Every leader brings a certain presence to the table, to a gathering & and more importantly to an organization. In many contexts, the presence of a leader can change the mindset of the people that they work with, their attitudes, and sometimes their performances. In the corporate landscape, the word we use is “Executive Presence”.  

What defines Executive Presence? why do some leaders have it more than others? Can this be learned as a skill? Today we attempt to answer the above questions.

Loosely put, Executive Presence is a person’s ability to lead and inspire people with confidence, make decisions under pressure, and instill genuine belief and trust in the senior stakeholders that one can achieve great results.

So, what is Executive Presence built on and what are the factors that decide whether one’s Executive Presence can influence the people around?

Authenticity:  Being authentic as a leader is the foundation on which executive presence is built on. What you see is what you get or close to it. Our ability to be honest about ourselves, our strengths and perceived weaknesses and to show that in our actions….is the first glimpse of our presence that people see and relate to. If we are not authentic then we are walking on thin ice when it comes to being confident and building trust.” Actions communicate a lot more about a person than their words”. Cliched, but true.

Ability to manage emotions: A leader is expected to make critical decisions under pressure. Hence their capacity and their ability to be cool and calm can be a big plus and can create an atmosphere wherein people can feel a sense of psychological safety in their actions and be accountable for them. A M.S Dhoni and a Ratan Tata are great examples in the Indian context of being able to manage their emotions and inspire people to great achievements. Understanding our triggers and being more self-aware about our strengths and perceived limitations can be great dimensions to build our Executive Presence upon.

Confidence: A leader’s ability to back themselves up and inspire people with their confidence in their decision making and to make their stakeholders believe in them, is a great trait that builds a leader’s presence and charisma with their stakeholders.

Empathy: To seek first to understand things from another person’s point of view and then being understood is the hallmark of a leader who displays the ability to be influenced by the other person’s point of view as much as they would put their point across and expect the person to be influenced by their point of view. This is another critical personality trait of leaders who are sure of themselves and are not afraid of being wrong and are emotionally secure in their skin.

Communication skills: According to research, leader’s ability to articulate and communicate their vision to their respective stakeholders is a critical part of their executive presence. Leaders who are assertive communicators bring in clarity of thought to achieve the goals of the organization. Their ability to emphatically communicate their point across with conviction and belief, to listen and understand others’ perspectives and bringing in others’ strengths and synergies, builds on the leader’s presence and aura.

Grooming and attire: Adding on, communication just does not mean, verbal communication. The leader’s way of dressing up is also a critical part of the leader’s presence. A physically fit leader, who is agile is perceived differently as opposed to someone who is obese, unkept, and perceived to be unhygienic and scattered.

Can Executive Presence be learnt?

The short answer is yes. But how?

To begin with, one must start reflecting on which industry they operate in, what are their long-term goals, their career aspirations, their strengths, and their perceived weaknesses, and most importantly on being emotionally intelligent. This in itself is a journey of self-discovery and not a destination. Every role that leaders perform, require a different level of skill and presence. With every role, one must reflect on the skills required to sustain and grow in the roles that they are in. That may be the first part of the jigsaw puzzle to look at.

Furthermore, feedback from important stakeholders is a great way to understand how you are received and perceived by them. Feedback as they say is the “breakfast of champions” and one must have this very often to deepen our presence with others.

Additionally, a better understanding of your emotional makeup and what gets you going and what doesn’t is a critical aspect of building your presence from the inside out.

Last but not the least, a coaching mindset is another great skill for both young and the seasoned leaders to operate from and weave this skill in their communication with their respective teams.

In either case, whether it’s online leadership development training or offline leadership development programs in India or Asia, GrowthSqapes, as one of the best corporate training companies In India has strong capability and successful history of building Executive Presence in leaders across all industries.

This blog has been written by Rupender Singh Khaira, an Associate Partner with GrowthSqapes