Executive Presence: Get That Certain Something 

“How you act, how you speak, and how you look count for a lot in determining your leadership presence.”

–Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Being a leader takes more than solid capability. It also requires ensuring others know you’re someone who should be followed. Presence is the missing ingredient that many executives lack that keeps them from getting noticed and rising up the ranks at work.

Think of a leader you’ve looked up to and admired. Their presence drew you in and made you trust them. Unfortunately, many executives people struggle to project a strong executive presence–and it limits their effectiveness and their prospects.

Without Presence, You Don’t Get Promoted

So many professionals are brilliant, flexible thinkers with creative ideas–but because of the way they present themselves at work, they’re not seen as promotable. From poor grooming to mumbling to being too shy to speak up, the lack of strong executive presence creates a roadblock to being viewed as management material.
 

When a hard-working supervisor executive is repeatedly overlooked for promotion, lack of executive presence is often the cause. Weak presence can be the sole obstacle standing between you and the career you want.

What is Executive Presence?

Executive presence is a leadership skill that can be a little hard to pin down–though we all know someone with great executive presence when we meet them. One of the easiest ways to understand this concept is to think of the Latin word gravitas, which is variously defined as high seriousness or solemn dignity.

Leaders with strong executive presence project self-confidence, appear in control, motivate others in difficult situations, and can make tough decisions fast. They possess an inner strength that’s apparent in everything they do.

Standing Out With Your Own Style

It used to be that the way to display executive presence was to imitate your boss–how he (almost always a he) dressed, acted, even his hobbies. That’s all changed in our more diverse modern workplaces. Now, presence requires rising executives to stand out with their own unique look.

For an example, check out Bain & Company chair Orit Gadeish. A 6-foot-tall Israeli woman was going to stand out anyway, so Gadeish ran with it. She rose to the top of the global consulting firm starting in the ‘90s, with a look that included short skirts, chunky jewelry, and purple hair. It wouldn’t have worked for many others, but her personality fit the look, which became part of her iconic brand as a cutting-edge business thinker.

Do You Need Executive Presence? 

You’re never too young or new at your organization to start building a commanding presence. If you have any aspirations of moving up, think about how you show up in your organization and start winning respect with how you present yourself. You make the transition from individual contributor to leader only with strong executive presence.

Develop your unique personal brand, remain consistent, and project confidence–and you won’t be stuck in a small box at work, going nowhere. Impress with executive presence and it makes others consider you an authoritative voice that’s worth hearing.