Executive Presence is a term that has been around leadership circles for a few years but exactly what it is can be confusing. There is not much clarity or consistency as to how the idiom is used.
According to a 2012 study by the Centre for Talent Innovation, a non-profit research organisation in New York, “being perceived as leadership material is essential to being promoted into leadership positions.” The 268 executives surveyed said “executive presence” counts for 26% of what it takes to be promoted.
So what is the art of Executive Presence?
The term describes the potential for getting into – and remaining – in the executive suite. The study revealed three areas that govern the perception of ‘leadership material’: the ability to stand out and project gravitas – poise under pressure, confidence, and decisiveness; high level communication skills including public speaking, assertiveness, and the ability to read people, audiences and workplace situations are necessary components; and your appearance – dressing like an executive is most important.
Influencing skills, a major part of emotional intelligence, is vital. People who exhibit executive presence are inspiring and have magnetism, the ability to easily connect with and influence others. They speak up, use strong and clear language, communicate with energy and passion, and display positive body language. They are recognised as someone who doesn’t rely on their authority or job title, but can influence and shape outcomes of situations positively.
Forbes contributor, Glen Llopis, writes that executive presence is the new normal and a critical success factor in high-performance workplace cultures. He lists several characteristics of executive presence including:
• Your presence is felt once you walk into a room
• You inspire people and are likeable and trustworthy
• You are perceived as important, valued and respected
• You are social, well read and share fresh perspectives
• You share and create opportunities for others
• You have an elegant way of approaching, engaging, and getting to know others
See the complete list
Impression Management – a key part of career success
Paul Aldo, who heads up an Atlanta-based consultancy in the US, has identified and tracked a list of nine qualities, or themes of personal engagement, which he says consistently characterise executive presence. People who have presence project these qualities in a natural and authentic way.
Aldo says that “exploiting our expressive tools is called impression management and it’s a big part of executive success. It determines how we come across to others and engage with them, giving them a more complete context for evaluating who we are.”
Executive Presence is as important as your current job
“Creating executive presence and focusing on career advancement is a separate, part-time job that deserves almost as much attention as your current assignment,” says Joel Garfinkle, who helps clients develop their presence and works to overcome common career roadblocks. He considers it is something that is practiced, learned and developed over time and you need to be dedicated and honed in your approach to reach your full potential.
How do you develop Executive Presence?
At Behind Closed Doors, we offer expert mentors, coaches and programs to support you in the development and expansion of your UVP (unique value proposition - and selling points). Being authentic and true to your values are key aspects of executive presence and we advise and assist you with your own distinctive expression of executive presence so that you are true to your core self.
• Has someone said to you “You need to improve your presence”?
• Have you been told the reason you didn’t get a role through a recruitment agency was because you are over qualified?
• Have you wondered why you keep missing out on promotions even though you are more talented?
It may be because you are not demonstrating executive presence.
Let us hear your comments about the importance of Executive Presence!
Warm wishes Donny
Behind Closed Doors is an invitation only program exclusively for executive women and business owners designed to further the professional development of its members in an intimate and confidential environment. We offer five programs to meet the diverse needs of women today, including: executive women and CEOs; executives of the future; business owners and entrepreneurs; executive and personal assistants; and an in-house program for senior women within organisations.
9 May 2013
Mentoring can provide a powerful boost to career success
Executive mentoring is typically a trusted one-on-one relationship between a more experienced and less experienced executive. It is built on encouragement, constructive comments, openness and honesty, mutual trust and respect, and a willingness to share. There are other important elements as well – confidentiality, accountability, commitment, time and chemistry.
The right Mentor-Mentee match is gold, and like any relationship, you may not find the “right fit” on the first meeting.
Do you need a mentor?
Business leaders often refer to their mentors as a key part of their success. If you find a wise, trusted and experienced adviser, the right mentor can contribute significant value and have a considerable impact on your career performance and level of success.
Kim McGuiness, MD of Network Central, believes having a mentor allows women to build confidence, learn new skills, brainstorm ideas and build stronger networks: “Mentoring can be particularly beneficial for women as they often face more barriers than men, are balancing competing priorities and unconscious bias, and have less exposure to senior management… it also helps with understanding corporate politics and protocol.”
What can you expect from a mentor?
People who have had a good mentor report boosts to self-esteem and confidence, work promotions, improved skill sets, better and wiser relationships at work, ‘tools’ to handle difficult situations, increased industry knowledge, better networking opportunities, good career guidance and better work and personal life quality. Mentors are particularly invaluable when there are difficult challenges in your work situation, or you want to fast track your career and need a trusted person to discuss options.
How do you find a mentor?
Mentors can be found by introduction, sourcing via internal and external networks, or through organisations specialising in mentoring and coaching services. The latter offer structured programs where you get the immediate benefits of a set number of sessions, actions to complete between sessions to achieve your specified outcomes, and goal setting.
Behind Closed Doors and Bottom Line offer structured and flexible mentoring programs to meet your individual needs, as well as networking opportunities through their business events. Our mentors are active working professionals who are willing to share their institutional knowledge and experience and challenge existing thinking, behaviours, ideas and practices.
