Executive Presence – Your Ticket to the Next Level

?? “You do not have an executive presence to be promoted!”? That was my wake-up call.

I asked - what does “Executive Presence” mean? The answer left me even more confused.

Defining Executive Presence?

Executive presence has always been a buzzword in leadership circles, but what does it mean? Gone are the days when it was solely about commanding a room with a strong voice or dressing impeccably. Today, it encompasses a blend of strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and the ability to inspire and adapt to change. For senior product leaders, mastering executive presence is crucial to advancing their careers and leading their teams to success in an ever-evolving organization.

After many conversations with leaders, I learned that executive presence isn’t about playing it safe; it’s about making impactful moves that inspire and drive your team forward. It was all about playing “up or out” v/s focusing on “being around.”

3 Ways to Elevate Your Executive Presence

Executive presence isn’t a one-size-fits-all trait; it’s a dynamic blend of qualities that create a compelling leader. To master executive presence, focus on three essential themes: Self-Awareness and Personal Growth, Strategic Leadership and Decision-Making, and Communication and Influence. These themes encompass everything from understanding and developing your strengths, making thoughtful and impactful decisions, and communicating your vision with clarity and passion to building strong, supportive relationships inside and outside your organization. By honing these areas, you’ll cultivate a well-rounded executive presence that sets you apart and prepares you to lead confidently and authentically at the highest levels.

1. Self-awareness and Personal Growth

Lead with Authenticity

Authentic leadership means being true to yourself and transparent with your team. It builds trust and fosters an environment where everyone feels comfortable bringing their “full self” to the role.

I openly shared my areas of development and learning experiences with my team, creating a culture of transparency and mutual support. I invite critical feedback and thank the team for their generosity in helping me grow.

How can you do this??

• Be honest and open in your leadership.?
• Share your values.
• Admit your mistakes.
• Thank them when they teach you something you didnt know.

Cultivate Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence involves recognizing and managing one's own and others' emotions. High emotional intelligence helps one build stronger relationships and navigate complex team dynamics.

I started practicing active listening and speaking last in meetings, ensuring every team member felt heard and valued. I openly appreciate team members who remind me to speak last. This uncomfortable feeling stings but has improved team morale and fostered bottom-up decision-making.?

How can you do this??

• Actively listen, show empathy, and be mindful of your interactions.?
• Speak last
• Share feedback privately and praise publicly (for those who prefer)

Demonstrate Resilience

Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and focus on one's goals. It’s an essential trait for leaders who face the inevitable challenges of business.

When a key project faced unexpected user reception, I maintained a positive outlook to convince my team that the hypothesis was valid. I worked closely with the team to find alternate solutions, keeping morale high and led the team to deliver significant value to our users.

How can you do this??

• Build resilience by maintaining a positive attitude and learning from failures.
• Stay committed to your objectives despite the ups and downs.

Prioritize Continuous Learning

The best leaders never stop learning. Staying curious and committed to personal and professional growth keeps you ahead of the curve and ready to tackle new challenges.

I am exploring various approaches leveraging AI to improve my workflows and be more productive. I proactively share these with my team and encourage them to share their experiences so that we learn from each other.

How can you do this??

• Invest in your development by seeking out learning opportunities.?
• Encourage your team to invest in their development areas through coaching and ongoing learning.

2. Strategic Leadership and Decision-Making

Embrace Strategic Thinking

Being a strategic thinker means seeing the big picture and understanding how different pieces fit together. It’s about anticipating market trends and positioning your product to capitalize on them.

Last year, I wrote a white paper identifying emerging opportunities and threats during a pivotal product pivot. I shared the narrative that, at the current pace, we are likely to be mediocre at best unless we rethink our strategy. I proposed product pillars toward which I would pivot our investment. This proactive approach helped us incorporate this thinking into our three-year strategy, with plans to deliver novel customer needs in 2025.

How can you do this??

• Regularly set aside time to assess your product’s position and future opportunities.?
• Frame the vision in a crisp document with actionable intelligence.

Enhance Your Decision-Making Skills

Effective decision-making is a cornerstone of executive presence. It involves making informed, timely choices that benefit your organization and stakeholders.

I developed a decision matrix to evaluate options to drive new engagement in Meta Messenger based on criteria like surfacing previously missed information, increasing product complexity, and growing users for community messaging. This structured approach highlighted each option's “traffic-light” impact, which led to an alignment decision with leadership.

How can you do this??

