Use Executive Presence to Springboard Your Career

In a previous blog post, we discussed what is meant by “executive presence” and some of the characteristics of leaders who display this quality.

In this post, we’d like to briefly discuss ways lower-level managers can develop and apply executive presence to get noticed by the right people in ways that can advance their careers.

Executive presence is a combination of emotional intelligence, credibility, authenticity, decisiveness, presentation skills and other intangible skills that make someone an acknowledged and respected leader. While executive presence seems like an elusive talent that someone is either born with or not, it can be acquired and nurtured by addressing three essential factors: gravitas (meaning dignity, seriousness, and purpose in style and mannerisms), communication skills, and image projection.

The best leaders know that executive presence can be cultivated, developed, and practiced just like any other career skill. If you’re working hard and have some expertise in your field, polishing up these factors could be the missing links that take you to the next level. So, let’s take a brief look at each of these factors:

Gravitas

An excellent way to project this quality is to be considered an expert in a particular discipline or task. Therefore, know your subject matter cold when presenting in a group, leading a meeting, or engaging with a client. Strong subject matter expertise fosters confidence, a key component of gravitas.

Also, become comfortable working a room. Knowing how to connect with people and leverage contacts that benefit your team and company adds to your gravitas. Even introverts can become good at this art with enough determination and practice.

Finally, make “I keep my cool no matter what” a part of your workplace DNA. A leader who goes haywire when things go south (even slightly) can lose their air of gravitas in a flash. We all have tough days at work, but gravitas is about responding to difficult situations thoughtfully and calmly, and not letting the emotional pendulum swing too wildly one way or another. So, when problems arise, remember this: stay calm, stay focused, and move to generating the solution.

Communication

How well you communicate is an important criterion for how much executive presence you can be credited with.

Exceptional presentation skills stand out as a key way to demonstrate effective communication. While many of us would rather do just about anything rather than give a presentation in front of a group, this invaluable skill can be acquired with training, practice, and effort. Start small, maybe in team meetings or one on one with colleagues or reports, as a way to build your public speaking confidence. Then when you’re ready, progress to incrementally larger groups.

Informal speaking is just as important as “formal.” Fine-tune your small talk skills. Knowing how to engage other people in a variety of topics they find of interest further projects your executive presence. Furthermore, staying well-read and up to date on the latest major news in your industry and related industries ensures you’re prepared to keep up with any group chat.

For body language, remember to stand up straight with shoulders back and take up the full space accorded to your position at the table. Look people in the eye when talking to them and have a pleasant resting expression that shows interest. Convey decisiveness, openness, and accessibility in all your gestures, postures, and handshakes. In a group, move toward those talking instead of hanging back on the outskirts.

Professional Image

How you look can say a lot about what kind of leader you are. Despite the current move towards ever more casual dress in the workplace, make an effort to look polished, neatly manicured and groomed, and dressed in the style you see in senior leadership in your industry. This is not a matter of dull conformity. You don’t have to lose your individuality when appearing in ways that elicit respect and authority in your field. If you’re unsure, take the step of working with an image consultant. A few sessions along with a shopping trip or two could pay dividends for years as you become infinitely more knowledgeable about how to look your best.

To summarize: showing up with confidence, conveying credibility, putting audiences at ease, and always maintaining composure are traits that get employees promoted. (According to Coqual, formerly known as the Center for Talent Innovation, executive presence accounts for 26% of what brings you to the next level.)

When you’re ready to move up in your career, executive presence is a powerful tool for success. Practice it, hone it, and use it to take you further and with greater speed.

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We’ve coached numerous leaders on communication and emotional intelligence, two important aspects of executive presence. If you’re looking for an executive coach to be by your side to develop your presence to accelerate your progression to higher levels of leadership, contact us to begin a conversation.

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