Be strategic in your approach
Before you start looking for a mentor, it is important that you do some thinking and planning. You need to be strategic and targeted in your approach, understand what you want in a mentor, what your desired outcomes are, and research mentoring options. Two key elements to consider are that the mentor’s character is compatible with yours, and they have the level of experience and seniority you can learn from.
Women are encouraged to choose male and female mentors. Women mentors ‘get’ the challenges other women face juggling careers, family and friends, plus time for themselves. Males are valuable in that they have a different perspective and can help you understand the best ways to communicate to other males to ensure your messages are listened to.
Have more than one mentor
Jeanne Meister, partner at Future Workplaces and interviewed recently on the HBR blog, considers that people can have more than one mentor and says that many successful individuals create their own personal “board of directors”. These clever professionals identify skills gaps, such as building cultural intelligence, better innovation skills, or a deeper global mindset, and then deliberately target mentors who can help them in these areas.
Mentoring can benefit the mentor too
Mentoring can be a highly rewarding experience for a senior leader and a powerful way to give back to society. Reverse mentoring can give mentors insight into the mindset of less experienced professionals and increase knowledge in areas like emerging technologies and social media. Mentoring is also renowned for its capacity to build networks with the rising leaders of tomorrow and to identify future talent.
Becoming a mentor will help you build deeper listening skills, allow recognition of your professional abilities, further develop your leadership qualities and offer a sense of satisfaction as you guide someone on their career path.
Finally….
I believe you need to have many mentors throughout your career, both male and female, to continually challenge you and encourage you to attain greater success. TIP: always keep in touch with your mentors by penning a card or letter to let them know where you are in your career journey.
Learn more about Behind Closed Doors and Bottom Line mentoring by visiting our websites.
What is your experience with mentoring?
Warm wishes Donny
The right Mentor-Mentee match is gold, and like any relationship, you may not find the “right fit” on the first meeting.
Do you need a mentor?
Business leaders often refer to their mentors as a key part of their success. If you find a wise, trusted and experienced adviser, the right mentor can contribute significant value and have a considerable impact on your career performance and level of success.
Kim McGuiness, MD of Network Central, believes having a mentor allows women to build confidence, learn new skills, brainstorm ideas and build stronger networks: “Mentoring can be particularly beneficial for women as they often face more barriers than men, are balancing competing priorities and unconscious bias, and have less exposure to senior management… it also helps with understanding corporate politics and protocol.”
What can you expect from a mentor?
People who have had a good mentor report boosts to self-esteem and confidence, work promotions, improved skill sets, better and wiser relationships at work, ‘tools’ to handle difficult situations, increased industry knowledge, better networking opportunities, good career guidance and better work and personal life quality. Mentors are particularly invaluable when there are difficult challenges in your work situation, or you want to fast track your career and need a trusted person to discuss options.
How do you find a mentor?
Mentors can be found by introduction, sourcing via internal and external networks, or through organisations specialising in mentoring and coaching services. The latter offer structured programs where you get the immediate benefits of a set number of sessions, actions to complete between sessions to achieve your specified outcomes, and goal setting.
Behind Closed Doors and Bottom Line offer structured and flexible mentoring programs to meet your individual needs, as well as networking opportunities through their business events. Our mentors are active working professionals who are willing to share their institutional knowledge and experience and challenge existing thinking, behaviours, ideas and practices.
Be strategic in your approach
Before you start looking for a mentor, it is important that you do some thinking and planning. You need to be strategic and targeted in your approach, understand what you want in a mentor, what your desired outcomes are, and research mentoring options. Two key elements to consider are that the mentor’s character is compatible with yours, and they have the level of experience and seniority you can learn from.
Women are encouraged to choose male and female mentors. Women mentors ‘get’ the challenges other women face juggling careers, family and friends, plus time for themselves. Males are valuable in that they have a different perspective and can help you understand the best ways to communicate to other males to ensure your messages are listened to.
Have more than one mentor
Jeanne Meister, partner at Future Workplaces and interviewed recently on the HBR blog, considers that people can have more than one mentor and says that many successful individuals create their own personal “board of directors”. These clever professionals identify skills gaps, such as building cultural intelligence, better innovation skills, or a deeper global mindset, and then deliberately target mentors who can help them in these areas.
Mentoring can benefit the mentor too
Mentoring can be a highly rewarding experience for a senior leader and a powerful way to give back to society. Reverse mentoring can give mentors insight into the mindset of less experienced professionals and increase knowledge in areas like emerging technologies and social media. Mentoring is also renowned for its capacity to build networks with the rising leaders of tomorrow and to identify future talent.
Becoming a mentor will help you build deeper listening skills, allow recognition of your professional abilities, further develop your leadership qualities and offer a sense of satisfaction as you guide someone on their career path.
Finally….
I believe you need to have many mentors throughout your career, both male and female, to continually challenge you and encourage you to attain greater success. TIP: always keep in touch with your mentors by penning a card or letter to let them know where you are in your career journey.
Learn more about Behind Closed Doors and Bottom Line mentoring by visiting our websites.
What is your experience with mentoring?
Warm wishes Donny
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