Mastering the Art of Executive Presence
Mastering the Art of Executive Presence
Everyone from the Board of Directors to the employee on the loading dock, to customers and community leaders, have expectations for individuals in executive leadership roles; the higher the position, the greater the expectations. A combination of business savvy, leadership, confidence, competence, and social acumen project an image of someone who should be taken seriously and who has the ability to influence others. As an executive you virtually live in a fishbowl. People are constantly observing you and forming opinions about your capabilities. You must constantly and genuinely mold these opinions about who you are, and what you can accomplish.
Without speaking a word, the actions of an executive speak volumes. The way you walk through an office or into a meeting, and the ease you demonstrate when shaking hands and initiating conversations are all under the scrutiny of others. The words you choose the tone of your voice and yes even the cloths you wear all combine to paint a picture of your executive presence. Research conducted by S. C. Gatton & Associates showed that Executive Presence is comprised of five areas:
• Knowledge & Experience
• Leadership Savvy
• Advanced Communication Skills
• Executive Image
• Social Acumen
• I would add a sixth: Financial Acumen
“Mastering the art of executive presence” requires two important breakthroughs. First, a willingness to “assess and understand yourself” and explore the way others may perceive you. Second, is the desire to “master your strengths, talents, behaviors and skills,” so they can enhance, alter or confirm those perceptions.
These two major breakthroughs most often require having a strong mentor, a close and honest confidant or an executive coach, all of who are capable of providing you the assessment and feedback required to be successful in today’s organizational environment.
You may think executive presence is easy to see and hard to define; however, it is not as much of a mystery as you might think. Executive presence is not about fluff or first impressions; it is about the belief or feeling about you, which develops over time based on other individuals’ experiences with you. When you do the right thing for the right reason, communicate clearly and succinctly, build trust, open up business opportunities and create professional and financial success, you are well on the way toward creating executive presence. The following 25 elements will help you master the art of developing a powerful executive presence.
25 Steps To Help You Develop Your Executive Presence
1.Continually demonstrate that the knowledge and experience you offer are of value to the organization.
2. Be a contributor, rather than an observer, at the planning table.
3. Realize that your self-confidence and abilities will be constantly tested and scrutinized.
4. Develop the ability to see underlying relationships and get at the meaning beneath the surface.
5. Distinguish the important factors in a situation from “noise.”
6. Craft a compelling story of the organization’s challenges and opportunities.
7. Learn who the important players are in the organization and in the customer base and know what issues matter to them.
8. Be politically adept, leveraging relationships with people to address problems and take advantage of opportunities both inside and outside of the organization.
9. Do and say what is right, not just what is expedient or what others want to hear, even if it is at substantial personal risk.
10. Foster passion among your staff and build a sense of enthusiasm for the work at hand.
11. Continually develop your influence and persuasion skills.
12. Set a course for others to follow toward a strategically important vision and goals.
13. Act with bold decisiveness when there is a difficult decision to be made.
14. Emphasize solutions rather than hurdles.
15. Articulate business needs and guide the organization to better processes and solutions, tactfully challenging your colleagues’ positions, when necessary.
16. Tap into all lines of communication to get the information you need.
17. Be able to quickly and accurately understand the subtleties others inject into conversations and to act accordingly.
18. Know how to bridge generation gaps, gain commitment from all stakeholders in your communication and deal effectively across functional units within the organization.
19. Present an informed and credible message to the executive team, especially designed to quickly and concisely address their concerns and obtain consensus.
20. Master the ability to present unfavorable news with undaunted assurance for the future.
21. Provide steadfast confidence when driving the organization in a new direction, and convey a new vision with a zest for results.
22. Learn to meet through effective communications, the expectations of your direct reports, peers, senior executives and the board of directors.
23. Use courtesy and etiquette to make guests, customers, and employees comfortable in any situation so you can create engaging, open conversations that move relationships forward.
24. Use electronic communications appropriately so you can connect as easily in the virtual world as you do in live conversation.
25. Read cultural and regional differences so you can respond appropriately and keep relationships inside and outside of the organization positive and open.
An executive presence is about creating a consistent image of you as a compelling force both inside and outside the organization. You must become very adept at using your ability to influence others not by title or authority; but, by your professional magnetism to motivate others to positively shape and attain the desired outcome needed for organizational success.
The requirements for developing executive presence are clear. You need to continually build your credibility along with your “wow” factor. People respect and gravitate toward those leaders who walk into a meeting or social event and attract intense, positive attention. You need to be personally accountable for developing your executive presence if you are going to become the leader that others want to follow.
Mastering the Art of Executive Presence - To learn more about this author, visit Roger Ingbretsen's Website.
