The document provides tips for boosting confidence when presenting or speaking publicly. It recommends identifying a physical "psychological gesture" used by someone who embodies the confidence and qualities you want to portray. The tips instruct the reader to imitate this person's movements and mannerisms, then select one key element to focus on and exaggerate. With practice using the gesture, it can help mentally trigger feelings of confidence when needed, such as before a presentation. The technique is based on acting methods and was successfully used by a client to transform their performance in a difficult role play scenario.

1. Presentation Inspiration
KineticFuture: Leadership Communications Coaching
Help! I Need To Boost My Confidence
Imagine if you've just bitten into a lemon. Keep thinking. Now, what's happening inside your
mouth? You're probably salivating. This is the mind body connection. You can use it to boost your
confidence in tough situations.
We developed a training system last year called Energy Dynamics, based on how actors exploit
this connection to instantly get into a role. Stay with me… I know this sounds strange but it works!
The acting technique is called the Psychological Gesture. Marlon Brando used it in The
Godfather. To get himself into role, he would rub his jaw.
Try this at home!
1. Think about a quality you're missing and you want - confidence, gravitas, and warmth for
example.
2. Think about a person who embodies the quality you want.
3. Move around the room imitating how that person moves, walks and talks.
4. Identify one key element that instantly captures them - it could be how they hold their
shoulders, the sway of their hips, how they hold their head. Focus and exaggerate that element.
Keep moving. Keep doing it. (For one client it was the set back shoulders of a top cricketer, for
another it was the sway of Jennifer Lopez's hips, for another it was how his father shook his cuffs
down from his jacket)
5. Now minimise this gesture so that you could use it discretely just before you present or walk
into that tough meeting.
6. Keep practicing the gesture. Then the quality will come back faster.
What will happen is that your trigger gesture will help you mentally get into that confident place.
One of our clients came into a tough role play without using her gesture and really struggled.
When she repeated the role play, using her gesture (the Jennifer Lopez wiggle) she transformed
her ability to handle the situation confidently.