• Improve your decision-making by using frameworks and data-driven insights.?
• Involve your team in the process to gain diverse perspectives and buy-in.
• Pre-align with potential detractors and incorporate their input before leadership reviews.

Foster Adaptability

Adaptability is crucial in today’s ever-evolving business landscape. Leaders must be agile and open to change to navigate shifting market conditions and capitalize on new opportunities effectively.

When GDPR made domain privacy essential, I led our team to pivot and create specialized privacy bundles for domain names. With their consent, we proactively migrated users to these new bundles, ensuring compliance without disrupting their experience. For those who preferred not to opt-in, we offered automated refunds, seamlessly handling the transition without impacting our business P&L. This strategic shift safeguarded our users' information and reinforced our commitment to privacy, maintaining trust and loyalty.

How can you do this??

• Embrace change by staying informed about industry regulations and proactively adjusting your offerings to meet new standards.
• Encourage your team to be flexible and innovative by fostering an environment that welcomes new ideas and supports experimentation.

3. Communication and Influence

Build a Strong Personal Brand

Your brand reflects your values, expertise, and leadership style. Your brand reflects what others say about you when you are not in the room. A strong personal brand enhances your credibility and influence within and outside your organization.?

I began sharing insights and success stories on LinkedIn, positioning myself as a thought leader in product management and leadership. This expanded my network and opened up new opportunities, such as coaching professionals via SkillSculpt.

How can you do this??

• Define your brand by identifying your unique strengths and values.?
• Consistently communicate this brand through your actions, communications, and online presence.

Master the Art of Storytelling

Stories are powerful communication tools because they can engage emotions, make complex ideas relatable, and help audiences see how products benefit them. Storytelling can be a powerful way to communicate complex ideas and make them more relatable and memorable.

When I first proposed the idea of a Highlights Tab at Meta, I knew that data and features alone wouldn’t convince the team. A compelling narrative was needed to illustrate the real impact this feature could have on users’ lives. I shared a story about my colleague Emily, who missed important moments with her family and friends because of the sheer volume of non-personal updates in her social feed. I made the feature relatable and emotionally compelling by illustrating how the Highlights Tab would curate important moments and enable private conversations. This narrative resonated with the team, turning the idea into a unanimously supported solution that addressed a real user need.

How can you do this?

• Use storytelling to convey your vision and values.?
• Craft narratives that highlight your team’s journey, successes, and the impact of your work.

Strengthen Your Networking Skills

Building a robust professional network provides valuable resources, support, and opportunities for collaboration. It’s a key component of executive presence.

As an introvert, I am terrified of approaching a group of people I don't know and introducing myself. However, I have pushed myself to go outside my comfort zone to attend industry events and actively engage with peers on professional platforms, expanding my network and gaining new insights.

How can you do this?

• Actively seek out networking opportunities both online and offline.?
• Build genuine relationships by offering value and staying connected with your contacts.
• Offer help without expecting anything in return. The world works in mysterious ways to pay you back!

Why Executive Presence Matters

Executive presence isn’t just a buzzword but a critical component of effective leadership. It sets apart those who climb the corporate ladder through inspiration and leadership. By developing these traits, you demonstrate your readiness for the next leadership level and ability to drive meaningful change by fostering a positive, productive team environment.

Leaders with strong executive presence inspire trust, motivate their teams, and navigate challenges with confidence and grace. They are the ones who turn visions into reality and create lasting impacts on their organizations. They are the ones who give leaders confidence in their abilities to make their vision come true and are given the opportunity to lead.

TL;DR

Building executive presence is a journey, not a destination. It requires continuous self-reflection, learning, and adaptation. But the rewards are worth the effort - enhanced leadership effectiveness, stronger team dynamics, and more significant career opportunities. Start today by implementing these strategies, and watch as your executive presence transforms your leadership and propels you toward the next level of your career.

Remember, executive presence is about being a leader who commands respect and inspires and uplifts those around you. Embrace these traits, stay true to yourself, and lead with purpose. Your future self will thank you.

SkillSculpt

?? Product Managers, Technical Leads, Engineering Managers, Technical Product Managers, Data Scientists, Designers, and User Experience Researchers are leveraging SkillSculpt to elevate their careers.

SkillSculpt offers a range of services to help you level up your career, including:

• Mock interviews: One-on-one interviews with personalized written feedback
• Coaching / Mentoring: Guiding you to solve your toughest challenges

We provide you lifetime access to our library of resources to learn and grow.

If you're serious about landing your dream role, SkillSculpt is the perfect solution.?

?? Sign up for your session at https://rebrand.ly/skillsculpt today!