Three Strategies to Demonstrate Executive Presence and Be Recognized as a Leader

What qualities should a successful manager possess?

Decisiveness – The ability to make the right decision at the right time.

Leadership experience and intelligence are always at the top of the must-have skills list. Right after that comes executive presence. We have all witnessed how, when a leader enters a room, attention naturally shifts toward them. Heads turn in their direction. Leaders know that, to progress, influence others, and achieve results, they need to have executive presence. These qualities help leaders gain credibility and influence others.

Executive presence is not a new concept, but it is one of the key factors to consider when mapping out a career path.

While the concept of presence may seem vague, it starts to make sense when you think about the qualities of successful managers. Presence is not a single skill but rather a combination of core leadership competencies that, together, form the foundation of a high-capacity leader. That said, while presence is often considered a key element of career success, there is concern that organizations are not doing enough to help employees develop the necessary skills to build it.

True executive presence is not about being extroverted. Even introverts can have executive presence. It’s not about making more noise, either – it’s about cultivating many subtle qualities that reflect confidence, competence, and credibility.

Through close work with leaders across a wide range of companies of various sizes and industries, we have examined executive presence in four main dimensions:

Confidence – At the core of executive presence lies confidence. Whether it’s a conference call, sales meeting, or presentation, it is important to demonstrate belief in yourself and your perspective. This is built through how you look, how you speak, and how you carry yourself in important business settings.

Communication – Successful leaders have the ability to convey a clear message so that the people they lead understand exactly what is expected of them. Communication is not only about verbal skills; it also includes nonverbal cues such as eye contact, body language, and gestures – signals that others interpret as confidence and competence.

Credibility – A solid reputation is one of the cornerstones of executive presence. Your personal brand is the support you receive for everything important you aim to accomplish. Credibility also means recognizing your weaknesses and listening to how others perceive you. The key is self-awareness.

Connectivity – Successful leaders naturally have strong relationship-building and management skills. The quality of your professional relationships reflects your capacity as a leader. These relationships are also key to building trust and increasing brand awareness. Leaders who lose connection with their colleagues often have no idea how they are perceived by others. This blind spot can undermine executive presence.

Now that we know what executive presence is, we must determine how to build and enhance it.

This is not an easy task, but it is well within reach for aspiring leaders. Here are three strategies that can help you develop your executive presence:

1. Model someone with executive presence – Think of someone you believe has a strong executive presence. What qualities do you admire in them? Is it their credibility, their communication skills? Then ask yourself: which of these qualities do I already have? How can I become more like them?

2. Ask for feedback – Ask someone you trust to rate your executive presence. Get honest feedback on how you perform in situations that require it. Request that they describe your leadership brand in connection with your presence. Without an objective and clear understanding of how others see you, you cannot improve it.

3. Understand that executive presence is not innate but can be learned – Developing personal skills that have been thoughtfully considered and practiced can be extremely effective in building a stronger presence.

   
   

Executive presence is a core element of being a successful leader. While not everyone is born with it, this skill can be developed through self-reflection and attention to the image we wish to project in our interactions with others.

Vicki Foley – Lee Hecht Harrison