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Develop Your Executive Presence

Written by: Roger Ingbretsen

Article Overview: Individuals in an executive position should develop their executive presence (a person’s manner of carrying themselves) if they want to be more successful. Certain characteristics and behaviors are signs of executive presence and can be developed.

Develop Your Executive Presence

Executive Presence is an essential and important ingredient for career advancement, leadership success and interpersonal connections. People who possess this quality are almost always super-successful. That's because, by its very nature, Executive Presence gives you honest and effective power and influence over others.

You don't have to be born with Executive Presence. In fact, almost no one is. It must be developed and cultivated - with feedback and practice. This can be very effectively accomplished with the help of an executive coach.

When it comes to getting things done especially through others, Executive Presence matters just as much – or perhaps even more than – impeccable credentials or an impressive track record. Executive Presence can in some instances even help you compensate for a weak resume.

Executive Presence is the secret weapon in career success – the hard-to-quantify but “essential ingredient” that moves your career forward.

An executive coach can improve your executive presence by helping you identify the most important strengths and vulnerabilities that affect your executive presence. Executive coaches work with you to build on those strengths while helping you better mitigate the vulnerabilities that are holding you back.

The characteristics of people who convey Executive Presence are as follows:

They are Authentic – expressing their individuality without trying to prove themselves or be someone they are not.
They are Self-Aware – conscious of their strengths, weaknesses, feelings, thoughts, responses and reactions.
They are Flexible – knowing how to relate to different personalities and at ease with almost any group or constituency in a variety of situations both congenial and adversarial.
They are Focused – fully present, balanced and aware, moving with ease through the many situations in life.
They have a Zest for Life – consistently conveying a strong, often quiet, radiant vital life energy, which others feel and respond to.

The following behaviors are demonstrated by those individuals exhibiting Executive Presence:

Appropriately Assertive – they express themselves without being pushy or timid.
Deliberate – their speech and actions are articulate, focused, steady and, purposeful.
Listen Well – they listen closely to what is said by both individuals and groups.
Open – they are willing to reach out, be flexible and resolve differences.
Poised – they remain unruffled under pressure harnessing their feelings and the expression of them.
Respectful – they refrain from putting others down.
Respond Appropriately – they think on their feet and hold steady even in the face of conflict.
Polished – they communicate in a clear and concise manner with appropriate gestures, voice inflection and animation.

Bottom line… People who have Executive Presence carry themselves with poise and self-assurance that is strong and open but not arrogant.

Copyright Information:

You MAY reprint the information contained in this article as long as no portion of the contents are modified and it used “exclusively” within your organization. You must also give credit to information by including the tag line...

Roger M. Ingbretsen, Author, Speaker, Leadership Coach, Organizational and career developer For more information, visit www.ingbretsen.com or call 509 999 7008.

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Article Tags: career advancement, career success, constituency, essential ingredient, executive coach, executive coaches, executive presence, impeccable credentials, impressive track record, individuality, instances, leadership success, personalities, power and influence, record executive, secret weapon, strengths weaknesses, vital life energy, vulnerabilities, zest for life



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