‘Executive Presence’: Not Just for Executives | 3 Key Traits to Elevate Your Leadership Presence

EXECUTIVE PRESENCE. The term often conjure images of powerful CEOs in tailored suits, effortlessly commanding attention in boardrooms. The result of this perception? The average mid-career professional overlook it as part of the arsenal of skills they need to navigate today’s competitive professional landscape and job market.

So, I was intrigued when over 500 participants registered for a masterclass in executive presence I facilitated for a prestigious Ivy League college recently. They were not members of the corporate elite.

Instead, the vast majority were ambitious professionals; emerging leaders across diverse fields who want to improve their performance, elevate their career and achieve their individual goals.

What is Executive Presence?

While it’s often associated with the corporate elite, executive presence is not just for executives, or about titles or corner offices.

It’s a crucial skill for professionals and emerging leaders, and a key ingredient for career success in any industry

Think of executive presence as that “X-factor” that gives you the ability to inspire confidence, build trust, and influence those around you. It’s about harnessing your authentic self, communicating effectively, and presenting yourself with confidence, both in person and in the digital realm where we spend a lot of our time today.

Executive Presence: 3 Key Traits

Executive presence boils down to three crucial factors:

Gravitas: Simply put, this is the weight of your character; who you are at your core. This is your. personality and human skills, core values and capabilities. Think empathy, listening skills, integrity and decisiveness. Gravitas is the foundation of executive presence. When you lead from your authentic self, you are able to remain composed, especially when faced with challenges. Gravitas is also about illustrating knowledge and expertise, a track record of success, an ability to deliver results and make sound decisions. Sylvia Hewlett, writing in the Harvard Business Review, argues that:

“While confidence and decisiveness have not gone out of style; those are still the most-sought-after traits contributing to gravitas, which accounts for the lion’s share of executive presence. However, inclusiveness, in all its manifestations — respecting others, listening to learn, telegraphing authenticity — has shot onto the list of the most-valued components of all three dimensions of executive presence. That change reflects the new weight of diversity, equity, and inclusion in business strategy.”

She insists that as a result of this change:

"Women and people of color no longer have to fit into the old mold fashioned by white Euro-American CEOs, yet must still cultivate a confident, decisive, polished, and commanding persona. This is while white leaders must stretch themselves in new ways to meet evolving expectations for leaders to be “real”?—?online as well as in person?—?while simultaneously ensuring that team members feel seen, heard, and valued".

Communication: Effective communication is the cornerstone of leadership. It’s about articulating your thoughts and ideas with clarity and conciseness, whether you’re speaking to a colleague, presenting to a team, or writing an email. Professionals with strong communication skills are able to build rapport, foster understanding, and inspire action. This requires understanding your audience and being able to adapt your communication to meet their needs.

It also requires being able to draw on your human skills to connect with your audience in such a way that they can really hear your ideas and rally support for them. It is critical to remember that 70 per cent of communication is non-verbal. Leaders with executive presence understand how to master both verbal and non-verbal communication and how to communicate effectively both in person and online. To achieve this, consider communication skills training.

Appearance: In a world where first impressions matter, how you present yourself visually plays a crucial role in demonstrating executive presence. This encompasses your physical presence?—?your attire, posture, and body language. There is no need to show up as someone you are not, Understand your own aesthetic and personal style and dress for the occasion and ensure that you are always looking polished, neat and professional.

Also be mindful of. your virtual presence. In today’s digital age, your online persona is an extension of your professional self. How you appear on video calls, in virtual events, and on social media contributes significantly to your overall executive presence.

How to Cultivate Your Executive Presence

The good news is that executive presence is not an innate trait reserved for a select few. It’s a skill, a combination of learned behaviors and cultivated habits that anyone can develop.

Think of inspiring figures you admire. For me, I think Michelle Obama or Barack Obama. Their commanding presence wasn’t something they were born with; it was honed and refined over time.

Firstly, self-assess. Evaluate your strengths and areas for growth. For example, maybe you have a strong track record of success in your field of expertise but need to develop greater composure under pressure. Maybe you dress well and turn heads when you enter a room, but need to work on your confidence or communication skills. Being honest with yourself is a helpful start point.

Next, intentionally set yourself the goal of working on those areas that need the most improvement. This could be through formal training, mentorship or coaching.

By focusing on your individual needs and actively working on areas that require improvement, you can unlock your leadership potential and ultimately start to project a presence that inspires confidence and commands respect.

In Case, I Lost You...

Executive presence is not just for executives; it’s a vital skill for emerging leaders in any field. Cultivating executive presence empowers you to project confidence and competence, and inspire trust in your abilities and judgment.

With strong communication and interpersonal skills, you are able to build strong relationships with colleagues, mentors, and stakeholders, as well as effectively persuade others, and mobilize support for your initiatives.

When you exude leadership qualities, you’re more likely to be seen as someone with the potential to take on greater responsibility and drive organizational success.

In other words, by focusing on gravitas, communication, and appearance, you can unlock your success in your career and position yourself for higher level leadership responsibilities.

Dr. Hume Johnson is a leadership coach and professor of communication. She empowers individuals and organizational teams to leverage their personal brand for exceptional performance and leadership success. She is the author of three books, including the popular personal branding guide, Brand YOU: Reinvent Yourself, Redefine Your Future.