Not every coaching session happens in a meeting room.
This week, I met a client in a rehearsal room just off Tottenham Court Road. They have a high-stakes event on Friday, and rather than spending the session rehearsing answers, we started somewhere much more fundamental.
We lay on the floor.
More specifically, in semi-supine, which simply means lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. It helps the body release unnecessary tension, especially around the neck, jaw, shoulders and breath.
It might sound unusual, especially in the context of executive coaching, but it’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to release unnecessary tension from the body. When we’re under pressure, we often don’t realise how much we’re clenching our jaw, tightening our neck, lifting our shoulders or holding our breath.
The body prepares for a threat that isn’t there, and the voice pays the price.
A tense body creates a tense voice. It becomes harder to breathe deeply, harder to project without strain, and harder to sound calm, credible and authoritative. Many people assume confidence is something you think your way into, but often it’s something your body either supports or fights against.
Once we’d released that physical tension, we began strengthening the voice itself.
Not by delivering presentations.
Not by practising clever phrases.
By working through sustained vowel sounds.
Simple sounds like ah, ee and oo help develop vocal resonance, improve breath support and encourage the voice to vibrate more freely. They’re deceptively simple exercises, but they strengthen the muscles involved in speaking and create a voice that feels richer, steadier and easier to sustain.
The goal isn’t to sound theatrical.
It’s to sound like the strongest version of yourself.
Only then did we move into speaking, because when your body is grounded and your voice is free, your words don’t have to work nearly as hard.
One of the biggest misconceptions I encounter is that confidence comes from doing more. More preparation. More information. More practice. Whilst preparation absolutely matters, lasting confidence isn’t simply built through doing.
It’s built through being.
Being present.
Being grounded.
Being aware of what’s happening in your body before you open your mouth.
That’s why executive presence isn’t just a communication skill. It’s a state. When your nervous system is calmer, your breathing is freer, and your voice is supported, people don’t just hear your message differently.
They experience you differently.
The most important work with me happens before you have spoken a single word.
Curious about your own executive presence?
Take the free Speak Proud Assessment below to discover where your communication is already working for you and where small changes could make a significant difference.
Lisa Sheerin, ICF PCC Executive Coach | Transforming Confidence, Communication & Leadership
Lisa works as an executive public speaking coach, actor, and group fitness instructor with over 20 years of experience. A graduate of a three-year drama school program in London, she began her career in theatre and film, where she faced and overcame imposter syndrome. Today, she empowers others to embrace their authenticity and transform self-doubt into confidence, combining her acting expertise, fitness training, and passion for personal growth. Her mission is to guide others toward a life where they can speak and live proudly.
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