Want to learn the ideas in Presence better than ever? Read the world’s #1 book summary of Presence by Amy Cuddy here.

Read a brief 1-Page Summary or watch video summaries curated by our expert team. Note: this book guide is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher or author, and we always encourage you to purchase and read the full book.

Video Summaries of Presence

We’ve scoured the Internet for the very best videos on Presence, from high-quality videos summaries to interviews or commentary by Amy Cuddy.

1-Page Summary of Presence

Overview

Power posing is great, but it’s hard to remember to do it. One simple way to get around that problem is setting up reminders on your phone. By setting up reminders every hour, you can train yourself not to slump while working at your desk. Reminders are most effective when they become a daily routine, so turn your phone into an ally and make sure you get the most out of power posing by doing it regularly.

Public speaking is a daunting task for many people. But, as author Amy Cuddy points out, it doesn’t have to be that way. The key is controlling your body and nervous system so you can deliver an effective message with confidence. With simple techniques like postures and breathing exercises, this book shows us how we can turn any presentation into a captivating performance by being more confident in our delivery of the material.

In this article, you’ll learn about the benefits of power posing and how to master your nervous system. You’ll also find out why good posture may have kept you from speaking up in class.

Big Idea #1: Our body language is more important than what we say, so it’s crucial to be aware of our own and others’ body language.

If you’re trying to put your baby to bed, but your body language is aggressive and tense, it will be hard for them to relax.

Body language is important to the communication process. For example, in a study done at Harvard University, people with aphasia (a condition where you can’t understand speech) were asked about their comprehension of body language and found that they had trouble understanding it. A separate group of people without this problem was also tested and discovered that they could easily comprehend body language.

Two groups were shown videos of people. Sometimes the people in the video lied, and sometimes they told the truth. The participants tried to figure out if what was said was true or a lie based on those videos alone.

A study showed that people with aphasia were better at detecting lies than those without. This is because they pay more attention to body language, which shows true feelings and thoughts.

A study proved that body language is a key part of communication. Your audience will be able to see if you are tense or balled up, and they’ll understand that your true feelings don’t match what you’re saying. This can make it harder for them to believe in what you’re saying, especially when delivering an important speech. For example, if giving a motivational message, try to remain relaxed and open so your audience doesn’t pick up on any inconsistencies between your body language and the message itself.

To be a good communicator, you need to match your words with your body language. You can do this by believing in the message you’re delivering. In other words, you should be authentic and communicate more effectively by following the advice that will be given later on.

Big Idea #2: It’s easy to affirm your core values, and doing so makes you more convincing.

There are many self-help books that talk about how important it is to repeat positive affirmations, such as telling yourself you’re getting better every day or seeing the bright side of life. These kinds of affirmations rarely do much good. However, there are other types of affirmations that can be truly effective by affirming your core values and taking time out to think about what’s important to you in life.

In 2014, Stanford psychologist Geoffrey Cohen conducted a study. He wanted to see if people could strengthen their core values by doing an activity in their spare time. The exercise was so simple that you could do it today.