3 Reasons Executive Presence Matters
You know your job like that back of your hand and you perform exceptionally well. You get the job done and have even received praise for the wonderful work that you are doing. However, at the end of the day, there is something missing from your career and you just can’t seem to put your finger on it. While you are doing the work (even going above and beyond) the promotions aren’t coming, and no one is banging on your door to lead their next project or team. So, what’s the missing ingredient?
According to the Center for Talent Innovation and the research they have conducted, it could be you lack executive presence. So, before we dig into why executive presence matters, let’s briefly discuss the definition of executive presence. Suzanne Bates in her book “All the Leader You Can Be: The Science of Achieving Extraordinary Executive Presence”, defines executive presence as, your ability to influence, engage, align, mobilize, and inspire people to act. When you think about what is needed out of a leader, this definition is spot on. Leaders need to know how to influence and inspire the people that they are charged with leading. If you can’t influence and inspire, then you won’t be effective as a leader.
So, now that we are clear on what it is, let’s discuss why it’s important. Executive presence is important because it differentiates you as a leader. It sets you apart from everyone else in 5 simple ways:
It taps into your authentic nature: executive presence is different for everyone. When you have executive presence, you have come to terms with what makes you different from everyone else doing what you do. You understand your unique gifts that only you can bring to an organization and you aren’t afraid of unleashing that uniqueness to stand out. There is something magical about being authentic. When you know yourself and accept yourself, you have a confidence that just draws people in and makes them want to know more about what you have to say. It’s that gravitas that people often can’t put their finger on but when you have it, people know because you stand out in ways that others don’t.
Action: If you struggle in this area, it may help to spend some time reviewing your strengths and what you bring to the table. A great resource that I found very helpful in identifying my areas of strength was the StrengthFinders assessment. You can gain access to the assessment when you purchase a copy of StrengthFinders 2.0 from Gallup and Tom Rath. The assessment is a great way to identify areas that you shine in. Additionally, you can also assess what you do best using the Career Tune-Ups Strengths Evaluation form.
It shows that you know how to connect with people: As we discussed earlier, leaders need to know how to influence people in a way that gets them to act towards the goals and objectives of the organization. When you have executive presence then you know how to connect with people in ways that build consensus. You understand the dynamics of how teams work and you are able to leverage that understanding to diffuse unnecessary conflict and keep the team focused on what the team needs to focus on. Connecting with people also shows that you know how to build relationships and leverage those relationships to make things happen. This is why just doing your job is not enough. No matter how great you are at your job, you must get away from your desk and learn to build relationships and know who to go to in your organization to get things done. Leadership isn’t about doing it all yourself. It’s about knowing how to get things done through people. Showing that you have mastered connecting with people and building relationships is very important when you are trying to stand out as a leader.
Action: If you have fallen victim to putting your head down and never coming up for air, then it’s time to stop. If you are trying to move up in your organization, you must understand that doing great work is only a part of the equation. So, spend some time getting to know people within the organization. Reach out to someone in another department that you often communicate with and invite them to coffee and get to know them. Be interested in who they are versus trying to impress them by being interesting. Another great tip shared to me by a VP in my organization, is to schedule some time each day to walk through the office and just check in on co-workers. Introduce yourself to new employees and find out who they are and what their role is in the organization. It’s important to note that these exercises should be done without expecting anything in return. Let the relationships evolve naturally.
You shows you understand how to communicate: People who have executive presence understand how to communicate up, down, and across the organization. There is nothing worse than seeing an up and comer shoot themselves in the foot by not understanding their audience. For example, when you are talking to your peers, going into great detail may be appropriate to help you come up with solutions to problems and ensure you are addressing every aspect of the problem. However, when you get in front of the executive leadership team, going through every piece of analysis is not the right thing to do. Unless they have specifically asked for all the details, when you address your executive leadership team, it’s important to be concise and to the point. They are interested in solutions. So, tell them how you are going to fix the problem.
Action: If you are unsure about how much to share with what audience, find an executive sponsor who can help you in this area. If you can’t find a sponsor, operate under this rule of thumb, it’s best to give a high-level view during presentations (it shows that you respect people’s time) and have the supporting details available if someone ask you to go into a deeper explanation.
