World-famous businesspeople and philanthropists has executive presence and even though they are all different, they showcase composure and confidence that enables them to easily connect with other people. Some develop executive presence through experience while others hire executive presence Boston MA coaches. It’s likely that you, as an employee or business owner, also need to develop executive presence when planning a new business venture, motivating staff, or getting a promotion. So exactly how important is it? According to surveys conducted by independent firms, executive presence is second on the list of top leadership traits in making a difference.
People with strong executive presence tend to display the following traits. But keep in mind that you don’t need to be the most outspoken or sociable person in the area just to portray executive presence.
Charisma: Those who have executive presence easily draw other people towards them. Oftentimes, this is achieved by developing appropriate listening skills and the ability to keep yourself at the moment. Doing so shows the people you’re talking to that you’re focused on them and what they have to say instead of being distracted by other things you’re also doing at the moment. It shows how much they matter.
Composure: Essential components of executive presence are understanding others and self-awareness. The key is to be able to recognize another person’s emotions as well as your own before managing an appropriate response.
Credibility: Apart from the content that you provide, the language that one chooses to deliver the message will affect your overall credibility. Various filler language like ‘so’, ‘hm’, and ‘uh’ diminishes your presence. The same goes for minimizers like ‘this might not really be a good idea but..’, ‘sort of’ and ‘just.’ Whenever people with string presence speak, those around them take note without a single hint of doubt as to the conviction in their words.
Confidence: In executive presence, a key aspect is communicating with utmost confidence about what is said and how it is delivered. In order to look confident, proper posture is important next to correct eye focus. Be sure that you speak only during eye contact while properly managing eye focus; this is especially true if you’re talking to more than one person. Facial expressions should also match the message being delivered alongside pace, volume, and pitch. Lastly, you have to dress the part so pick out a great outfit.
Connection: When communicating, it’s important to engage others and make the listeners comfortable. One of the best ways to connect with the listener is to evaluate the challenges that come with your specific communication style, ways to overcome them, and how to effectively adapt to other people’s styles.
Conciseness: Taking the wordy approach kills one’s presence. Apart from understanding exactly what you want to communicate, it’s crucial that the message is concise. Once the message has been delivered and verified, go back to asking what else you may share regarding the idea. Doing so ensures that you’re on point and only expanding parts of the topic that listeners ask for.
Clarity: Exuding presence means that you know how to clearly communicate with others. If the entire point is unclear, be prepared to lose attention. Think about ways to get the message accord to ten or fewer words.