Cara Alter

Founder of SpeechSkills, public-speaking expert, and author of *The Credibility Code*. Her work focuses on how nonverbal communication—including posture, voice, and mannerisms—shapes perceptions of confidence, credibility, and leadership presence; she is also a TEDxUofW speaker.

Specific Behaviors Can Close the Gap Between Intent and Impression

Public-speaking expert Cara Hale Alter argues that judgments such as “not confident” or “not approachable” can reflect specific behaviors, not fixed character traits. Drawing on 25 years studying nonverbal communication, she identifies posture and voice as key cues to visible credibility: a steady, aligned posture and a voice calibrated to the room can help others see a person more as they intend to be seen.

TEDNov 8, 20267 min read