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For today’s executive, both the spoken and unspoken expectations have risen substantially. Executives are judged by more than just results. They are also judged on how they present themselves to others on and off the job. How they perform and are perceived while they perform, are almost as important as the results they attain.
Everyone from the Board of Directors to the employee on the loading dock, to customers and community leaders, have expectations for individuals in executive leadership roles; the higher the position, the greater the expectations. A combination of business savvy, leadership, confidence, competence, and social acumen project an image of someone who should be taken seriously and who has the ability to influence others. As an executive you virtually live in a fishbowl. People are constantly observing you and forming opinions about your capabilities. You must constantly and genuinely mold these opinions about who you are, and what you can accomplish.
Without speaking a word, the actions of an executive speak volumes. The way you walk through an office or into a meeting, and the ease you demonstrate when shaking hands and initiating conversations are all under the scrutiny of others. The words you choose the tone of your voice and yes even the cloths you wear all combine to paint a picture of your executive presence. Research conducted by S. C. Gatton & Associates showed that Executive Presence is comprised of five areas:
• Knowledge & Experience
• Leadership Savvy
• Advanced Communication Skills
• Executive Image
• Social Acumen
• I would add a sixth: Financial Acumen
“Mastering the art of executive presence” requires two important breakthroughs. First, a willingness to “assess and understand yourself” and explore the way others may perceive you. Second, is the desire to “master your strengths, talents, behaviors and skills,” so they can enhance, alter or confirm those perceptions.
These two major breakthroughs most often require having a strong mentor, a close and honest confidant or an executive coach, all of who are capable of providing you the assessment and feedback required to be successful in today’s organizational environment.
You may think executive presence is easy to see and hard to define; however, it is not as much of a mystery as you might think. Executive presence is not about fluff or first impressions; it is about the belief or feeling about you, which develops over time based on other individuals’ experiences with you. When you do the right thing for the right reason, communicate clearly and succinctly, build trust, open up business opportunities and create professional and financial success, you are well on the way toward creating executive presence. The following 25 elements will help you master the art of developing a powerful executive presence.
25 Steps To Help You Develop Your Executive Presence
1.Continually demonstrate that the knowledge and experience you offer are of value to the organization.
2. Be a contributor, rather than an observer, at the planning table.
3. Realize that your self-confidence and abilities will be constantly tested and scrutinized.
4. Develop the ability to see underlying relationships and get at the meaning beneath the surface.
5. Distinguish the important factors in a situation from “noise.”
6. Craft a compelling story of the organization’s challenges and opportunities.
7. Learn who the important players are in the organization and in the customer base and know what issues matter to them.
8. Be politically adept, leveraging relationships with people to address problems and take advantage of opportunities both inside and outside of the organization.
9. Do and say what is right, not just what is expedient or what others want to hear, even if it is at substantial personal risk.
10. Foster passion among your staff and build a sense of enthusiasm for the work at hand.
11. Continually develop your influence and persuasion skills.
12. Set a course for others to follow toward a strategically important vision and goals.
13. Act with bold decisiveness when there is a difficult decision to be made.
14. Emphasize solutions rather than hurdles.
15. Articulate business needs and guide the organization to better processes and solutions, tactfully challenging your colleagues’ positions, when necessary.
16. Tap into all lines of communication to get the information you need.
17. Be able to quickly and accurately understand the subtleties others inject into conversations and to act accordingly.
18. Know how to bridge generation gaps, gain commitment from all stakeholders in your communication and deal effectively across functional units within the organization.
19. Present an informed and credible message to the executive team, especially designed to quickly and concisely address their concerns and obtain consensus.
20. Master the ability to present unfavorable news with undaunted assurance for the future.
21. Provide steadfast confidence when driving the organization in a new direction, and convey a new vision with a zest for results.
22. Learn to meet through effective communications, the expectations of your direct reports, peers, senior executives and the board of directors.
23. Use courtesy and etiquette to make guests, customers, and employees comfortable in any situation so you can create engaging, open conversations that move relationships forward.
24. Use electronic communications appropriately so you can connect as easily in the virtual world as you do in live conversation.
25. Read cultural and regional differences so you can respond appropriately and keep relationships inside and outside of the organization positive and open.
An executive presence is about creating a consistent image of you as a compelling force both inside and outside the organization. You must become very adept at using your ability to influence others not by title or authority; but, by your professional magnetism to motivate others to positively shape and attain the desired outcome needed for organizational success.
The requirements for developing executive presence are clear. You need to continually build your credibility along with your “wow” factor. People respect and gravitate toward those leaders who walk into a meeting or social event and attract intense, positive attention. You need to be personally accountable for developing your executive presence if you are going to become the leader that others want to follow.
Mastering the Art of Executive Presence - To learn more about this author, visit Roger Ingbretsen's Website.
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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