In this episode of the Ideas on Stage Podcast, Lorraine K. Lee shares practical ways to improve your LinkedIn profile, communicate with confidence, lead better meetings and show up well on video. Great advice for anyone who wants to stand out at work.
Strong professional presence shapes how others see you long before you enter a room. In this conversation, Lorraine K. Lee explained how leaders at every level can strengthen their presence, grow their credibility and move forward in their careers.
Why presence matters
Lorraine defines professional presence as how and where you are seen. Many professionals connect presence only with senior roles or boardroom situations. Lorraine explains that presence lives in everyday interactions: a Slack message, an email, a virtual meeting or your LinkedIn profile. These touchpoints shape how others perceive your confidence and leadership.
The language that weakens you
Many professionals use minimising language without realising it. Phrases such as “Sorry, can I just ask…?” or “I might be wrong, but…” reduce the strength of your message and make you sound junior. Lorraine encourages leaders to remove those habits and adopt language that communicates confidence. The shift supports external presence and also strengthens internal confidence.
LinkedIn introduces you before you speak
Lorraine highlighted research showing that most buyers look at a LinkedIn profile before replying to a message. Your LinkedIn profile is often the first impression of your professional identity. Simple actions such as improving your headline, adding keywords and updating your profile create an immediate credibility boost. Your headline in particular helps people understand your role, your direction and the value you bring.
Lead meetings that create value
Meetings take a huge part of professional life, yet many organisations still run them poorly. Lorraine encourages leaders to treat meetings as a powerful moment to show presence. Clear goals, thoughtful agendas and useful questions transform an ordinary meeting into something productive. When you lead meetings with purpose, people notice.
Show up well in virtual environments
Video presence plays a central role today, especially when colleagues and clients meet online first. Lighting, audio, camera angle and background all influence perception. Lorraine also reminds us that an improved video setup helps us feel more confident, which encourages stronger presence in discussion.
Help your team become visible
Presence is not only personal. Lorraine stresses the importance of lifting others up. Leaders who support their team, use collaborative language and share credit increase visibility for everyone. A visible team earns trust inside and outside the organisation, and the leader is recognised for developing people.
Grow your career with intention
Career progress depends on the perception others have of your work. Lorraine suggests approaching weekly conversations with your manager as a chance to share your logic and decisions rather than listing tasks. This shows strategic thinking. She also encourages managers to use a simple “Read Me” document that explains preferences, communication styles and working habits. This reduces confusion and helps teams work effectively.
Final message
Lorraine closed with a clear invitation: take ownership of your career and become the CEO of your professional path. Strengthening presence is a practical and learnable skill that supports better communication, clearer leadership and stronger influence across every stage of your career.
Want to learn more?
- Read Confident Presenter – free copy and Business Presentation Revolution
- To make the most of the book, take the Confident Presenter Scorecard to assess your presentation skills in less than 3 minutes
- Attend our free, live masterclass on all things presentation skills