Projecting Executive Presence

One of the biggest buzzwords in leadership is “executive presence,” which refers to a leader’s ability to earn the trust and respect of their colleagues, staff, and audiences. Powered by that support, people with executive presence typically enjoy more authority and freedom in their work.

Like most leadership qualities, executive presence is perceived through verbal communications, like speeches and conversations, as well as nonverbal communication cues, including active listening and body language.

Anyone in leadership—whether you’re running a company, committee, or club—can develop executive presence. And in modern times, the opportunities to convey executive presence are more frequent and diverse than ever.

“Executive presence can be conveyed in almost every business interaction,” says Marti Fischer, executive coach and principal of Marti Fischer Group. “From town hall speeches to performance reviews to all-staff emails, leaders have multiple opportunities to build confidence, trust, and morale.”

Let’s examine the definition of executive presence, break down its traits and benefits, and review some of the most effective tactics to elevate and leverage your own abilities, regardless of your level or profession.

Defining Executive Presence

Is there an established definition of executive presence? It depends on who you ask.

Gerry Valentine, founder of Vision Executive Coaching, writes in a Forbes magazine article, “In its simplest terms, executive presence is about your ability to inspire confidence—inspiring confidence in your subordinates that you’re the leader they want to follow, inspiring confidence among peers that you’re capable and reliable, and, most importantly, inspiring confidence among senior leaders that you have the potential for great achievements.”

Sue Rosen, executive coach, explains that executive presence is “the ability to inspire the trust and confidence of others in your ability to deliver results.”

In both of these definitions, two values recur more than any other: confidence and trustworthiness.

Confidence Is Critical

One executive presence quality that has stood the test of time is confidence. In 2012 and 2022, Sylvia Ann Hewlett, an economist and author of Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success, conducted surveys of U.S. business executives in various industries, asking them to rank the importance of dozens of leadership traits. In both surveys, “confidence” took the top spot decisively.

When leaders demonstrate confidence, they inspire trust from their teams, making it easier for those leaders to establish buy-in and make executive decisions. “Confidence is the foundation on which executive presence is built,” writes Jennifer A. Garrett, founder of The Executive Edge newsletter. “It enables you to make bold decisions, communicate effectively, and assertively lead in high-stakes situations.” Research has even shown that being around confident people increases our reassurance in our own actions.

A Matter of Trust

Trustworthiness is another important leadership quality. In a 2022 online survey of 7,000 global employees, the Edelman Trust Barometer found that when employees trust their employers, good things happen, including increases in their desire to stay with the organization and improve it.

“When you exhibit executive presence, people trust and follow you,” says Deepali Vyas, global head of the data & AI sector at ZRG Partners. “People lean in and take you seriously, whether you’re leading a room or sitting silently in it.”

Communicating Executive Presence

Exuding confidence and trustworthiness doesn’t happen by chance or magic. Professionals cultivate these perceptions through the ways they write, speak, listen, respond, and reveal themselves to others.

Try these eight communication tactics to demonstrate confidence and inspire trust.

1. Get Louder: I often run an exercise in my workshops where I ask clients to speak deliberately—even uncomfortably—louder. I then ask their classmates to describe how their impression of that speaker changed as a result of the increase in volume. Every time, the speakers are seen as more confident, assertive, and authoritative, which inspires trust. Audiences also perceive louder speakers as more energetic, knowledgeable, and committed. There’s no question that executives who seem inspired and energetic inspire and energize others.
2. Be clear. “Clarity earns trust by removing guesswork,” says Vyas. “When leaders communicate with precision—not fluff—people stop wondering what they meant and start aligning with their vision.”
   Attributes of clarity include brevity, specificity, an emphasis on key points, and a practical call to action. Prepare your points in advance, just like you would with presentations, to avoid rambling.
3. Make eye contact. Maintaining eye contact is the ultimate demonstration of engagement. In a virtual meeting, eye contact requires looking into the camera, not at the faces of your colleagues, so position the camera at eye level, either by adjusting your camera, chair, or computer.
4. Be authentic. Trust also requires authenticity. Emphasize your authenticity by avoiding scripted content, using your own words, embracing imperfections, and sharing personal stories to illustrate your points.
   

   Pay close attention to the difference between what merely feels awkward and what feels completely alien. You want to be presenting, not performing.

   Global executive coach Marie-Jeanne Juilland discourages her clients from thinking about executive presence as portraying a character or stereotype. “Conveying executive presence is not about being someone else; it’s about showing up most effectively for your team or organization’s needs,” Juilland says. “Knowing and sticking to your values, trying to see yourself as others do, and shifting your focus from your comfort to your team’s needs will help you come across as genuinely present and powerful.”

5. Be empathic. During challenging periods, executive presence can diminish if you don’t demonstrate adequate empathy. For example, avoid sharing how difficult a tough decision was for you. Instead, empathize with your team about the consequences on them.
   

   “People with executive presence project a strong degree of humility that allows them to bring compassion into their conversations. This inspires others to engage,” Rosen says.

6. Listen to learn. When you listen to learn—versus simply listening to hear—you receive more complete information and demonstrate a trust-building commitment to the speaker’s points.
   Listening to learn is demonstrated by actions like eye contact, nodding, refraining from interrupting, and following up with supportive questions such as “How did you come up with that idea?” and “How can I help?”
   Avoid asking challenging, potentially shaming, or skeptical questions like, “Do we have enough money in the budget for this?” Leaders with executive presence don’t put staff members on the spot; they find the appropriate time and place for tough questions.
7. Show appreciation and acknowledgment. Giving regular kudos to your team helps them feel more confident and demonstrates that you’re aware of and support their work. Be specific about the people or teams you are praising, the efforts they made, and why the impact of their work merits recognition.
8. Keep your whole body in executive presence mode. What you do with your body can strongly affect how you are perceived. According to Christine Clapp, DTM, founder and president of the presentation-skills consultancy Spoken with Authority, standing up as you communicate increases your executive presence. She also recommends making deliberate gestures and avoiding distracting movements like clicking a pen, swaying, twisting in your chair, and playing with your hair.
   Other signs of executive posturing include leaning slightly forward in your chair (versus sitting back) and avoiding closed gestures like crossing your arms and making fists.

The benefits of executive presence are tangible, including more efficient teamwork, more effective meetings, and making a strong case for professional promotion.

“At any level of an organization, people with executive presence are seen as trustworthy collaborators and colleagues,” Fischer says. “That impression fosters cohesive teamwork and can even help emerging leaders become executive leaders.”

But most importantly, leaders who earn the trust and confidence of others—and have trust and confidence in themselves—are in the best position to drive progress and change. If an organizational goal is your North Star, executive presence is your steady hand at the helm.

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