Leadership beyond words
Why embodiment, voice, and presence shape credibility, connection, and impact
Leadership impact doesn’t start with having the words right
What makes a person a leader, before they have even spoken a single word? Some people enter a room and something shifts. The atmosphere, the attention the focus. Not loud, not dominant, yet unmistakably present.
Actors are deeply familiar with this phenomenon, as they work attentively with presence, body, voice, and inner attitude.
As an actress, Andine brings this distinctive perspective, often described in literature as embodiment.
So, what can leaders learn from actors when it comes to the proverbial embodiment of leadership? That is what I discuss today with Andine Pfrepper.
During a joint pitch training, one of the coaches said to you, “It’s always so wonderful when you’re there, Andine, because you look at things in a completely different way than we do.” That sounded like a very different experiential space. Does it happen to you often that people notice something like that?
Yes, it’s something I notice quite regularly. Of course, it depends on the environment. When I’m not working in theatres as an actress, I’m usually in spaces where people are socialized very differently than I am: Different education, different professional backgrounds.
One of the very first things you learn as an actress is not to “go on stage and perform,” but to observe. Observation is the foundation of everything I do, whether I’m developing a role or working with someone in a coaching setting.
That’s fascinating. Because my own leadership experience reminds me of being expected to have answers. And having answers often meant not enough time to observe first. My clients would ask me: “Based on your experience, how long does a project like this take?” They don’t want me to ask 50 clarifying questions, even though that would be the rational thing to do. They want my experience. You work in the opposite direction. When you observe, let’s say in a pitch training or when working on stage presence, what are the two or three key things you look at first?
Before answering that, I want to briefly respond to what you said earlier. Of course, I’m also asked questions like: “From your experience, how long does it take to learn this?” or “What’s the most common issue?” But I’m primarily hired to change something. And to do that, I first need to understand what is currently there.
What I look at first is the body: posture and body language belong together for me. How is someone inhabiting their body? What is their level of tension? What does that tell me about their stress level, either in that moment or more generally in life?
Then I look at breathing. Breath is the foundation of life, without it, we collapse. But it’s also a key tool for regulating the nervous system and for connecting the voice to the body.
And the third element is the voice itself. How does it sound? Is it stuck in the throat? Is there a separation between voice and body, or does the person communicate intuitively from a grounded place?
There are clear patterns. Some people are deeply connected to themselves, their voice sounds full. Others are disconnected, and the voice becomes pressed, higher, tenser. And depending on how the voice sounds, we form an impression of a person. Their impact emerges from that.
I observe parameters that are technically visible, and the effect they create. From there, I can identify where to intervene to change that effect
The impact is something all of us perceive intuitively, even without training. But you understand which parameters create it. How did you move from classical acting into coaching in the business world?
Talking about impact: I don’t invent it. Others can perceive it too but often describe it subjectively or based on taste. I aim to describe impact in a way that relates to changeable behaviour. Why does someone seem authentic? Why credible? What happens in body, breath, voice, speech rhythm, modulation? That competence comes from a different background, mine being theatre.
To your question on why not focusing on acting solely: I love acting deeply. But I don’t enjoy dependency. On stage, you embody freedom but working in theatre is often far from self-determined. Early on, I felt the desire to work more independently, to choose where and how I work. I explored online work, coaching, communication. I had voice issues during drama school, which led me to study communication, teach yoga, and deepen my understanding of people, voice, relationships.
Eventually, I combined everything. Today, I work with startups, entrepreneurs and leaders – translating stage craft from acting into business appearances. My clients carry responsibility, and their messages matter: they want to be heard, create change and leave a lasting impression. Contributing to something meaningful matters deeply to me.
I’ve also portrayed strong female roles, like Elizabeth I, women navigating male-dominated systems. These characters are historical, but the themes they face are still deeply relevant today.
Which of Elizabeth’s themes feel most relevant today?
One central theme is the assumption that women are “too emtional” and therefore lack judgment. Elizabeth must balance being human and emotionally alive while remaining composed to be taken seriously.
That tension, between approachability and clarity, warmth and authority, is incredibly contemporary.
Do you see differences between men and women when they appear on stage?
Unfortunately, yes but there are always exceptions. Women often prepare extremely thoroughly and feel insecure if they’re not perfectly prepared. Men tend to trust themselves more, prepare more loosely, and therefore remain flexible.
Both approaches have strengths. Over-preparation can reduce adaptability. Under-preparation can reduce depth. There’s much both could learn from each other.
Introverted people, regardless of gender, often share similar challenges: energy management, visibility, networking.
That’s where embodied techniques become crucial, tools that work even when energy is low.
As a professional for impact on stage: What’s your absolute no-go during business stage performances?
Starting to speak before actually arriving. When someone steps on stage, both they and the audience need a few seconds to arrive. Eye contact, grounding, breathing, letting silence do the work. Silence can magnetize attention. Being able to say nothing and still be seen is a powerful skill.
Many leaders aren’t natural performers. What are the fundamentals that always work?
Body. Breath. Voice.
Then: speaking with full stops. Ending sentences. Allowing pauses.
Pauses create connection. They allow processing. They show leadership.
Leadership is not bulldozing, it’s anchoring.
And in a time where we see a lot of bulldozer communication both politically and socially, why do you remain optimistic?
Change starts in one’s own sphere. I believe the answer to bulldozer communication is not more bulldozing, but a grounded counterforce: clear, values based, dialogical communication.
Communication is about values. About presence. About action through speech. If we stay rooted in that, others will feel it.
