Executive Presence and Why You Need It
You know those people who seem to have IT all together?
We all know one of them….
They nail their presentations and take ownership and leadership of projects.
They are the go-to experts on their teams, they know how to communicate and delegate like champions, they seem to have their work/life balance figured out, and are just incredibly bad ass.
They are confident, poised, put together, on time, and know exactly what to say and how to say IT. All around, they have IT together, and they know how to get what they want.
This presence I am referring to is called the “IT factor.”
And, recently, many of my clients have been turning to me asking for advice on how to build the skills and elevate their own IT factor.
As an Executive Coach, this is such an important skill that I teach and work on with my clients, and it is an important topic that I want to cover with you today.
WHAT EXACTLY IS EXECUTIVE LEVEL PRESENCE
The art of the Executive Presence is just that: it is an art and a skill that is built and worked on over time.
I will first start off by saying what Executive Presence is not. It is not the snobby-personality or that you thinking you are better than everyone else. Executive Presence does not have anything to do with if you are trying to achieve a specific title, sales goal, or gain recognition. Most importantly, it is not taking on all team assignments, working 24/7, and lacking boundaries or self-care. To me, the ‘It Factor” is the exact opposite. In fact, Executive Presence is a skill that requires you to be aware, intentional, and crystal clear about what your own goals are within an organization. When you have the IT factor you are: approachable, dependable, consistent, direct, have your ego in check, confident, and reputable.
WHY YOU NEED A STRONG EXECUTIVE PRESENCE?
If you want to advance in your company or in your career, plus you want to be recognized for being a valuable asset to the team, you will want to consistently work on your Executive Presence. When you have a strong presence on your team, your likelihood of your voice being heard and buy in from your colleagues is much higher.
10 TIPS TO ACHIEVE THE IT-FACTOR
1. Body language. Rolling your eyes out of frustration or yelling and shouting in an office setting is absolutely never okay. To be taken seriously you need to act in a way that is non-reactive, objective, and calm.
2. Solve problems and take initiative. Avoid the workplace drama, and only add positivity to the workplace culture. You are there to get the job done, not to add problems. Focus on solving the issues, and supporting the overall objective and mission of the company. Anything outside of this can be viewed as unproductive or inefficient. Focus your time, effort, and energy on supporting your team, nothing else.
3. Communication is clear, concise, & direct. Say what you mean, mean what you say. Communication is a top priority in today’s workforce. I want to encourage you to over-communicate whenever possible. Engage in conversations too. Ask others for input, and ask others for their opinion. To avoid adversity, include diversity in the conversations.
4. Your personal branding and your value add to the team is established, intentional, and known. You are crystal clear on what your short term goals are and are willing to share those with your team.
5. Reliability. If you say you are going to do something, do it. It is that easy. No excuses. Okay there are very FEW excuses that may be an exception, but, overall, you get the gist. Be dependable, make deadlines, and be trustworthy.
6. Timeliness. Respond to emails and correspondence promptly. Your team is depending upon you to get the job done. Don’t be tardy or late. Prioritize urgency and time management. There is no excuse for missing work communications in today’s age. Be diligent with corresponding to your team.
7. Prepare, Prepare, & more Preparation. Gone are the days can you “wing” any presentation or major project. You need to practice before you present and be strategic and intentional with what information you want to communicate.
8. Approachability. You are open to constructive feedback and are interested in knowing your colleagues. I am not saying you need to build friendships with everyone, but being collegial and respectful towards everyone’s time and energy is critical.
9. Be a human. All of us make mistakes. Own up. Apologize, and move on. Learn from your failures, and keep moving forward. Keep your ego in check, get support if you need it.
10. HAVE FUN. With all of this said, don’t forget to bring the joy to work. We work over a one-quarter to one-third of our lifetime, ENJOY the work you are doing. Take care of yourself, build boundaries, and live your best life :)
FEEDBACK ON BUILDING YOUR EXECUTIVE PRESENCE
When someone gives you feedback that you need to “work on your brand or elevate your executive presence” make sure you inquire what they specifically mean. Since this topic is so vague, it is important that you gain clarity as to HOW you can work towards flexing and building this skill and trait. Constructive feedback and awareness towards elevating your brand and presence within your company and on your team is critical for you to thrive in your position.
Overall, the “It Factor” is something you need to take specific action towards to build. It is not something we learn in graduate school or professional training, and it is a skill learned over time. I don’t love this topic because I wish we could be judged by just the smartness and amazing-ness we have, but the degrees you have or how many titles you have on your CV does not matter. What matters most is that you are effective in your position + you are able to communicate your VALUE ADD in the organization at all times.
BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOU.
If you need help with navigating this topic, please reach out to me here: HELLO@RXASHLEE.COM to schedule an appointment.
Always with you!
Xx
Ashlee
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