Dear Fairygodmentor®, I’ve been told I need to ‘show more executive presence.’ What does that even mean?
– Totally Confused
Dear Totally Confused, Great question! What is executive presence? Why do you need to show more of it? And why is it even important?
It’s a confusing term for a subjective workplace behavior.
Some define executive presence as “a blending of temperament, competencies, and skills that, when combined, send all the right signals. Leaders know they must embody executive presence to get ahead, influence others, and drive results. Leadership development professionals know they must help their executives develop it.”
I define it as the leadership IT factor. Think about some of the leaders you know who have great executive presence. Can you visualize them? Great! Now, it’s time to study them.
One of my late Fairygodmentors had amazing executive presence. She would walk into a room and make an impact while not saying a word. She was sharp, graceful under pressure, spoke only when she had something impactful to say, and was just …magical. The other thing that made her stand out was that she was real. Authentic.
And that’s what I’ve been doing for more than 20+ years: I s...