Have you ever heard someone say, “she/he has great executive presence”? Did it make you wonder what can I do to improve executive presence for myself? If you’ve wondered about this, you are not alone. It turns out this is a term often used during feedback and development conversations, yet it’s rarely defined. At best you will get vague corporate lingo about commanding attention and instilling respect, and at worst you will learn that you don’t have ‘it’, but ‘Rob’ does. When it comes to the ambiguous term of executive presence a few things are clear. The meaning itself:
1) Varies by organization,
2) Rarely is defined & is a tough nut to crack for those that don’t have ‘it’,
3) Wreaks of exclusivity, and;
4) Is outdated for the kind of leadership needed in today’s workplace.
Organizations would be smart to improve executive presence of their leaders by focusing on clearly defining & developing the leadership competencies required for succeeding in today’s challenging business environment. Although every organization has its unique culture and values, which ideally can serve as a guide in shaping their leadership competencies, there are some core behaviors that all effective leaders share, and the good news is, they can be learned.
First & foremost, today’s leaders must feel a burning desire to make
a positive difference in people’s lives.
Without this desire, we lack the motivation to work every day to be an effective leader. According to the Workforce Institute at UKG and reported by Forbes, almost 70% of people state that their manager has the most impact on their mental health, on par with their partner.[1] This is staggering, and to be clear, an important statistic as corporations tackle wellbeing challenges at their organizations. Additional behaviors effective leaders share:
· Authenticity
· Equanimity
· Compassion & Empathy
· Service driven
· Growth mind-set
When we witness these behaviors in an individual we have wellbeing-inspired leadership which occurs at the intersection of mind-body-spirit. Wellbeing-inspired leaders RISE into a more human-centric kind of leadership. This kind of leader has executive presence that inspires the hearts and minds of their team and peers to achieve great things together. To improve executive presence, leaders can learn techniques and practices to put wellbeing at the forefront, and RISE into the competencies necessary for today’s evolving leadership, wellbeing-inspired leadership.
The RISE Leadership Model (TM)
Response – leaders who maintain present awareness with a calm, even composure, and make measured decisions understanding the impact of thoughts, words, and actions.
Intention – leaders that exhibit an authentic connection to their true self and are fueled by the human spirit. Actions stem from a deep sense of purpose & clear vision for their teams that inherently serve the greater good.
Service – leaders who understand we are all connected and because of this recognition utilize kindness, generosity, compassion, & empathy to drive positive change and results for their teams, business, community, and world.
Evolution – operating from a place of curiosity, wellbeing leaders recognize the vastness of the world and seek to learn from others, welcome challenging experiences, and remain open to all ideas with a growth mindset.
The next time you hear the words 'Executive Presence' I challenge you to respond with the following question: “Does this person show behaviors that resonate with RISE?” If the answer is yes, you have an effective leader with executive presence. If the answer is no, then chances are this leader needs wellbeing support and development. It’s possible to improve executive presence by clearly defining the term and focusing on the complete wellbeing picture. Wellbeing-inspired leaders and their presence is a welcomed & much needed shift in our modern-day work culture.
[1] Bower, Tracy PhD. “Managers have major impact on mental health: how to lead for wellbeing.” 29 Jan. ’23. Forbes.
