Executive presence involves a combination of personality traits, skills, and competencies that signal leadership qualities. Leaders understand the importance of executive presence to influence others, advance their careers, and drive results. Executive presence is how a leader's ability to command attention and engage an audience. Some keys to developing executive presence include having a clear vision, understanding how others perceive you, strong communication and listening skills, building your professional network, performing well under stress, and maintaining a professional appearance.
2. Executive presence is 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. To others, it's the leader's ability to
command the room.
4. • Have a vision,and articulate it well.
• Understand how other experience you.
• Build your communication skill.
• Become an excellent listener.
• Cultivate your network and build political savvy.
• Learn to operate effectively under stress.
• Make sure your apperance isn’t distraction.
5. • Speak a little louder
Speaking up doesn’t mean shouting or talking as if to a class
of illiterates. But in an era of 24/7 global communications, of
messaging and social media, it would be easy to assume that
the English language united the people of the world and that
is ALL that a Western business executive needs.
6. • SPEAK A LITTLE SLOWER
This is respectful of the audience, as it allows time for them to
digest the message. It also shows that the speaker believes he
or she is worthy of airtime, another sign of confidence.
7. • THINK HOW YOU ARE PERCEIVED.
In terms of executive presence, perception is as important,
perhaps even more important than what is said.
If the way you communicate comes over as lecturing or
careless of where you are or whom you are talking to (the
one-size-fits-all syndrome), your audience will not warm to
you.
8. • AVOID REHEARSED OR ‘FUNNY’ LINES
Prepared jokes usually fall flat. They often do not translate
easily into the language or mindset or expectations of your
teams or international audiences.
9. • USE LOCAL REFERENCES FOR COLOUr
Local references may mean knowledge of national or
religious customs, as well as sensitivity to the business
culture of the country in question.
10. • LEARN SOME LOCAL PHRASES
It is remarkable when travelling in different countries
around the world how readily smiles appear and doors open
when someone who is not local speaks a phrase in French or
German, Chinese or Arabic.
11. • BE CLEAR ON YOUR ENTRANCE AND EXIT LINES
Good CEOs never stumble their way through greetings. They
understand that “good morning” and “good afternoon” are
what everyone else says and does. Strong CEOs make
themselves and their points memorable, and they begin and
conclude them in a confident manner.
12. • BE RELEVANT AND ON POINT
Be on point with a message, story or tip for the audience you
are addressing. Whether it is functional, geographical, or
regional, whether it is made up of regulators, partners or
investors.