It is mostly communication
Strip the mystique and presence comes down to: being clear about what you think, saying it in fewer words than others, staying steady when challenged, and listening in a way that people can see. None of that is personality. All of it improves with practice and feedback.
Clarity
Leaders with presence lead with the conclusion. "We should delay the launch. Here are the two reasons." Then stop. The habit to build is the one-sentence answer — and the discipline to give it before the explanation, not after.
Steadiness
Presence shows most when someone pushes back. Slower speech, a pause before answering, no rise in pitch. These are physical habits, which is why they respond to rehearsal: practise being interrupted and answering calmly until the calm is the default.
Economy
Talking more does not signal authority; it signals uncertainty. Measure yourself: record a typical update and count the words you would cut on paper. Then cut them out loud. The AI's transcript and pace numbers make this an exercise you can repeat rather than a vague intention.
Visible listening
Presence is also what you do when others speak: eyes on the speaker, no phone, a question that shows you followed. It costs nothing and it is noticed by everyone in the room.
How to train it
Short, frequent practice with honest feedback, ideally in front of people who will tell you the truth. That is the design of the Executive Presence & Communication Coaching programme: 15 in-person sessions in Doha, with the Speechzy app between them so the habits hold.