I recently posted an article titled, Executive Presence — Everyone Wants It — How to Get It. After reading it, several of my readers asked me, “Now that I understand what executive presence is give me some ‘how to’ tips.”
Here we go.
How to Get Executive Presence
Find a style role model: this can be someone you know or a person you admire from afar. Observe their demeanor. How do they enter a room, make a point, or participate as an observer in a meeting? Where do they sit and how? Do you know they are in charge just by the way they carry themselves? How do they become ageless, so no one will consider that they might be too young or too old for the position? Do they fit the culture and image of the company? How do they do it? Watch carefully. Takes notes. Imitate.
Dress for the next level: You want and deserve a promotion? Dress like you already have the job. There might be a very subtle difference but do it. Start with your grooming (hair, nails, condition of your clothing) and work your way down to your shoes. I am not suggesting you go out and spend north of $500 on a pair of outrageous soles. What I am saying is you buy the best you can afford, imitating the look of higher priced. Your shoes don’t have to have red soles or a brass insignia to be considered for the next title.
Map out and build a wardrobe: Stop impulse or comfort shopping and purchase items you planned to buy and will enhance your current collection of work clothes. If money is tight, shop thrift and consignment shops in the wealthiest neighborhoods. These are great places to find cheap, but high end, accessories (some of my favorite items came from these places).
Find a great tailor and a shoe repair shop. Nothing looks worse than ill-fitting clothes. If they are too long, the waist is too big, the sleeves too short, spend the money and get them right. Correct fit makes every article of clothing look twice as good. Buy good shoes and keep them for years with the help of a professional. These men and women are magicians and ultimately will save you time and money.
Communicate like the leader you want to be: Analyze the person’s communication style. When and how do they e-mail (especially length, word choice, and layout), speak face-to-face (where and when) or even use the phone. How do they get their point across; deliver unpopular or even bad news? How often do they contact others and who gets on the copied list? Does your role model have a variety of communication styles to choose from and do they select one appropriate to the audience and situation? Watch and copy.
Listen to the volume and tone of their voice, the way they use it for emphasis and to gain attention or consensus? When do they pause? Is their diction excellent? Is yours? If they are not a native English speaker, have they worked to make their speech understandable to the average listener?
How does your role model demonstrate confidence? Deal with stress and pressure?
Listen for how the leader you admire does small talk (this is something most people dread). Some will argue they don’t but that’s not true. Experts at this form of communication know how to ask questions without appearing intimidating; know how to find common ground with almost anyone and are genuinely curious. They appreciate there is a time and place for this and use it strategically to put people at ease, make them feel special, and to learn more about the person.
Gravitas: “A seriousness with dignity” is something I have mentioned in other articles. What does it look like? Simply, your affect and comportment match the situation at hand and the mood in the room. The most common mistake people make, especially women, is smiling too much. I know this sounds silly or even petty, but people read smiling, or worse grinning, as a message that they are not serious. Nothing could be further from the truth, but it is how their expression is interpreted and in turn how the presenter is viewed.
Another is cheerleading or over the top enthusiasm. Again, it is read by many that the speaker is faking it or not appreciating the magnitude of the discussion, especially when the topic is challenging. It’s fine to be passionate about a subject, it is another thing to look like a ball of emotion.
Finally, being too casual or too familiar can be viewed as a lack of executive presence. The workplace has shifted dramatically with a more informal atmosphere and a less hierarchical structure. What hasn’t diminished is the importance of hitting goals and solving problems. Younger, more junior staff members are the most common offenders of formality. Their language, delivery, and body language can be read as not caring or not taking the topic seriously. This is generally not true, but it is unwelcome and raises suspicions about the person’s commitment and intent. Identify it in others and catch yourself.
Professional workspace: Take a look at your workspace and then glance around at the offices of more senior leaders? Do theirs look organized and ready for thought? Does yours say “overwhelmed doer”?
A bit of personal adds something to your space but randomly hung photos or inspirational phrases say, “I didn’t have the time or the inclination to make this special.” Cleanliness of workspace says something about you and is a gift you need to give yourself. You might not be at a level where someone takes care of these chores, so you may need to do it yourself until you have an assistant. Take the time.
Monitor yourself: Literally, take a good look in the mirror or the glass as you walk through the office. What do you see? Do you have an executive presence? If you can make a video of yourself, you can learn much. Even a selfie can give you a more objective look. Accept that you can’t do this alone and ask a good friend to help you with the project (or hire a coach to get it right). Trade advice and compliments. Catch yourself making the changes and look for opportunities to do it again. Set a goal with a time frame. Admit you will make mistakes or not meet your expectations. Try again knowing this takes practice and experience. You can do it.
Learning by observing others you aspire to be, monitoring your language, dress, body language, and seriousness are all ways to achieve a higher level of executive presence. It takes commitment and practice. The stakes are high and the rewards great.
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