Executive presence: your leadership secret weapon

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“We convince by our presence.” - Walt Whitman

Ponder this…

What does it take to rise to the C-suite??

If you ask most senior leaders or mentors, their answer will probably include some mention of “executive presence,” that rare combination of self-confidence, poise, and authenticity that inspires others to believe in and follow you. It’s the “star power” or “je ne sais quoi” of the leadership world. Author Sylvia Ann Hewlett describes it as “the missing link between merit and success.”?

As a leader, you are judged by your presence just as much as you are by your performance. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider the impression you’re making on others. While we know when executive presence is missing, how to develop it is a more difficult-to-answer question. If you’re ready for your presence to mirror your performance, here’s where to start.?

Start with feedback

If you lead, or aspire to, understanding your impact on others is essential. Solicit feedback by creating an anonymous survey to get candid responses or hold one-on-one meetings with trusted friends and colleagues. Aim to receive feedback from your manager, direct reports, colleagues, and mentors, using questions like:

• How would you (briefly) describe my style of presence?
• What’s your general perception of me?
• What can I do to communicate with more impact?

While it may feel awkward, asking your manager for this feedback will signal your interest in your professional growth and career development.

Consider your communication?

Everything you say and do sends a message. How you communicate - both verbally and non-verbally - is inextricably linked to your presence.?

When speaking, aim to be clear and concise and use confident, action-oriented language. For example, rather than saying, “I wonder if…” say “I see it this way, based on X, Y, Z.”? Also consider your tone of voice. Do you project your voice, or speak softly? Do you uptalk - raising your pitch at the end of a statement so it sounds like a question - or do you speak declaratively?

Beyond the words you choose and your tone of voice, consider your non-verbal behaviors. Do you make good eye contact and stand up straight? Or do you look down and avert your gaze? Does your appearance match the image you want to project??

Your voice, body language, and appearance are all a part of your message and contribute to your presence. Be authentic to yourself but also to the kind of leader you aspire to be.?

Try new behaviors

Based on the feedback you receive, experiment with one or two presence-building behaviors to practice. For example, if you received feedback that you often seem flustered in meetings, you might practice behaviors that signal composure, like using more pauses in your speaking or keeping your body more still. Study a leader you admire, and take note of what they do that makes them so effective when commanding a room.??

Projecting a balance of warmth and competence is a common trait of influential people. Warmth signals that your intentions are good, and competence supports you in acting on those intentions. However, that balance can easily be tipped in the wrong direction, especially when we are the less-experienced person in the room. To increase your presence, it may serve you to adopt one or two behaviors that are more powerful. This could look like expanding your personal space or using fewer verbal qualifiers such as “just” or “I think.”?

Stay present?

Finally, remember that you must be present to have presence. Keep your focus in the moment, and avoid multitasking or thinking about work that’s piling up while you’re in the meeting. Instead, demonstrate that you’re fully present by asking thoughtful questions or sharing comments that logically follow from the conversation.?

When you stay mentally present, you’ll be more attuned to the discussion and the other people in the room (or on Zoom). This enhanced awareness helps you show up in more intellectually and emotionally intelligent ways and demonstrate higher levels of executive presence.

Executive presence isn’t an inherent characteristic. Rather, it’s an acquirable skill you can build and develop with time. Start now, and take the steps toward becoming the leader you want to be.

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