Program
Present with Presence
Program at a glance
FORMAT
DURATION
SUITED TO
FACILITATED BY
Do your leaders?
- Present just because they have to, not because they want to?
- Underprepare because they rely on knowing their subject?
- Lack individuality — all sound the same in front of a room?
- Lose their audience before they reach the point?
- Walk out without the buy-in the presentation was built to get?
1 in 5
professionals actively avoid presenting due to anxiety or lack of confidence
Prezi and Harris Poll, 2017
Without these skills, expertise stays invisible and buy-in stays out of reach.
Credibility
When leaders can't structure a message for their audience or hold attention in the room, their expertise becomes invisible. Peers and stakeholders start to question capability regardless of what they actually know.
Engagement
A presentation that doesn't connect emotionally loses the room early. When leaders can't adapt to their audience in real time, attention drops and the message fails to land — no matter how strong the content.
Influence
Without the ability to guide an audience toward a decision, presentations become information delivery. Leaders who present well generate buy-in and momentum. Those who don't leave the room no further forward.
The Present with Presence Journey
Level | Activity | Focus | Performance |
5 | Executive Presence | Mastery | 100% |
4 | Proficient | Audience | 75% |
3 | Neutral | Context | 50% |
2 | Resistant | Identity | 0% |
1 | Terrified | Awareness | -5% |
The Five Levels of Presentation Mastery
- Terrified – Employees avoid speaking due to past negative experiences and lack of process.
- Resistant – Employees are aware they need improvement but too anxious to invest effort.
- Neutral – Employees know what they want to achieve, but don’t understand what their audience needs.
- Proficient – Employees know their outcome and understand the context within which the audience is operating in, but don’t know how to engage their audience.
- Executive Presence – The leader who is able to master structure, delivery, and audience management to influence their outcomes.
A well-crafted presentation can change sentiment, remove resistance, and guarantee collaboration.
The Present with Presence Journey: Where are your leaders?
Terrified
Leaders avoid presenting or get through it as quickly as possible. Past negative experiences and a lack of process mean they are reactive rather than intentional. The room senses it.
Resistant
Leaders know they need to improve but anxiety blocks the effort. They rely on their content to carry them and hope for the best. Preparation is minimal and delivery is inconsistent.
Neutral
Leaders know what they want to say but have not yet learned to think from their audience’s perspective. The presentation is content-led, not audience-led. People follow along but are rarely moved.
Proficient
Leaders understand their audience’s context and tailor their content accordingly. The message is clear and relevant, but they have not yet mastered the delivery skills to engage and hold a room.
Executive Presence
Leaders command the room from the first word. They structure for influence, deliver with authority, respond to questions without losing ground, and leave the audience ready to act.
Three Critical Components
Process
When leaders have a repeatable process for preparing a presentation, they stop winging it and start influencing consistently. Participants build a fast, reliable preparation method they can use every time, for any audience.
Structure
The structure of a presentation either moves an audience toward a decision or loses them halfway through. Participants learn to build the narrative arc around how their specific audience thinks, so the path from interest to approval is clear and inevitable.
Delivery
Delivery is where the message either lands or falls flat. Participants develop the body language, vocal presence and real-time responsiveness to hold attention, handle questions with confidence and close with conviction.
What participants receive?
- A clear, repeatable process for preparing and delivering presentations that influence decisions
- Concise communication techniques to sharpen the message and reduce preparation time
- Storytelling skills that captivate the audience and build toward a clear, intended outcome
- Body language and vocal delivery techniques that project confidence and hold attention throughout
- Mindset tools to manage nerves and stay present and responsive, even under pressure
Who This Program is Ideal For
- Subject matter experts who have the knowledge but want stronger delivery and executive presence
- Leaders who experience nerves in front of an audience and want practical tools to stay calm and credible
- Executives who pitch high-stakes proposals to boards, clients or leadership teams
- Leaders who need to present at AGMs, all-hands meetings and large internal or external events
- Managers leading cross-functional projects who need to influence through clear, compelling communication
Who This Program is not ideal For
- Leaders who present rarely and have no immediate need to develop this skill
- Those seeking technical subject matter training rather than communication and delivery capability
- Individuals who are already confident presenters and consistently achieve the buy-in they need
- Anyone unwilling to practise new delivery techniques in front of their peers
What participants say
Arabella is an exceptional advisor and strategist. She played a pivotal role in aligning my global leadership team at Block Inc by fostering clarity, cohesion, and strategic alignment. Any leader looking to elevate their leadership with authenticity would greatly benefit from connecting with her.
Thank you so much for facilitating this awesome course for us. I have learnt so much about myself and working with others.
Very accommodating to the different circumstances of all participants. Excellent at making the online course format not feel like an awkward game of marco polo.
Arabella was fantastic. Her professionalism, knowledge and passion is infectious and genuine. I would highly recommend her to others.
Arabella is an outstanding communicator. She has taught me how to understand people, the decisions they make and how to influence their thought processes to drive better outcomes.
I thoroughly recommend Arabella's program for anyone who wants to lift their business conversations to the next level.
With 18 years of experience, Arabella has worked globally with CEOs and senior leadership teams across sectors, including Telstra, AstraZeneca, eBay, LinkedIn, Deloitte and AMEX. She has spoken on over 500 stages internationally on influence, communication, negotiation and leadership.
She co-authored the communication section of Macquarie University's Global Online MBA, with 66,000+ enrolments.