Executive Presence Programme

We’ve all met them. We all admire them. People, who by their very presence take command in a room or in a meeting. People listen and take note of what is being said. It’s called having “executive presence’. Being preceived as leadership material is one step closer to being promoted into a leadership role. 

Talking with confidence, passion and clarity helps others take note of your message. Using strong and clear language with an authoritative voice along with positive body language adds to a positive perception of you by others. 

At the HR Lounge we believe that executive presence can be developed, nurtured and acted upon. Our Executive Presence & Gravitas programme offers clients from a variety of backgrounds and seniority levels an opportunity to hone presentations skills, develop a commanding executive voice and see their personal brand flourish. 

The programme is designed to help every level of professional address the issues that affect them. With the help of award winning actors, filmmakers and voice and body language experts, we’ve created workshops for groups at every level of organisations, plus individual coaching and development. Throughout these sessions programme delegates: 

  • • Improve gravitas
  • • Create better executive presence 
  • • Encourage confidence & the ability to develop self-awareness
  • • Sharpen presentation skills
  • • Develop networking skills
  • • Display better body language
  • • Encourage better vocal control

Every session is tailored to the group/individual we’re working with and aims to discover the main issues faced, and tackling them head on. Our track record speaks for itself with many of those we have worked with and coached winning promotions in their existing organisations whilst others have been appointed to external roles.

Our Professional Trainers 

We’ve put together an impressive team of experienced professionals, to join CEO Angela O’Connor, to run the Executive Presence Programme. 


Aislinn De’Ath trained at Drama Centre London and has worked on stage, screen and radio since graduating. She has appeared on the BBC, national theatre tours, in award winning films and on a variety of advertising campaigns. Aislinn also runs her own film company. Specialising in voice work and body language, Aislinn has been with the HR Lounge since 2011 and has coached numerous clients in both private and public sectors between her regular acting roles.


Robert Dukes trained at Lincoln University and with the acclaimed acting and success coach Bernard Hiller in both London and Los Angeles. Robert works regularly in London both acting and producing films. Robert’s company, Flight of Fancy Films, has won a number of awards for short films including, ‘The Green Eyed Monster’ and ‘Shrew’d’. With credits including The Councillor and Macbeth, Robert specialises in screen work and is a seasoned presentation coach. 


What We Can Offer

We tailor make specific sessions depending on the individual or group, so if you have a unique case, please feel free to ask and we’ll see what we can do.

One-on-One Presentation Skills Sessions

Our one-on-one sessions focus on your unique situation. For content based help, HR Lounge CEO Angela runs coaching sessions looking specifically at the more technical sides of presentations, interviews, general work issues  and so on. For more presentational issues, Aislinn and Robert coach on body language, voice, tone and gravitas exclusively working through specific issues, discussing your unique strengths and weaknesses, and equip you with a toolkit of exercises to continue progressing in your own time.

We always follow up the session with an emailed breakdown of what we’ve covered, and notes on what we’ve discussed.

Interview Skills Session

If you panic at the thought of an interview, find that anxiety causes your voice and breathing to falter or quite simply you’re finding that interview after interview are bearing no success, we can help. Our unique Interview Skills Session combines detailed analysis using filmed mock interviews with tailored advice from experts. Body language and vocal control can have a huge effect on the response from interviewers, and our actors have been highly trained to help.

 “ I found my session with Aislinn and the HR Lounge incredibly helpful.  She gave me some really honest feedback about my presentational style and some simple steps around creating more presence and delivering with more gravitas. I had a really big presentation the following week to the Council’s Senior Leadership team and was able to approach this with much more confidence. Colleagues commented on how impressed they had been which has helped to boost my confidence further.” 

Director of Regeneration - London Borough

“ I found the session extremely valuable and helpful – I have so much think about and work on which I know will benefit me immensely.  Thank you for all your hints, tips and guidance, I really do want to say thank you as I do appreciate the time you spent with me.  The time went by so quickly and you shared so much useful information with me and gave me so much to work on and follow up.“  

Senior HRBP – Public Charity 

Split Sessions

Our split sessions can host up to four individuals and are a lighter, more introductory approach to public speaking and gravitas. A split session enables us to get a small group on its feet, using exercises to coach the participants in a more holistic way. Each group will also be sent a pack of exercises to continue their development in their own time.

Workshop Sessions

Our workshop sessions can either cover half or full day sessions. We coach every level from junior to director and have worked with both public and private sector clients. We understand the need for a range of learning techniques, so our sessions include exercises for all manner of learners, using our own brand of teaching to build confidence, explain gravitas and problem solve.  Regularly, participants of our workshops get so much out of the sessions that they end up signing up for the one-on-one consultation! We are happy to come to your workplace to run these workshops, and can host up to 15 members in one sitting.

Retreat 

If your organisation is holding an away day/retreat, we are happy to discuss coming out to work with the team, rotating small teams of the workforce throughout the day or week and running targeted sessions on a variety of presentation, gravitas and professionalism issues. In this way we can cover far larger numbers of staff of all levels. Dependant on availability, we can offer both of our performance coaches and if desired, a lecture for the entire group at the end of the retreat.


Get in contact 

We look forward to hearing from you. Prices are dependent on type of session and size of group. Feel free to contact Jodi on jodi@thehrlounge.co.uk for more details.