Have you heard of “executive presence”? Yes? Or no? If not, you need to know about it immediately. Executive presence is the ability to project gravitas—and helps you command the attention of the room. It makes people want to listen to you. And, according to a study by the Center for Talent Innovation, senior executives surveyed said that “executive presence” counts for 26% of what it takes to get promoted. It is an important trait in leadership.
Here we list down some traits that leaders with strong executive presence have as a guide to strengthen your own!
4 Traits That Professionals With Strong Executive Presence Display
Composure
No matter how dire the situation is, the ability to control your emotions, recognize emotion in others, and manage your response to them is a key component. Not losing your cool is important!
Communication and Engagement
Leaders with strong executive presence know how to connect with their audience. Communicating with your audience and keeping them engaged is critical. Not only do you need to be able to speak well, with clarity, concision, and as little fillers like “uhm”, “uh”, “ah”, etc. as much as possible, but you also have to listen well. Draw others to you, enrapture them, and keep them “at the moment” by tuning yourself to their responses. This way you’ll know if they really listen to you or not. Here are some tips to sharpen your communication skills and mastering the art of body language!
Confidence
The way you carry yourself is a key aspect of executive presence. The way you dress, the way you stand, the way you seat, the way you walk, the way you talk, and everything that exudes how confident you are in yourself makes your presence bigger.
Credibility
Communication and engagement are important as mentioned earlier, but you also have to be credible. Say whatever you want to say with conviction and with facts only. Avoid using minimizers like “just”, “sort of”, and “this may not be a good idea but…”. You have to clear about what it is that you want to express, and learn to stand by your words.
The key to your success is just within reach. We hope that these traits will help you develop your executive presence!
