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 strive to emulate her, but I do it by being myself– loud laugh, bald head, and bold attitude and all. I learned to do that by acting like I was an alien from another planet: observing how she spoke in meetings, requested work products, and provided feedback. It was a masterclass in executive presence.The Center for Talent Innovation advised that executive presence is made up of three things: Communication(28%), Appearance (5%), and Gravitas (67%). Gravitas is how you speak, look, and act. It’s also the core internal trait of composure and decisiveness that anchors executive presence.
Emotional Intelligence plays a large part in gravitas, and we’ll discuss that next.
Emotional Intelligence is the ability to perceive, control, and evaluate emotions.
Some believe you’re born with it, and others believe it can be taught and strengthened. I’ve talked about the importance of EI as a leadership superpower that everyone can strengthen, but I want to get into more detail about how this plays a part in executive presence.
Solid self-awareness and self-management are key to checking yourself without wrecking yourself at work and beyond.
If you can, identify what emotions are bubbling up in the moment and ask yourself what you need to regulate and move forward with those emotions, you’ll know when, how, and where to express yourself appropriately.
One way to check your executive presence is to get a fix your face buddy. If you’re anything like me, people can see what I’m thinking before I even say a word. But I had a great co-worker who used to send me chats or text messages to remind me to fix my face.
Show Your Ask: Ask for feedback.
Ask whoever it was that said you needed to show more executive presence for specifics. What does it look like to them? What does it sound like? That data will help you determine whether it’s something you can work to improve upon or if it’s truly an excuse for something else they’re not being clear about.
Whatever you do, don’t fake it. The human brain can detect fake behaviors from a mile away. You want to keep it real and professional.
Is executive presence code-switching? My short answer is no. But I’m going to dive a little deeper so you understand where I’m coming from. EP isn’t about contorting yourself, shrinking your identity, or performing a version of professionalism that makes others comfortable. It’s about demonstrating the behaviors that build trust in professional settings through clear communication, preparation, sound judgment, confidence, and follow-through. Adapting how you communicate to meet the moment is leadership range; feeling pressured to erase who you are is assimilation.
You can be intentional and professional without losing authenticity.
How you show up, the energy you bring into the room, how you prepare for meetings/presentations, or how you carry a conversation all make up executive presence. Think about the people who possess it, then add your own personal seasoning so showing up at work — and for yourself —shines through in a way that’s 100% authentically you.
You got this!
Yours truly,
Your Fairygodmentor®
About Joyel Crawford:
Joyel Crawford is an award-winning career and leadership development professional and founder of Crawford Leadership Strategies, a consultancy that empowers results-driven leaders through coaching, training, and facilitation. She’s the best-selling author of Show Your Ask: Using Your Voice to Advocate for Yourself and Your Career.
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