Make the First 30 Seconds Count

At a recent civic event, I watched a young leader step up to speak after several senior officials—including the city’s mayor—had already addressed the crowd. She gripped the lectern, and then her legs began to shake as she raced through her prepared speech at a pace that made parts almost impossible to follow. Every word, every movement, radiated tension—visible, palpable, and rather distracting.

And yet, the audience felt something else too: compassion, and quiet admiration for the courage it took to stand up there at all.

She’s not alone. I’ve watched speakers rush their opening so fast their words blur together. I’ve seen eyes fixed on the back wall, never quite meeting the people in the room. I’ve heard apology after apology before a single idea has been shared.

In every one of these moments, the same thing is happening: The speaker’s presence—or the absence of it—is communicating something before a single meaningful word is spoken.

Leadership presence is not reserved for the stage. It is practiced in everyday moments—whether you’re delivering a speech at your Toastmasters club, presenting at work, or speaking up in a meeting. And the first 30 seconds matter, because they shape how people receive everything that follows. Will they lean in or tune out? Trust your words or hold back?

The good news? Presence is not a personality trait you either have or don’t. It is a set of skills you can develop starting right now.

Presence Begins With Preparation

The first 30 seconds do not begin when you open your mouth. They begin long before that.

It’s not just about planning and rehearsing your content. It’s also your physical presentation, the introduction you’ve set up for the person introducing you, and what you do in the moments just before you begin speaking.

Personal Presentation

Whether you like it or not, how you dress matters. Your clothing, shoes, and accessories reflect the image you portray. There is no one right way to dress, but I recommend creating your own personal rules to reflect the brand you want to be remembered for. For example, I always aim to look sharp and professionally dressed, wearing a blazer and closed-in shoes (most often in my signature blue and white brand colors).

Prime Your Introduction

Whether you’re being introduced at your Toastmasters club, presenting to a team at work, or speaking at a community event, the moments just before you stand up are shaped partly by someone else—and that matters more than most speakers realize.

Set your introducer up for success. Make sure they have the title of your speech or presentation and a sentence or two of relevant context to guide the audience, and they know how to correctly pronounce your name. Nothing undermines a warm introduction like the introducer stumbling over your name or turning to you mid-sentence for help. When they can introduce you with confidence, the audience arrives ready to listen before you’ve said a word.

Professional speakers know this well. I always travel with a printed copy of my introduction—even when it’s been emailed in advance—because getting that handoff right sets the scene before I walk onto any stage.

The same principle applies at your next club meeting or work presentation. A confident, clear introduction primes your audience and creates a seamless transition to your speech. It is a small detail with a big impact on those all-important first moments.

Find Your Energy

People don’t just hear your words. They feel your energy. Be sure to manage your mental state and physical presence before you begin. Just as athletes prepare before competing, develop a routine that sets you up physically, mentally, and emotionally. Perhaps this means doing some vocal warm-ups, loosening your jaw, slowing your breathing, relaxing your shoulders, and standing in a tall, expansive posture.

Just prior to my TEDx Talk at TEDxOneonta, I was waiting in the wings, feet firmly planted, arms raised in a V-for-victory pose, breathing deeply. Channeling the energy I wanted: centered, passionate, and relatable. Mentally, I was picturing myself walking out onto that red circle and delivering a successful speech. Emotionally, I was thinking about how grateful I felt to have this opportunity to be of service.

Choose the energy you want to bring. Is it warmth? Authority? Calm? Urgency? Your audience will sense that energy before they fully process your words.

The same is true for club speeches, work meetings, and sales calls. Before you step into the room, join a Zoom call, or begin a one-on-one conversation, pause and ask yourself: What energy do I want to bring?

Nail Your Opening

Pausing before you begin speaking is one of the most powerful things you can do. Connect through confident body language and purposeful eye contact before you speak verbally.

I like to stand up, pause, smile, and make eye contact around the room for a moment before I begin. That pause gives you a chance to truly connect with the room before words kick in—to feel people’s energy and let them feel yours. Internally, briefly remind yourself that you are confident in your content, focused on your purpose, and genuinely connected to your audience. If you begin by scrambling for exact words, worrying about how you look, or being solely focused on yourself, it is much harder to connect.

When I gave my Accredited Speaker presentation in Anaheim, California, in 2024, I also deliberately slowed down my opening remarks. In addition to giving me time to connect with the audience, this pause reminded me that as a New Zealander speaking in America, I needed to enunciate clearly and allow the audience time to adjust to my accent.

Be crystal clear on your ideal first line. But be prepared to change or add to it on the day if appropriate. Avoid going into “robot mode.” I’ve seen speakers doggedly stick to their script rather than acknowledging something that has just happened in the room. It creates a disconnect. When you’re both well prepared and able to adapt in the moment, that’s where the magic happens.

Lauren Parsons receives her Accredited Speaker award from then-International President Radhi Spear in 2024.

There is no single right or wrong way to open a presentation. But early on, you must help the audience understand why they should care.

This framework helps you shape a powerful opening:

• Why this topic?
• Why this topic for this audience?
• Why this topic for this audience, at this time?
• Why this topic for this audience, at this time, from this speaker?

It is your job to help your audience care about your topic, even if they know nothing about it beforehand. If your first few sentences answer those four questions, you will create a compelling reason for people to lean in and listen. It’s not about you. It’s about them.

Be Authentic

One of the biggest traps speakers fall into is performing rather than being present. If you focus simply on looking polished, sounding clever, or projecting what you think looks like confidence, you are posturing rather than connecting.

True presence is not about being perfect. It’s about being authentic in the moment. It requires letting go of the need to impress and instead adopting an attitude of service.

In my experience, that shift is everything. The more focused I am on myself, the more pressure I feel. The more focused I am on serving the audience, the more grounded and effective I become.

So rather than asking, How do I come across well? ask, How can I best serve these people right now?

Start every speech with intention, authenticity, and service. Prepare well. Connect with your audience. Ground yourself to be calm and fully present. And open strongly by hooking your audience.

When you do that, those first 30 seconds become far more than a first impression. They become the foundation for trust, engagement, and influence.

And whether you are stepping onto a conference stage, leading a team meeting, introducing yourself at a networking event, or beginning an everyday conversation, that kind of leadership presence will always make a difference.

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