People in the corporate world may not be able to give a definite description of executive presence but they will say they know it when they see it.
Apparently, executive presence escapes a common description but both experts and amateurs alike can clearly distinguish those who have it. How can you transform yourself from being simply skilled and educated to being “it”? Look the Part
This is by far the easiest part of the transformation. Executive presence is seen in people who dress and look confident. They don’t just enter the boardroom, they arrive and everyone notices. Managers and leaders with executive presence have a certain swag but this is clearly beyond clothing labels. It is a certain confidence born out of knowing you look good and feel good. “The suit makes the man” may be an old saying, but it holds true whether we like to admit it or not. While appearance won’t hold up to skill where the rubber meets the road, the reality is that people make judgments simply based on appearances. Splurging on expensive brands will not cut it alone though. It has to be the right combination of elements – clothing, make-up, shoes, and body language. It helps to get feedback from friends and family about appearance and it pays to listen to trends too. Communicate Effectively Effective communication is a skill everyone needs to have. Those who are able to convey messages clearly and with flair are those that easily stand out among those with mediocre or poor communication skills. Acquiring communication skills requires training, and it’s worth investing the time and effort into polishing your skills because communication sells products, creates networks, and builds strong teams. In the corporate world, effective communication also means being able to prepare and deliver good presentations. Communication and effective presentation training is a highly interactive process, because they are most effectively delivered in a classroom-led training environment with plenty of interactive workshops that allow participants to practice their skills. During communication and presentation skill training, employees must be given the right exercises not only to remind them of the basics of communication and presentation but, most importantly, for them to acquire the confidence to speak and present in front of an audience. In today’s society, increasingly condensed communication is the norm – 140 character tweets on Twitter, hashtags in social media, and abbreviations like LOL and ASAP in email comprise the majority of daily interaction. Unfortunately, usage of these abbreviated communication styles relegates one to average status, and doesn’t convey that “presence” that senior executives have. A pop culture and twitter icon like Ashton Kutcher can get away with using today’s hip communication styles and connect well with his target audience, but you won’t see Tesla’s Elon Musk presenting a TED Talk with an LOL thrown in for good measure. Becoming a Leader Leaders aren’t born, they’re made. Looking the part and learning the art of effective communication can make you a leader, but sustaining leadership requires a special set of skills. A leader who has an executive presence about him will endure because his followers look at him as someone who knows what to do when everybody else is buckling. Such is the strength of a leader’s executive presence that his team trusts his decisions enough to willingly follow his directions without a shadow of a doubt. Often, people chalk this charm to in-born personality but the reality is that leadership skills and attitudes can be learned. The aura of executive presence can be acquired with training and practice. Executive presence may be somewhat of an abstract concept but one thing is very clear: decision makers and clients are always on the lookout for leaders with that elusive “X-factor”. These are people who are defined by how they carry themselves, talk, and most importantly, how they bring success to the company. Are you looking for that extra edge to help you or your team get noticed by the decision makers? Taking some time to brush up your appearance, vocabulary, and presentation skills can help take you to the next level. Executive Presence training can help you get the results that you deserve!
This is by far the easiest part of the transformation. Executive presence is seen in people who dress and look confident. They don’t just enter the boardroom, they arrive and everyone notices. Managers and leaders with executive presence have a certain swag but this is clearly beyond clothing labels. It is a certain confidence born out of knowing you look good and feel good. “The suit makes the man” may be an old saying, but it holds true whether we like to admit it or not. While appearance won’t hold up to skill where the rubber meets the road, the reality is that people make judgments simply based on appearances. Splurging on expensive brands will not cut it alone though. It has to be the right combination of elements – clothing, make-up, shoes, and body language. It helps to get feedback from friends and family about appearance and it pays to listen to trends too. Communicate Effectively Effective communication is a skill everyone needs to have. Those who are able to convey messages clearly and with flair are those that easily stand out among those with mediocre or poor communication skills. Acquiring communication skills requires training, and it’s worth investing the time and effort into polishing your skills because communication sells products, creates networks, and builds strong teams. In the corporate world, effective communication also means being able to prepare and deliver good presentations. Communication and effective presentation training is a highly interactive process, because they are most effectively delivered in a classroom-led training environment with plenty of interactive workshops that allow participants to practice their skills. During communication and presentation skill training, employees must be given the right exercises not only to remind them of the basics of communication and presentation but, most importantly, for them to acquire the confidence to speak and present in front of an audience. In today’s society, increasingly condensed communication is the norm – 140 character tweets on Twitter, hashtags in social media, and abbreviations like LOL and ASAP in email comprise the majority of daily interaction. Unfortunately, usage of these abbreviated communication styles relegates one to average status, and doesn’t convey that “presence” that senior executives have. A pop culture and twitter icon like Ashton Kutcher can get away with using today’s hip communication styles and connect well with his target audience, but you won’t see Tesla’s Elon Musk presenting a TED Talk with an LOL thrown in for good measure. Becoming a Leader Leaders aren’t born, they’re made. Looking the part and learning the art of effective communication can make you a leader, but sustaining leadership requires a special set of skills. A leader who has an executive presence about him will endure because his followers look at him as someone who knows what to do when everybody else is buckling. Such is the strength of a leader’s executive presence that his team trusts his decisions enough to willingly follow his directions without a shadow of a doubt. Often, people chalk this charm to in-born personality but the reality is that leadership skills and attitudes can be learned. The aura of executive presence can be acquired with training and practice. Executive presence may be somewhat of an abstract concept but one thing is very clear: decision makers and clients are always on the lookout for leaders with that elusive “X-factor”. These are people who are defined by how they carry themselves, talk, and most importantly, how they bring success to the company. Are you looking for that extra edge to help you or your team get noticed by the decision makers? Taking some time to brush up your appearance, vocabulary, and presentation skills can help take you to the next level. Executive Presence training can help you get the results that you deserve!