In the professional world, Executive Presence is a silent force that can make or break you.

• It's a quality necessary for professional success.
• It's a skill that can be developed.
• Most importantly, it is something that is often misunderstood.

At its core, Executive Presence can be summed up as: "The amount of confidence others have in you".

It's not the suit you are wearing, the brand-name purse on your arm or the luxury car you are driving.

So, you may be wondering if you have Executive Presence, or how can you learn and develop this skill. 

Let us dive deeper into this misunderstood skillset.

1. The Importance of Executive Presence

First impressions matter and exuding Executive Presence is the "X" factor that can elevate a competent professional to a visionary leader. Whether you're giving a presentation, leading a team, raising capital, making a sale, or engaging with clients, possessing Executive Presence will help you stand out as a confident, credible, and influential figure. In other words, it helps build trust between you and the party across you.

2. Lack Of Executive Presence Is Often Cited As The Reason Job Candidates Are Rejected

When evaluating job candidates, employers are not only interested in the candidate's qualifications and experience. Candidates who lack Executive Presence may struggle to inspire confidence in their abilities, credibility in their stories and ineffective communication in their conversations.

To put it another way, employers are not buying what you are selling. If you cannot articulate your worth, value and strengths, you are leaving opportunities on the table. The good news is that it's never too late to discover your superpowers, craft your story, and learn to impress others.

3. Executive Presence's Impact On Entrepreneurs

For entrepreneurs, Executive Presence is the force that attracts investors, wins over clients, and rallies teams behind a shared vision. Whether pitching a business idea, selling to a customer or negotiating deals, entrepreneurs with Executive Presence can instill trust and credibility.

If you don't have confidence in yourself, your abilities and your own product or service, then how can you expect potential customers, investors or business partners to have the same. 

4. Addressing Controversies Surrounding Executive Presence

It's important to acknowledge the controversies surrounding Executive Presence, particularly regarding its potential to marginalize minorities. In recent years, discussions around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have highlighted how traditional notions of Executive Presence may inadvertently favor certain demographics, perpetuating systemic biases.

Words like DEI and Executive Presence have been politicized. This is why it's important to educate and correctly define the meaning of these words and their true intention. That is why I consistently define Executive Presence as: "The amount of confidence others have in you".

Remember, Executive Presence isn't about you adapting, adhering or assimilating to society's expectation of you. It is about you displaying your leadership, strengths, and professionalism with empathy and grace.

5. How Do I Develop The Executive Presence Skillset?

Because Executive Presence is a skillset, it can be learned and improved on. Here are some actionable steps to cultivate Executive Presence:

• Confidence Building: This means believing in yourself, your values and your abilities. Know what you are good at. Know what you are capable of. Know your values. Additionally, keep a growth mindset. Confidence is about knowledge and practice. Learn "it" and practice "it".
• Communication Skills: Hone your communication skills, including public speaking, active listening, and non-verbal communication, to effectively convey your ideas and connect with others.
• Discover Your Superpowers: Perform a self-audit on your experiences, its results, the skills you've developed and your professional impact. The more you know about yourself and your capabilities, the more confident you will be in expressing how you can help others.
• Emotional Intelligence: Be sure to understand and manage your emotions, as well as empathize with others, fostering positive relationships and rapport. Without empathy, it is almost impossible to exude Executive Presence. 
• Professional Image: This doesn't mean you must change who you are as a person or lose your cultural identity. No, you don't have to change your hairstyle or comply with someone else's definition of what is "professional". But, maintaining a professional image does require practical common sense. For example, when attending a wedding, your dress attire shouldn't be a bikini. The same common sense goes for a job interview, or a business meeting. Finally, be sure to pay attention to your demeanor, and body language to project professionalism and authority.

I've been teaching Executive Presence workshops at corporations and graduate schools for the past decade. It is a powerful asset offering a pathway to success for individuals and businesses alike. By understanding its importance, and actively developing it, you can unlock your full potential and thrive professionally.

If you are interested in discussing how you can improve your Executive Presence, schedule a call with me or learn more about Executive Presence coaching here.

In sum, if you want to impact, influence and impress others, you will need to learn and develop the Executive Presence skillset. That doesn't mean you have to nail every leadership trait out there, but it does mean you should focus on improving a few of those that will elevate the confidence others will have in you.

Thought Of The Week

A weekly thought to meditate, ruminate, and/or ponder on:

Am I Confident In My Abilities?