Have you ever wondered what makes a business executive look like, well, an executive? If you’ve given it any thought, you’ve likely noticed a few things about top leaders that stand out. First, they look the part, meaning, whatever environment they’re operating in—from the basement of a tech start up to the C-suite in a FORTUNE 100 corporate office—they present a visual image that says “I’m a leader here”. Next, they carry themselves with a certain air of confidence and swagger. People conclude they’re in charge because they act like they are. Lastly, they speak with authority, expressing a self-assured demeanor as they do. If these three things resonate with you, you’ve picked up on the important cues senior managers often transmit. Now let’s take a quick tour of the ABC’s of executive presence, exploring each one in turn.

1. Appearance is how you present yourself in the workplace in terms of dress, grooming, and posture. It’s true standards of dress have changed over the past few years thanks to the remote work revolution, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a dress code where you work; every place has them—formal or informal. Regardless of your environment, it’s essential you take the time to understand how you’re showing up looks-wise at work—your success depends on it. If everyone in your athletic apparel company wears hooded sweatshirts, jeans and trendy sneakers in the office, showing up in a button down shirt and a blazer sends the unmistakable message that you don’t understand “how we do things around here”. Whether you’re trying to fit in or thoughtfully stand out, you need to demonstrate you know the rules of the game when it comes to dress code and grooming.

2. Boldness shows calm, courage, and confidence in the face of challenging situations and the ability to speak honestly and directly even when you’re feeling uncomfortable. One of the characteristics that we value in leaders is confidence. It give people the feeling that no matter what happens, the challenges we’re facing or opportunities we’re exploring will work out favorably—and should the not for some reason, we’ll still be okay. As leadership author Peter Bregman points out in his Harvard Business Review of the same name, “Great leaders are confident, connected, committed, and courageous.” All of these embody the boldness we want, even seek, in our leaders.

3. Communication relates to how we express our ideas when speaking or presenting. As far as leadership effectiveness is concerned, communication is one of the most important skills to be developed. Seasoned executives radiate presence when they speak, projecting their voice clearly with words that are easy to understand. In terms of message delivery, professionals don’t use filler words like ‘um’ and ‘you know’. They’re also thoughtful regarding the pace and tone of their speech so they can reinforce important messages. Some of the best known politicians were former actors and their aplomb delivering messages became hallmarks of their time in office.

There you have it: The ABC’s of executive presence—Appearance, Boldness, and Communication. You need to check your appearance, making sure you fit in before you try to stand out, consider how bold your physical presence is, and review your patterns of communication. Together these three components of executive presence engender confidence and inspiration in colleagues. Sprucing up any one of the three areas will improve how you’re perceived as a leader and quite possibly your overall effectiveness too.

If you’d like to learn more about executive presence, check out the Twelve Skills brief Enhancing Executive Presence.

Serious about improving your skills? Get the companion guide to the Twelve Skills book the Twelve Skills Executive Presence Workbook. Packed with thought provoking activities, hands on exercises, and bonus material, it’s a proven way to boost your knowhow. Best of all, IT’S FREE! 

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