Star Ranch sunrise painted by my Aunt Hermine*

You know it when you see it. Executive Presence is intangible but unmistakable.

“When leaders with executive presence speak, people listen. They inspire that I’ll-follow-you-anywhere loyalty, conveying an aura of warmth and authenticity to everybody from the receptionist to the CEO.” (Business Week)

5 Ways to Show Executive Presence

🌀 Grace

“How would you describe yourself?”, I asked a past client. He responded, “Grace under pressure.” It’s no surprise that he was a Senior Vice President of a very successful urban real estate company in Chicago. To show Executive Presence you must be like this client – maintain composure and poise during challenging times, and be adaptable and flexible when handling the unexpected.

🌀 Image

Another client wanted to work on this very issue of Executive Presence. He was a senior level executive running the AI department of an international company. Yet, he leaned back – literally and philosophically. His image was not congruent with the culture of his company. As a starting point I asked him to sit tall and stand tall. To project a professional image means your language, attire and behavior needs to be consistent with the norms established within your organizational culture.

🌀 Self-Awareness

One of the tenets of emotional intelligence aka EQ is self-awareness. I tell my clients that a high IQ is a given (or you would not hold this successful position). It’s EQ that distinguishes who the best leaders are. Strong self-awareness includes understanding others’ perceptions and motivations in addition to your own impact as a leader.

🌀 Confidence

Self-assurance is key to Executive Presence. The old adage, “Actions speak louder than words”, is true. Your nonverbal behavior is a critical component of showing gravitas. Eye contact, poise, gestures, posture and your facial expression can support or detract from your presence.

🌀 Communication

Our blog is all about how to communicate to grow your business. Regarding Executive Presence, some compelling communication guidelines are: be clear, understand your organizational dynamics, gain buy-in with others, and manage relationships throughout your company.

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Executive Presence is NOT just about showing charisma. This is good news to over half the population; you do NOT have to be an extrovert!

Executive Presence is about communicating your image with confidence, self-awareness and grace.

🌀 * Bonus Tip

My Aunt Hermine painted this sunrise captured at my weekend Star Ranch. She embodied all of these Executive Presence concepts for all 99.5 years of her life. My suggestion to you: find role models, not to copy but to emulate. She was a role model for me.

© 2024 Karen Cortell Reisman, All rights reserved