💃🏻 4 Strategies for Developing Executive Presence
What is Executive Presence?
Have you ever witnessed a leader walk into a room and deliver a message that has the audience glued to her every word? She has an indescribable quality that everyone can recognize, but it can be challenging to articulate what “it” is.
That’s because executive presence isn’t one isolated quality, but a powerful combination of factors that elicits confidence, builds trust and motivates others to rally behind your ideas and vision. Essentially, it’s how people experience you. As a leader, having a strong executive presence helps you command attention, influence others, and increases others’ confidence in your ability to lead effectively.
Why is Executive Presence for Women Important?
When you first enter the workforce, you’re rewarded for your knowledge and the set of skills that you bring to the table. However, as you progress in your career, you may begin to realize that skills alone aren’t enough to move you up the ladder.
Research has shown that “executive presence” accounts for 26% of what it takes to get promoted into leadership positions.
Those who demonstrate strong executive presence are more likely to be seen as credible and capable, so it’s a major factor in how others evaluate your leadership potential.
Over the years at Her New Standard, we have seen participants in our women’s leadership programs experience this impact. As women learn how to show up more powerfully, it’s not unusual for them to receive new opportunities and promotions as a result.
Can Executive Presence Be Cultivated?
If you think about the women leaders you respect, it’s likely that most of them have evolved their leadership presence over time – they weren’t simply “born with it.” This is good news, because it means there are actionable steps you can take to strengthen your presence.
Before delving into these specific actions, let’s begin by exploring the foundation of executive presence – your mindset.
Why Having a Leadership Mindset Matters
Your mindset begins with your core beliefs. Your values and beliefs shape your thoughts and opinions, which then drive the actions that you take and the outcomes that you achieve. In other words, your mindset dictates the results that you get.
Here’s an example:
Belief: I am smart and capable.
Thought: I have a unique perspective my team can benefit from.
Action: I take an unpopular stand on a project we are considering.
Results: The team makes a better decision as a result of my point of view.
This is also true with executive presence. What happens on the inside impacts how you show up in front of others.
