In my previous post I spoke about the importance of executive presence.  Executive presence can help decision makers trust that you’ll be able to manage well in different situations.  It can influence your access to opportunity, and help you have confidence in yourself.  Today we’ll go over how to build executive presence.

While some people have a natural talent for executive presence, others will need to practice. With that said, everyone should focus on improving their executive presence. As you acquire more experience in your career, you will be more often required to have a strong executive presence.  So everyone, regardless of experience, needs to continually focus on improving his or her executive presence.

Steps to build executive presence

    1. Communicate your vision in a compelling manner

Be an excellent listener, ask questions, and listen with interest to others’ points of view to inspire confidence while leaving your mark of being a great communicator.

It is imperative that your vision and goals are communicated clearly. Present your ideas in a way that is attractive to others by having their best interest in your mind.  Think of what is best for the organization and the members of your team. Express your thought process in a way that makes it is easy to follow.

    2. Present yourself as you want to be seen 

Having excellent executive presence should make you aware of how others perceive you.  An appearance appropriate for the place where you are conducting business and that reflects the culture of the organization inspires confidence and trust.  Your image should be in tune with the level for which you are aspiring.  A distracting appearance may minimize your achievements in the eyes of those in charge and lessens your chance of finding supportive peers.

In addition to your appearance, your posture, speech, and mannerisms send a signal that people can recognize.  Whether you present yourself as approachable, authoritative or sensible, it will have an effect on people’s response towards you.  Presenting yourself in a way that creates trust, lets others know that they can count on you when the need arises.

   3. Learn to function effectively during stress  

It is easier to trust and give responsibility to someone who consistently remains calm as opposed to one who appears frazzled and overwhelmed. A volatile temperament and acting continuously rushed send the message that you cannot be trusted with important tasks.

Especially in times of crisis, those who have good self control and can operate in a collected manner will be attractive to decision makers to be selected to become future leaders.  Knowing this early on in your career will benefit you long term.

    4. Cultivate a rich network

People with strong executive presence can influence challenging situations in a productive direction by understanding the dynamics of their team and the nature of these relationships. They usually have professional diplomacy and relate effectively to people at all levels, having a positive impact.

A strong network facilitates interactions between different people and teams.  Besides, a rich and varied network is a great asset when differences in values threaten to affect the integrity of the organization by creating a positive difference that benefits all.

Remember, striving to build executive presence is a continuous work in progress. At times you will need to redirect your focus according to the evolution of your career.  The way you adjust will become more significant as you progress and gain experience.

Generally, investing time to work on and to excel on having a well rounded character, where you are seen as trustworthy and reliable, will take you a long way.  Furthermore, being an excellent communicator whose ideas are compelling and easily understood by those around you makes you likable.  Don’t forget that your appearance should go hand in hand with your character and the image you want to project, especially when your intention is to be good at building  strong relationships and engaging with a broadly diverse network.

Dr. Landrau is a keynote speaker in Houston, TX. She works with organizations focused on retaining women in the workforce and promoting them to executive levels. Her talks about leadership and women’s empowerment, help professional women how to work on their mindset to obtain visibility and recognition to become phenomenal leaders in their industry. 

Hire Dr. Landrau to speak at your event by sending a direct message to drlandrau.com/contact