Executive Presence for Current and Aspiring Leaders

In my work as a corporate executive and as a leadership coach for Fortune 500 leaders, I have been researching and studying the topic of Executive Presence. I have worked at large corporations in technology roles including Microsoft, Amazon, Intuit, and GoDaddy. This study is not limited to a certain type of race and gender. My study has been broad, and it includes native English speakers, non-native English speakers, white people, people of color, men, women, and people from all walks of life. I categorize Executive Presence into three areas.

·????????Grandeur

·????????Communication

·????????Stillness

The traditional leadership ideal of the authoritative white male CEO no longer reflects today's expectations. My aim is to illuminate the preferred model now. Women and people of color should not have to conform to outdated molds, yet still must project confidence and decisiveness without triggering unfair bias. Meanwhile, those fitting the old profile can't rely on it for power. They must adapt to demands for authenticity and genuine human connection with employees. In short, effective modern leaders empower diverse voices, communicate with transparency, and foster inclusive cultures where all feel valued.

Grandeur

Grandeur is a noun that meansnbsp;the quality of being splendid, magnificent, or grand. One way to demonstrate grandeur is by showing respect for others.

True leadership requires looking beyond surface-level respect and empathy. It means dedicating yourself to understanding the lived experiences of people from different backgrounds. Seek out diverse voices, dig into research on equity and inclusion, and surround yourself with a team representing a range of perspectives. This continuous learning can uncover insights that make your business better serve both employees and customers.

The people with grandeur always look to serve others i.e. customers and employees. When we tie our mission to people, and not to profits, that inspires confidence from those around us.

Communication

How do we communicate? Or how are we received by our audiences? Albert Mehrabian, a UCLA psychology professor, and body language researcher first described the 7-38-55. It means our communication is 55% visual, 38% tone of voice, and 7% words.

For leaders in the modern era, it matters how they show up on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or virtual calls. And how their slides or artifacts are presented. These together contribute to 55% visual.?Covid-19 sped up the shift to virtual communication, and many of the executives I interviewed in 2024 told me that they struggled to master the art of leading on Zoom, Teams, Slack, and other online platforms. But doing so is key to EP today. The eye contact, the body posture, and your voice all project confidence in your organization. Yes,?eye contact on Zoom is important because that is how you connect with your audience. If you don’t get this right,?you are putting your?team alignment and impact at risk. The stakes are high.?

?“In meetings, project confidence and authority in a respectful way so that your audience supports the point you are trying to get across,” says Mark Eimer – Chief Technology Officer at Hackensack Meridian Health.

Stillness

Inner stillness helps calm the mind and reduce stress. It allows us to find inner peace and contentment. Stillness enables us to connect with our true essence. It opens us up to receive inspiration and intuition. Inner stillness presents the strength to show up with grandeur, and project confidence for effective communication. If you have a lot of chaos or confusion in your mind, you may not be seeing the best results from your ability to connect with your teams and your leaders.

Stillness takes intention and consistent work. This is something that is present deep within you and with practice and with time you can get better at it. “Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions” is a quote by Pema Chodron. Take a five-minute mindful break before a critical meeting and see the difference in how your audience connects with you.

About Mahesh M. Thakur

Mahesh M. Thakur is an executive coach who helps his clients in the areas of executive presence, courage, and team alignment. Prior to this, he was an engineer and product manager at Intel, Microsoft Bing, and Amazon. Thakur led a large organization with a $600 P&L at GoDaddy as a Vice President of Product Management. Named one of the world's top 100 executive coaches by Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Mahesh also teaches at NYU and Columbia. He has coached C-Suite and Leadership at billion-dollar corporations. He served on the board of a startup acquired by Reliance and is a limited partner at a Venture Capital Firm. Mahesh completed Stanford's prestigious Board Directors Certification. Learn more at https://www.maheshmthakur.com