by Leslie Rohonczy, Executive Coach, IMC, PCC | ©2024 | www.leslierohonczy.com
As a leader on a career path to the Executive floor, you may have been told to invest in developing your ‘executive presence’. That term gets tossed around in leadership development discussions and HR conversations, often without a frame of reference for what it means or the specific actions required to develop it.
WHAT IS EXECUTIVE PRESENCE?
Pinning down a singular definition can be elusive. Definitions will vary across corporate cultures and can be influenced by the company’s strategic goals, your leader’s ‘wiring’, HR’s leadership competencies and talent grid criteria, the company’s culture around the level of accountability, the scope of decision-making at each leadership level, and your own beliefs about what it means to "take up your leadership space."
What constitutes executive presence in a brand-new tech startup might look very different from what it means in a traditional legal firm. But at its core, executive presence is the ability to project confidence, gravitas, and authenticity that inspires, influences, and steers the organization toward success.
ENABLER #1: AUTHENTICITY
Think about someone with an amazing leadership presence who you’ve observed in action. They likely come across as strong in their convictions, well-engaged with people, and passionate about ideas. They probably seem genuine in their thoughts and emotions and exude a balance of confidence, humility, and curiosity.
In fact, a compelling leadership presence is fuelled by authenticity. There’s little point in projecting a false, curated version of yourself. For one thing, people can often suss that out a mile away; for another, it inhibits your ability to be present with others, or your capacity to focus on what’s happening in the moment. The drive to control others’ perceptions of you is performative and focused on the fear of others’ judgment. This ‘protection instinct’ can often get in the way of truly authentic executive presence.
Think of your leadership authenticity as a magnet, attracting people to you. When you are present, and demonstrating your authenticity, others will want to offer you their authentic selves as well. As I’ve covered in previous articles, the higher up in leadership you climb, the less willing people may be to speak truth to power. But when you can show up authentically, and fully present, you allow others to become present, too. They feel seen and heard by you and it becomes safer for them to tell you what they really think.
When your leadership presence brings out others’ authenticity, you elevate everyone. And authenticity is required to build trust with others. Trust doesn’t rely on facades. It lets others reveal their true thoughts and selves. And speaking of trust…
ENABLER #2: FIVE Cs of TRUST
Executive presence is the medium through which trust and ideas travel. Trust is the conduit of influence, and the only way to establish real trust is by being present. trust allows us to accept the possibility of failure while knowing that if we fail, we won’t be knocked off our axis as a result. And each of us pays attention to distinct aspects of trust, depending on our unique wiring.
Here are the ‘5 Cs of Trust’ – see if you can determine which one is your go-to, and which one(s) you want to experiment more with:
CONSISTENCY: How reliable we are to do what we say we will, and how intentional we are about our yeses and our nos. Our consistency can be observed in our actions, in how we hold ourselves accountable for commitments. It’s how we do what we say we’ll do, when we say we’ll do it.
COMPETENCE: Our abilities, standards, skills, and demonstration that we know what we’re talking about. It’s part facts, knowledge, theory, and skills; and part presence (how we look, act, speak, and communicate). It’s also humility to say we don’t know, when we don’t, instead of pretending to know more than we actually do. People often see through smoke and mirrors eventually.
COMMITMENT: Some people look for the passion in someone’s eyes to know they are trustworthy. Making our commitments visible helps inspire the trust of others. Commitment helps us have productive conflict that moves everyone forward.
CONNECTION: The focus is on creating close, open, accepting connections, others will open up to us more easily because they trust that we won’t judge or criticize them when they’re being vulnerable. They feel seen and heard and can be themselves when they most need to.
CARE: We show that we’re concerned with the welfare of others, rather than pushing our agenda solely for our own benefit. Showing care for others looks like being a good listener, genuinely wanting to understand others’ experiences and emotions, and help them. We demonstrate care with our congruent words and actions. Caring also means offering your observations and feedback with candor, to help the other person grow their awareness (care isn’t about being ‘nice’ while withholding important information the person needs in order to grow).
