public speaking as a social threat. The amygdala triggers a fight-or-flight response, increasing anxiety, heart rate, and tension. When presenting in English (a second language), the brain works harder: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation — increasing cognitive load.
for just 2 minutes can change your hormones: Increases testosterone (confidence hormone) Decreases cortisol (stress hormone) The power of posture and mindset Amy Cuddy’s research This is known as Power Posing — expanding your body posture signals dominance and calm to your brain. Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are | Amy Cuddy | TED Amy Cuddy: Power Poses
Open body posture: More breath, calmer delivery, more expressive tone. If your body feels safe, your brain feels safe → more fluent language. Your body shapes your voice and language
When you open your posture, you open your voice Fluency begins with safety. Let’s teach your brain you’re safe. You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be present.
& Tips Informative Share updates, data, or procedures Internal teams or departments Be clear, concise, structured — use visuals, don’t overload with data Persuasive Convince others to approve, invest, or act Decision-makers, clients, leadership Use the Sparkline (what is → what could be), emphasize benefits Status Update Report on progress Managers, team leads, project stakeholders Use clear metrics, avoid jargon, highlight blockers and next steps Pitch Sell a product, idea, or proposal Investors, clients, executives Keep it short, energetic, with clear “problem → solution → benefit
& Tips Training or Instructional Teach a process, tool, or skill Employees, partners, new hires Be logical, break into steps, check for understanding, use visuals Demonstration (Demo) Show how a product or tool works Clients, partners, users Focus on real-world value, show results not features, anticipate questions Motivational or Vision Talk Inspire, align, or energize a team Team, leadership, company-wide Use personal stories, metaphors, strong openings and endings
structure: Don’t just “report” — guide your audience. Know your audience: What do they care about? What’s in it for them? Practice different tones: Formal? Friendly? Urgent? Visionary?
hook: Cognitive Fatigue , Business leaders hear dozens of presentations — Structure is what makes it memorable According to Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988) when you reduce complexity, you increase impact