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Searching for Executive Presence

Guest post by: Dr. Maynard Brusman

Article Overview: I've seen an increase in requests from companies and law firms seeking help for a high potential leader to improve their "executive presence". When I inquire into what they mean by executive presence I get a variety of responses.

Searching for Executive Presence

Executive Presence

I've seen an increase in requests from companies and law firms seeking help for a high potential leader to improve their "executive presence". When I inquire into what they mean by executive presence I get a variety of responses.

I usually ask the HR person or actual potential executive coaching client to describe the leader's current behavior and what cultivating more executive presence would look like behaviorally. The behaviors range from having an engaging personality to increased emotional intelligence.

I've found that the term executive presence can mean different things to different people. Asking penetrating questions to gain more clarity for both the client and executive coach is critical to the executive coaching process.

Definition of Executive Presence

An Internet search on executive presence reveals definitions and advice on everything from dressing for success and patterns of speech to more fundamental issues of emotional and social intelligence.

Some conclude that executive presence has little to do with polish, poise, sophistication or even use of body language and gestures. In many cases, executives with presence are just as likely to lack these qualities.

In this day and age, executive presence comes in all shapes and sizes, including some you wouldn't normally recognize. Who would have thought, 30 years ago, that Bill Gates would command it? Would Mark Zuckerberg, the 26-year-old founder of Facebook, have stood out as a high-potential CEO? But as one of the youngest men ever to be named Time Magazine's Person of the Year, he certainly has presence-albeit a "Gen Y" version of it.

If you want to be promoted to the C-suites, you must learn how to acquire or improve your level of executive presence. If you are already in senior management, you must recognize your current potential and help nurture executive presence in the people you want to groom for succession.

Are you working in a professional services firm or other organization where executive coaches provide leadership development for emotionally intelligent leaders? Does your organization provide executive coaching to help leaders develop executive presence? Leaders with highly developed executive presence tap into their emotional intelligence and social intelligence skills to fully engage employees and customers.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is "How do I define executive presence?" Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching for collaborative leaders who create sustainable businesses.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-I, CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create a culture where all employees are intrinsically motivated and fully engaged. You can become a leader with executive presence who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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Article Tags: executive cocahing, executive presence, law firms, leadership development



Related Forum Posts
$1000 and a stupid idea - [quote="OmnivoreInk":8mkh1lv7]Bill and Heidi Dittmar: Executive Lifestyle founders of a magazine called Executive Lifestyle. Started in 1991. Revenue has grown more than 200% since 2004. 4 full time, 3 part time employees "We started off with $1,000 and a stupid idea." It began as This Month, a guide for tourists, and morphed into Executive Lifestyle.[/quote:8mkh1lv7] Hi Barbara, I find this story about Bill and Heidi Dittmar's success to be especially interesting! Would you happen to know what the catalyst or tipping point was for their change from a guide for tourists to an Executive Lifestyle magazine? Thanks
Re: Seeking partners and investors for a very ambitious project - Hello Kevin, Thank you for replying back to my message. The methods of raising capital and finding partners/investors we have tried thus far are: 1. Contacting our current and previous clients 2. Searching through the Web 3. Applying through personal links None of our efforts have failed yet. We are just exploring all the possibilities. Regards, Hasnaeen
5 Entrepreneur's success stories - My local paper's business section profiled 5 successful entrepreneurs in the Jan 6, 2008 issue of the paper. Thought I'd share just a bit of it here. Bill and Heidi Dittmar: Executive Lifestyle Jeff Wassmer: Spectrum Deloise Hawkins, Star Whitaker and Lenzy Hill: Touch of Elegance Stephen Brosius: Advanced Door Systems Pam Watson: Goodrich and Watson Insurers Bill and Heidi Dittmar: Executive Lifestyle founders of a magazine called Executive Lifestyle. Started in 1991. Revenue has grown more than 200% since 2004. 4 full time, 3 part time employees "We started off with $1,000 and a stupid idea." It began as This Month, a guide for tourists, and morphed into Executive Lifestyle. Jeff Wassmer: Spectrum Company specializes in computer network security and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. Wassmer was an 11-year Air Force guy, so he had "ins" in order to form this business. Deloise Hawkins, Star Whitaker and Lenzy Hill: Touch of Elegance Founded business in 1994. 12 employees. Their company designs and plans an average of 25 events each month in Hampton Roads and other parts of Virginia. Stephen Brosius: Advanced Door Systems Started company in 1995. 5 full-time employees, plus subcontractors. After having worked as a subcontractor for others in the construction business for 20 years, he decided to start his own business. Pam Watson: Goodrich and Watson Insurers At age 49, she was approached by an insurance colleague to buy out their employer's insurance division. They did so, and became employers themselves., witj 4 full-time people.
Re: Seeking partners and investors for a very ambitious project - [quote="hasnaeen":3m7qkmyg] The methods of raising capital and finding partners/investors we have tried thus far are: 1. Contacting our current and previous clients 2. Searching through the Web 3. Applying through personal links None of our efforts have failed yet. We are just exploring all the possibilities., [/quote:3m7qkmyg] Hello, Hasnaeen. It's been a month... can you share any stories of your success to date?
Re: Seeking partners and investors for a very ambitious project - [quote="hasnaeen":350whrpx]Hello Kevin, Thank you for replying back to my message. The methods of raising capital and finding partners/investors we have tried thus far are: 1. Contacting our current and previous clients 2. Searching through the Web 3. Applying through personal links None of our efforts have failed yet. We are just exploring all the possibilities. Regards, Hasnaeen[/quote:350whrpx] Well I hope you reach your target Hasnaeen, good luck!


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