ENABLER #3: POWER SOURCING
Understanding the difference between personal power and social power is essential for developing executive presence.
Personal power is an internal resource that fuels your most confident and authentic self. It’s about being open, optimistic, and willing to take risks. Personal power gives us the ‘power to’ control our own emotions, states, and behaviors. It’s limitless and rooted in self-assurance, enabling us to lead with integrity and resilience. Personal power is driven by self-confidence and authenticity. Personal power fosters trust and open communication. Personal power is sustainable and grows with self-awareness and continuous improvement.
Social power, on the other hand, is about dominance, influence, or control over others. It’s a finite resource focused on having ‘power over’ others. Social power often seeks control and can lead to fear-based leadership, which undermines trust and collaboration. Social power is driven by a need for control and dominance. It can create fear and reduce team morale. Social power has limited longevity and can diminish over time because it depends on external validation.
As you grow your executive presence and experiment with balancing personal and social power, remember to dial up intimacy, not intimidation. Building relationships based on trust, empathy, and genuine connection is far more effective than exerting control. Contrary to the common myth, power doesn’t corrupt; it reveals. How you wield power, whether personal or social, reflects your character. Choose to lead with personal power to inspire and elevate those around you.
ENABLER #4: NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION
What we say with our bodies is far more extensive than what we say with our words. Non-verbal communication, including body language, facial expressions, gestures, and sounds, is a critical aspect of developing your executive presence.
Your body language should be congruent with your words, and when it’s not, others notice. A confident posture, firm handshake, and steady (although not creepily long) eye contact can convey authority and assurance. Standing tall with shoulders back and head held high projects confidence and readiness. Using hand gestures to emphasize points conveys enthusiasm and creates a powerful, engaged presence, but overuse can be distracting. Be mindful of your facial expressions to ensure they align with your message. Remember that when we’re under stress, others will believe our non-verbal reactions before our words.
ENABLER #5: ACCURATE SELF-ASSESSMENT
Developing executive presence requires a willingness to self-assess, seek feedback, experiment and adapt, and to continuously improve. Regularly observing your behavior in different situations, taking note of what works and what doesn’t, and then reflecting on your interactions will help you acknowledge your strengths, and identify areas for improvement.
Actively seeking feedback from colleagues, mentors, and peers can provide valuable insights into how others perceive your executive presence. Based on these third-party observations, and your own self-assessments, you can experiment with adjusting your approach and behaviors to see what resonates best with you and your audience.
Your commitment to ongoing growth and development (through experimentation, books, workshops, coaching, mentoring, and leadership trends) will enhance your executive presence over time.
SELF-OBSERVATION EXERCISE
To understand and develop your own executive presence, try this self-observation exercise:
Reflect on Influential Leaders: Think about leaders you admire. What qualities do they possess that contribute to their executive presence? Is it their communication style? Their ability to stay calm under pressure? Their knack for inspiring others? What is it that resonates for you?
Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses: Take an honest inventory of your own leadership traits. Where do you excel? Where could you improve? Consider seeking feedback from trusted colleagues to gain additional insights.
Notice Where Your Power Comes From: Notice how you source your power. Is it an internal resource that helps you manage your emotions? Does it feel authentic or performative? Is it about dominance, influence, or control over others? What evidence do you check to know you’ve got the right balance?
Observe Your Body Language: Pay attention to how you carry yourself in different situations. Do you stand tall and make eye contact? Make yourself smaller to avoid confrontation? What small adjustments to your posture and gestures might change how you are perceived?
Evaluate Your Communication Skills: How effectively do you convey your ideas? Are you clear and concise, or rambling? Practice active listening and aim to be more deliberate in your speech.
Developing your executive presence is a continuous journey that requires self-awareness, humility, courage, and consistent practice.
If you're ready to take your executive presence to the next level and elevate your impact as a leader, I invite you to reach out and connect with me for Executive Coaching development. Together, we will create a tailored plan to enhance your inspirational leadership skills, build your confidence, and ensure you’re making the impact you aim to achieve.
