commanded more rooms than you realize. You’ve interviewed for a job and received an offer. You’ve presented an idea that earned someone’s support. You’ve explained something complicated to a client or colleague and helped them make a decision.​

Those experiences are evidence that executive presence isn’t something you suddenly manufacture when you walk onto a stage or into an important meeting. You strengthen it by becoming more intentional about how you use the proper breathing technique, voice, body language and message.

The next time you need to command a room, remember, you already have the instrument. You just need to learn how to use it.

Oh, and the singing and dance lessons are optional.

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