Executive presence: the what, the why, and the how.
Edition 27 of Forward+
1 big idea worth considering.
“I want to have more executive presence.”
It’s something I hear often from clients, and on some level that statement bewilders me. It bewilders me because as a former executive, and having been surrounded by executives for many years, this elusive “executive presence” has looked completely different from person to person.
It’s akin to humility. You know when someone has it, but you can’t pinpoint exactly why.
Executive presence is often cited as the quality that separates successful leaders from the rest. But what is executive presence, and how can you develop it? How can we make it practical and actionable?
Confidence is the cornerstone.
At the heart of executive presence is confidence. This is a debatable point, but when we think of the core functions of an executive, one of them has to be the ability to inspire confidence in others. And that confidence has to derive from the person inspiring it.
Confidence isn't just believing in yourself. It's about having clarity regarding where you're headed and how you'll get there. When you exude confidence, it inspires trust and belief in others, compelling them to follow your lead.
Confidence isn't arrogance. It's a quiet assurance in your abilities and vision. When you walk into a room, your demeanor should convey, "I know where we're headed, and I'm taking us there." This sense of direction creates an aura that draws people in and makes them want to be part of your journey.
But how do we build that confidence?
Now, let's get practical. How do we go about building executive presence via the cornerstone of confidence?
Seek feedback. This may seem like an unlikely place to start, but stick with me. The best executives don’t pretend to have all of the answers. They can’t, by design. Oftentimes they’re too removed from the front-lines of the business to understand the reality that their teams are dealing with. Confidence comes from clarity, and clarity comes from deep insight. The only way to acquire deep insight is by consistently receiving feedback from those closest to the day to day groundwork of the business. If executives are closed off, or positioning themselves as “above” the minutiae of the business, they won’t be able to inspire confidence in their teams because their team will (rightfully so) view them as disconnected from reality.
Communicate clearly. The quickest way to kill executive presence is to use ambiguous, unclear communication. People read through this immediately. When an executive’s language is rambling and filled with buzzwords, the result is always the same: saying a lot while saying nothing at all. You can likely think of an executive from your career that didn’t speak very often, but when they did…everyone listened. These are the executives that are irreplaceable. They don’t speak often, because they know their time is better spent listening, absorbing, and developing concrete opinions. Clarity, remember? When executives are constantly inserting their own opinions and trying to control every conversation, it’s a mask for not having confidence in where they’re headed.
Authenticity is everything. I think this point is why the topic of executive presence has always bewildered me. The best executives all present themselves differently, which is what makes it hard to pinpoint the “what” of executive presence. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t any connective tissue between them. Authenticity is that connective tissue. The best executives display more of themselves, not less. When clients tell me they want more executive presence, this is the reason we start by amplifying their strengths, not changing who they are. A recent example: a CEO that I coach felt very comfortable and confident in 1on1 meetings, but felt like he was supposed to be someone different in a group setting. This created a tension in him that he couldn’t resolve. Instead of changing him, we talked through ways to bring more of what makes him great into those group settings. And as soon as that light bulb went on, the tension resolved and we had a tactical path forward.
Be present. Think of the best executive you’ve ever been around. If I had to guess, that person didn’t make you feel small. I’d bet it was the opposite. They made you feel empowered, they made you feel seen, and they inspired you to do your best work. That empowerment doesn’t come from being physically present and mentally distant. It comes from the here and now, with that executive making you feel like you’re the only person in the room and that you matter. Focus on the moment, ask thoughtful questions, and engage intellectually and emotionally with those around you. Without this, you default right back to being the executive that is disconnected from the business and the people within it.
Building executive presence is a skill you can cultivate and refine over time. So, what's next for you? Start now. Seek feedback. Communicate clearly, and reserve yourself when you feel that persistent itch to make your opinion heard. Be you because your team can read through inauthentic communication and behavior. Be the executive that is present and engaged with whoever they’re talking to. And remember that confidence is the cornerstone.
As you continue to develop your executive presence, you'll become the leader others look up to and aspire to follow.
2 Kindle highlights worth considering.
The sword was not made to be used by the mouth.
“Attention is the beginning of devotion,” writes the poet Mary Oliver, pointing to the fact that distraction and care are incompatible with each other: you can’t truly love a partner or a child, dedicate yourself to a career or to a cause—or just savor the pleasure of a stroll in the park—except to the extent that you can hold your attention on the object of your devotion to begin with.
3 links worth exploring.
Using the Needs Stack for competitive strategy. (A Smart Bear)
Building a culture where employees feel empowered to speak up. (Harvard Business Review)
Your manager’s dirty little secret: they want you to manage them. (Dave Kline)
That’s a wrap for this week’s edition of Forward+.
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