How To Build Aura At Work

Read Time: 3 Minutes

Ever walked into a room and felt completely invisible? Meanwhile, there's always that one person who seems to effortlessly command attention the moment they speak.

You know the type – when they talk, people lean in. When they ask questions, the room goes quiet. They have what I call "aura."

The good news? It's not something you're born with. After helping hundreds of professionals develop executive presence, I can tell you aura is a practiced skill.

Today, I'm breaking down the exact internal and external tools you need to develop that magnetic presence.

The Real Internal Driver of Aura

There's only one internal factor that determines your aura: confidence.

But here's the misconception – most people think confidence comes from standing tall or sitting up straight. Those help, but they won't work if you're forcing it.

Real confidence is the internal belief that everything will be all good. No matter what happens, no matter how you present, no matter what goes wrong, you'll handle it.

Here are three daily ways to internalize that confidence:

1. Get Crystal Clear on Success

Never walk into any meeting cold. Use what I call the Know-Feel-Do exercise:

• Know: What do you want the audience to understand by the end?
• Feel: How do you want them to feel after talking with you?
• Do: What action do you want them to take?

Write three short sentences before your next meeting. When you feel like you're giving a gift every time you speak, you'll internalize confidence because your speaking isn't a burden – it's a privilege for them.

2. Visualize Success with "Grounding Visuals"

Close your eyes and visualize exactly how your next important conversation will go successfully.

This isn't wishful thinking – it's sports psychology. As a former US Junior Table Tennis team member, I learned that visualizing the final winning point before every match dramatically increased my performance.

 

To create a grounding visual, follow these steps:

1. Close your eyes to clear your mind. Go to a private room.
2. Visualize the outcome in vivid detail.
   • Who are you speaking to?
   • What do they look like? What are they saying to you? What are they doing in that moment?
   • How are you feeling in the best-case scenario when you’re interacting with this person (or people)?

Neuroimaging studies show that visually imagining experiences lights up the same neural pathways as physically doing them. You're literally rehearsing success in your head.

3. Identify Your Unique Strengths

Get really clear on your top strengths so you can surface them naturally in conversations.

Internal method: What are the top five words that describe the value you bring to any conversation?

External method: Ask 10 colleagues these two questions:

• What's the one thing I excel at better than most people you've encountered?
• Which three words best describe my strengths based on how we've worked together?

With enough responses, you'll detect clear patterns. Revisit these monthly so they stay top of mind.

The External Habits That Show Aura

1. Master Your Body Language

Confident body language starts with posture:

• Chest out, shoulders back (whether sitting or standing)
• Eyes looking straight ahead and up, not down
• Open body language – avoid hunching or constricting

You should feel relaxed and loose, not tense.

2. Eye Contact That Feels Confident, Not Creepy

Direct eye contact draws people to you, but there's a way to do it without being uncomfortable.

Try the eyebrow glance: Look at one of their eyes for 3-5 seconds, then glance up at their eyebrow briefly before coming back to their eye. This gives both of you a breather while maintaining connection.

3. Slow Your Speech and Pause More

This is counterintuitive, but speaking faster doesn't demonstrate intelligence – it overwhelms people.

When you speak more selectively, people hang on to every word. Before answering any question:

• Look up (not down) to show you're thinking
• Pause deliberately
• Answer with a single sentence as slowly as feels comfortable

Most people speak at 150 words per minute. Try starting at 120 words per minute for a more methodical pace, then work up to 150-180 when you want to ramp up energy.

 

The Bottom Line

Aura isn't innate – some people are more natural at it, but anyone can practice these skills. It just takes commitment and the drive to implement them one at a time.

My recommendation? Pick ONE skill from today's newsletter and try it in your next meeting. Once you've mastered it, add another.

Don't try to do everything at once – it'll overwhelm you.

If you want to master organizing your thoughts instantly when communicating, check out ​The Impromptu Speakers Academy​. It's my flagship program for professionals who want to communicate with clarity and confidence in any situation. When you join, you'll get exclusive access to the 2-hour kick-off call and group coaching session with me on Thursday, September 4th at 4 pm Pacific Time (session will be recorded). Hope to see you inside.

Best,

Preston