Executive Presence: Don’t Confuse Competence with Leadership
Revel Coach
Helping leaders improve revenue results by cultivating a positive workplace culture.
I worked with a man who rose to the top of the corporate food chain because he was competent. When the company restructured, he didn’t make the cut. Why? He lacked executive presence.
Frank was a fixer, of sorts. There wasn’t an engineering design problem he couldn’t solve. Management loved him because he “got stuff done.” However, he would stomp into a room, screaming for his employees to “pick up the pace,” “cancel your vacation,” or “get it right next time!”
We’ve all encountered people who overcompensate with arrogance or bluster, mistaking projection for true leadership. That was Frank.
In a world teeming with talented individuals, executive presence is the X-factor that sets leaders apart. It’s an intangible quality, characterized by integrity, clarity, humility, and rapport. We admire individuals with executive presence because they make the complex seem simple and the difficult, doable. Frank didn’t inspire. He demoralized.
Sylvia Ann Hewlett is widely credited with popularizing the term "executive presence" in her work, The Sponsor Effect, referring to the combination of qualities and behaviors that project confidence, authority, and leadership in a professional setting. Qualities that inspire.
The good news is that executive presence is teachable. According to Sally Williamson & Associates, a leading communications consultancy, most (98%!) of the executives survived admitted that their leadership skills were cultivated rather than innate.
Developing executive presence involves earning trust, honing communication skills, collaboration, and building relationships.
Do you have Executive Presence??
Ask yourself, “Am I trustworthy?”
Integrity is the bedrock of credibility. It can’t be commanded; it can only be earned. If Frank were the antithesis of executive presence, David would be the model.
David’s motives were always transparent, consistent, and reliable. He answered questions and encouraged input from all team members, regardless of their roles. My teammates and I knew we could count on David’s assistance if we needed it. Trustworthy leaders inspire team confidence through collaboration and risk-taking. This, in turn, drives more substantial organizational outcomes and individual advancement.
Ask yourself, “Is my message clear?”
Through effective communication, leaders create clear messages with a mix of logic and empathy to build bridges between ideas and emotions. Frank’s bark was often followed by a bite. He used his aggression to command attention, leaving his team on edge. David, however, used directness combined with understanding when communicating.
Leading with both head and heart, leaders with executive presence connect diverse audiences and fuel innovation through sound messaging.
Ask yourself, “Do I collaborate?”
Not only are trustworthy leaders great communicators, but they rely on feedback to ensure their message resonates with their audience. When things were hard, David rolled up his sleeves and joined the team, asking for input from even the most junior employees. When problems were solved or projects completed, he’d ask how things could be improved and actively listened to suggestions.
Individuals who seek collaboration demonstrate a commitment to growth and development.
Ask yourself, “Do I build strong relationships?”
Leaders who build strong relationships with their team members earn trust and create a positive work environment. No one on David’s team felt left out, singled out, or unimportant. Yet, he held us to high standards that we wished to achieve on his behalf. David modeled for all of us how executive presence breeds success.??
Let’s REVEL in Amping Up Our Executive Presence
For those who struggle with self-doubt, remember that executive presence is a skill, not an innate trait. By consistently working on these areas, you can enhance your leadership abilities and achieve greater success.
Create a Vivid Vision:
Visualize your interactions with your peers, subordinates, and managers in 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years. What challenges do they bring to you? What advice do they seek? How do you respond?
By envisioning future professional interactions, you can anticipate potential challenges, tailor your approach to effectively address them, and position yourself as a trustworthy advisor who can communicate effectively.
Align Action:
To achieve your vision, you must align action daily. Schedule regular check-ins with colleagues and actively seek feedback while also investing in professional development and mentorship opportunities to enhance your skills and relationships. Organizations such as Toastmasters offer online and in-person opportunities to help members improve their public speaking skills and build leadership abilities while maximizing their potential in a supportive environment. Effective communication is key to building strong relationships and achieving shared goals.?
Embrace a Growth Mindset:
Relying solely on past successes or strategies may not be sufficient for future achievements. Growth occurs with continuous learning, adaptation, and innovation to overcome new challenges and reach higher goals. Consider taking a free online course from Softskill or signing up for an Executive Education Program from top universities such as Cornell and UPenn.??
Celebrate Joy:
Joy is found in the small things. Celebrate showing up for yourself and others, doing the work toward continuous improvement, and asking clear questions about your projects, progress, and potential.
Signs of Success:
Several key indicators can highlight tangible improvement in executive presence such as:
Above all, becoming an effective communicator gives you a competitive advantage in the workplace by enhancing your self-confidence and self-awareness. Your executive presence will flourish with targeted feedback and opportunities to refine your skills.
Ultimately, success is a personal journey. Think about individuals who inspire you to reach for more.? What makes them trustworthy, quality communicators, open to collaboration, and relationship builders? These are your role models. Executive presence is the art of saying it with integrity, clarity, humility, and conviction.
It is executive presence—and no man or woman attains a top job, lands an extraordinary deal, or develops a significant following without [the] heady combination of confidence, poise, and authenticity that convinces the rest of us we’re in the presence of someone who’s the real deal.
---Sylvia Ann Hewlett, “Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success”
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