MCC ICF coach helping clients leverage their talents and expertise to become effective leaders in a fast-changing and uncertain world.
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In the modern world of work, developing an executive presence is required much earlier for professionals who are on a leadership path. Twenty years ago, when I was taking my first steps in leadership, I didn't feel so much pressure at developing it just yet. Now, first-time managers are very aware of the demand of building executive presence in order to access important internal and external stakeholders. Even individual contributors are advised by their mentors to work on it.
But what does "executive presence" mean today?
The definition has changed significantly.
Let’s be honest. How relevant are the old ways of defining executive presence? While the concept itself is still very applicable, what it consists of is a completely different story.
Some leaders feel executive presence is the code for adopting the dominant group's preferences. Experts even say that several common elements lead to biases because they're generally associated with a white middle-aged man. For example, one of the traditional pillars of executive presence was the concept of power dressing—wearing attire in the workplace that suggests economic, social and/or hierarchical status. However, this was generally considered to be traditionally Eurocentric clothing, which often suppressed identity expression and even led to appearance-based discrimination. Considering the pandemic has vastly changed the workplace, including how professionals dress, it's no surprise that this idea of power dressing is considered out of touch.
When it comes to executive presence, I've noticed that a majority of diverse leaders I've worked with don't like this term at all. They feel it promotes homogeneity when today's leaders and employees crave authentic expression. So they've been looking for new terminology to describe this concept. Some options like signature voice, executive blend and leadership style are recent attempts to describe the factors that get people into the executive suite.
What are modern traits of executive presence?
It's clear that modern executive presence is more about who you are and how you authentically show up in a room. As such, there are a few features that take precedence when we try to define it.
Soft Skills
The modern version of executive presence is all about soft skills. Listening, communicating ideas and using a blend of direct, collaborative language are of paramount importance in the business environment. Such competencies help build followership and sell ideas up the chain of command. Verbal communication goes hand in hand with skillful body language. It's good to express visible comfort in the body while presenting ideas, speaking up or negotiating because it's a sign of how well you manage stress and pressure.
Comforting Leadership Style
It's favorable to radiate a sense of comfort while dealing with unpredictable situations and business dilemmas. Modern executive presence welcomes the comeback of the old Roman concept of gravitas. Today, it's the quality and depth of personality and the capacity to dramatically change the course of a discussion. Gravitas signals a person’s dignity and gives their ideas and suggestions greater impact. In a nutshell, it's the power that gets others to pay attention to you because they know you are serious and strong. Your reputation precedes you. Without gravitas, it is hard to be heard and build followership.
Humility
Beyond gravitas, I would add that modern executive presence consists of the ability to remain humble. Today's executives can manage polarities like being simultaneously vulnerable and commanding, showing empathy alongside a healthy level of competitiveness and being results-oriented but promoting collaboration. This requires understanding your weaknesses in addition to your strengths. Moreover, humility helps leaders stay mindful of power dynamics so they can empower colleagues to achieve great results together. With such a set of qualities, a leader has everything they need to manage relationships.
It's virtually impossible to erase the concept of executive presence from the world of business. What we genuinely need is to redefine it to a modern approach of owning the room and impacting crucial decisions in a human-centric way. Don’t be afraid of developing this skill, but remember to consciously center it around your authentic values. This will ensure that your presence—or style or voice, whatever you want to call it—can help you reach the C-suite role you desire.
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