In my executive coaching practice, clients often ask me to help improve their “executive presence.” It is hard to find a good definition of this elusive term. Some people say “you know it when you see it.” I think a useful way to define “executive presence” is to reverse engineer what it is about people who seem to have it. I’ve had the opportunity to work with many senior executives that have had a great “executive presence.” Here are the 10 unique things I have most often observed in them.
1 – Humble Confidence – They project confidence, but in a humble way. They don’t talk about how qualified, experienced, or talented they are. They just demonstrate it with their performance. Their confidence comes from the preparation behind the scenes they do to be at their best at work each day.
Example: Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway is a legendary investment genius and one of the richest men in the world, but he does not flaunt his skills or wealth.
2 – Set Aspirational Example – People want to be like them and see them as a model for their career. People want to impress them. These executives view every interaction they have with people as a chance to either build or tarnish their personal brand, so they perform at their best in all interactions. That comes through to others who see a great example of what they want to be like.
Example: Oprah Winfrey’s life story as a self-made African American woman billionaire is inspirational. She displays remarkable consistency and grace in living up to the image that people have of her.
3 – Make it Look Fun – They smile and look like they are having fun at work, even when they are in stressful situations. They make it look like they are totally at ease in their job, and that projects competence. Like a duck, people only see their ease and enjoyment as they float through their job. They don’t see all the hard work they do below the waterline that makes them good at their job.
Examples: Richard Branson of Virgin and the late Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines both come to mind as flamboyant corporate leaders who achieved ground-breaking success while making it look like they were having fun.
4 – Poise in Crisis – They NEVER get flustered in front of others. They may feel lots of stress, but they don’t show it to others. They have trained themself to do this. It’s almost like they are waiting for crises so they can demonstrate this. They know that it is their job as the leader to give others confidence in crises, so they set the example.
Example: US President Ronald Reagan had an amazing ability to make people laugh with off-the-cuff quips even in the most stressful situations – e.g., “I forgot to duck,” and “I hope you are all Republicans,” quips as he was being taken into surgery.
5 – Speak Little, Say Much – They don’t talk the most in meetings. They let others talk and they carefully listen. When they do talk, it is well-thought out and shows they have listened and thought about the issues, often connecting the dots in a way that others have not. They carefully structure their communications to most effectively convey their insights and desires.
Example: President Lincoln’s speech to dedicate the Civil War cemetery after the Battle of Gettysburg was 271 words and lasted two minutes.
6 – Be Authentic – They mean what they say and say what they mean. People don’t feel like they are getting a sales job from them. They feel like they are hearing from the real person behind the big title. They don’t hide behind the big office and other perqs of their office. They view themself as no better than anyone else.
Example: South Africa President Nelson Mandela demonstrated a consistent integrity and authenticity over decades of imprisonment and that helped make him so beloved and respected as a leader.
7 – Set the Pace and Temperature – They speed people up when more action is needed. They slow things down when more caution is needed. They cools things down when things are getting heated, and turn up the heat when people are getting complacent. It’s like they have a superpower of sensing where people’s heads are and know when to do this just before others do. This superpower sense is really just the result of seeking feedback far and wide about how things are really going with their team.
Example: President Franklin D. Roosevelt was a master at this, creating a sense of urgency in his first 100 days with domestic programs while also keeping the US from immediately getting pulled into World War II.
8 – Absorb Risk – When difficult decisions need to be made, they step up and make them and take personal responsibility. This “air cover” lets others get on with their work without worrying if they will be at risk of getting blamed for bad outcomes. They shoulder the stress so others don’t have to.
Example: General Dwight Eisenhower drafted two versions of the message to come out after the Normandy D-Day invasion in World War II. One was to announce success and the other was to take all the blame on himself and his decision-making responsibility if the invasion had failed.
9 – Show Commitment – They show passion for the work their organization does. By showing their pride in their work, they make people in their organization proud of their jobs too. Their commitment makes the work that everyone does feel important.
Example: Mahatma Gandhi’s minimalist living style and his personal commitment to non-violent resistance inspired millions of his fellow country mates to follow his example.
10 – Have a Style – They aren’t exactly the same as every other executive. They have some unique way of doing things that makes them interesting. People notice it. It could be an interesting phrase, gesture, way of speaking, way of dressing, or whatever. It makes them a memorable character. Some team members may even be even able to do an impression of the executive.
Example: When opponents labeled her “the Iron Lady” to criticize her, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher embraced the nickname because she thought it reflected her style.
About the Author: Victor Prince is a leadership author whose books have hit the Top 100 in Amazon in several categories, have been translated into several languages, and are stocked in 1,000+ libraries in dozens of countries. He is a corporate trainer who teaches the communication and problem-solving skills used by the elite strategy consulting firms. He also is an executive coach who specializes in working with financial services and fintech leaders. His professional experience includes: consultant with Bain & Company, ex-COO of the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), marketing executive with Capital One, and Wharton MBA. You can contact him here.