There are many, many theoretical and philosophical definitions of leadership. People have written entire dissertations so I’ll keep things simple and share a Kath Harris/Unscripted HR definition:

Leadership is empowering people to do their best work against a collective vision within agreed values. Is leadership and executive presence one and the same? That’s a tricky one to answer in that I believe executive presence enables leadership, so they’re deeply intertwined. In this context, the concept of executive presence is one that relates to a leader’s ability to bring people along for the ride of achieving a vision. Executive presence inspires confidence in your capability, reliability, professionalism and potential. 

Jeff Bezos famously said that ‘your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.’ Executive presence is what you say about yourself through your behaviour, appearance and your je ne sais quoi, or in more Aussie terms your vibe. It’s factors like your body language and communication skills, including the strength (or otherwise) of your listening abilities. It’s your interpersonal skills and how you behave under pressure. Are you unflappable in a crisis, the metaphorical duck skimming along the surface of a river, or are your colleagues highly aware of when you’re under stress? Are you on your phone in meetings, distracted and lacking focus? Improved executive presence equals improved impact and influence and of course decreased executive presence doesn’t bode well for influence nor impact. 

At the crux of things, executive presence is about how you are showing up in the workplace – and this includes the virtual space. One of the tenants of executive presence is appearance – yes, what we wear matters, courtesy of my friend Nicole Vine, a personal stylist who works with women to create an impression at work for all of the right reasons. I’m not one for onerous dress code policies, however I’ve had cause to consider whether my judgment here might need a post-pandemic recheck. The pandemic forced many of us to work from home and we naturally adopted a more relaxed approach to dressing for our day, incorporating Waist Up Style as Nicole calls it. Remote and hybrid work agreements remain in place, and executive presence should still very much be a consideration when fronting up to a virtual meeting. Comfortable and casual is fine for remote work as well as many onsite workplaces but polished is non-negotiable. For example, is a hoodie appropriate for a meeting? Does a hoodie convey poise and professionalism? Does it invoke confidence? These are all rhetorical questions that I’ll leave with you. Appearance is one factor of presence – and it’s one that’s (relatively) easy to manage.

Executive presence is manifested through behaviour, and behaviour in the workplace should be aligned to the cultural norms of the organisation. Let’s take it one step further, as those cultural norms should be aligned to the workplace’s values. If your workplace works against a leadership charter, then this will set a blueprint for behaviour that will in turn build executive presence. For example, if there’s a statement on the charter that talks about being mindful of other people’s time, yet you lead meetings that consistently run over time, or you talk incessantly, labouring to a point, your executive presence will suffer. 

Speaking of speaking – the way you express yourself is a vital component of executive presence. Babytalk is never OK. Waffling is not great. Not reading the room is a no-no. Not being able to introduce yourself in the context of your work in a clear, concise manner isn’t a good look. Close talkers and low talkers are both dicey. Speaking so quickly that people can’t follow along impacts your presence. Using qualifiers in your language diminishes your impact: using the word ‘just’ shows a lack of self-confidence. Constantly interrupting shows a lack of respect and interest, as well as poor listening skills, which in turn can indicate low emotional intelligence and communication skills that need a tune up. This includes an awareness of our written communications and presentations – these need to be schmick! 

A concept I feel compelled to include here is the question of swearing – yay or nay? In my view, it depends, which I realise isn’t particularly helpful! I did a quick scan on LinkedIn to see if my views are in alignment with the view of the LI business community, and the general view about swearing in the workplace is that on the whole it is inappropriate. I don’t need to do more detailed, less anecdotal research to know that swearing can create a perception that’s at odds with a great workplace culture. Some organisations are less conservative or corporate, but even the most relaxed work environment could see swearing in the workplace as incredibly unprofessional. Of course, reading the room is important, but consider whether the values of the organisation – and your personal values – and swearing are a good fit. This isn’t a judgement call as some of my favourite people swear like sailors in a casual, one-on-one setting away from the workplace, however they are able to curtail their swearing to spaces where it’s appropriate, and that’s generally not in the boardroom or via email to a colleague. 

Like a brand, when you are well known in all the ways that align with your values and your vision, your network can cheerlead on your behalf, and also build your presence. This becomes really important, particularly to people who are a new hire, or are taking on a new team. They can quickly pick up on the ‘vibe’ as I described above and perform their role accordingly.

It’s also important when you’re bringing in a new hire, as they’ll be following the example set in the workplace. In all of those circumstances you’ll be building trust, setting expectations and role modelling. As a leader, it’s up to you to set the temperature of a team. Just as there’s many definitions of leadership, there are also many qualities attributed to leaders. Executive presence however is a skill as well as a quality, and like all skills can be cultivated and grown, perhaps with the support of a mentor or coach as an external perspective on how you show up will help build your awareness. From awareness, you can actively build your presence through your behaviour. If you’d like a trusted advisor by your side as you explore your executive presence  please reach out. I’d love to talk to you about how I can be of support.