Fill the Frame. Lean In. Be the Central Character in Your Story.

Filling the Frame on a Recent Podcast

One of the biggest things I notice on video calls is how many people don’t fill the frame.

They’re sitting far back. There’s a lot of space above their head. They’re not doing anything wrong. But the signal it sends is, “I’m not fully here.”

When we were all in conference rooms, we learned to 'lean in' at the table to show engagement and signal our full presence. Also, that we had something to contribute. Now that so much of business is conducted over video call, we need to be careful we are being intentional that are presence is signaling 'I'm here."

When you move closer to the camera, when you organize your space so you are the focal point, something subtle but powerful happens. The energy shifts.

My favorite trick - especially for interviews - is standing.

When you stand:

• Your posture changes

• Your shoulders square naturally

• Your energy comes forward

• You can lean in…literally

You don’t need for people to know you’re standing. You just want them to feel it.

Think about how we act in real life. When we’re excited, when we’re engaged, we lean in. On video, we have to recreate that intentionally.

And here’s one of my favorite phrases to remember:

Eye contact is punctuation.

You don’t have to stare at the camera the whole time. That would be weird. But when you’re making an important point, when you want someone to trust you, look right at the camera. Let that moment land.

Presence isn’t stiffness. It’s not freezing your body or hiding your hands. A little gesture, a little movement, a little lean forward makes you feel human, like you’re in the room, not trapped behind a screen.

And that’s what we’re always trying to create: connection.

Reach out if you'd like help or a personalized session on this topic.

Warmly,

Eve E.