Recently the idea of executive presence came to mind.  According to a Forbes article executive presence is the ability to inspire confidence and confidence in those who follow you.¹  Does this mean we have to be arrogant and opinionated?  No.

I dug a little deeper into this and found an article in Harvard Business Review highlighting research on this topic.  According to the research done for this article, in 2022 the top gravitas trait was confidence, the top communication trait was superior speaking skills, and the top appearance trait was a polished look.²

I will briefly unpack each of these and then comment on an trait that fell between 2012 and 2022 which I suggest is the most important trait.

Confidence

As a leader you must have a vision.  You may not know exactly how it will work out especially if you are a detail minded person.  The leader is the course setter.  As leadership expert John Maxwell calls it in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, the leader charts the course which is the law of navigation.³

When a leader has a clear vision for what the team is trying to accomplish, it inspires confidence.  A leader also charts the course of what the plan is, but a good leader realizes he or she does not know everything and will listen so they can make adjustments to the plan as a team.

Simply put, confidence comes out of preparation.  Michael Jordan was so confident because of his hours of preparation.  As a leader take the time to think and get clarity so your team has clarity.  This strengthens your confidence and the team’s.

Communication

There is a lot to unpack in this statement that has been written in books.  One I would highly recommend is The 16 Undeniable Laws of Communication.  Does superior speaking mean we can wax and wane eloquently and sound like the smartest person in the organization?  NO.

I would suggest superior communication is the ability to connect with the team.  This happens one-on-one, in small groups, and speaking in front of the entire organization.  Preparing and thinking about how I can help connect the organization’s vision to each individual’s desires is what a superior communicator does.  (As a side note, the book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect is a great resource for learning the principles and practices of connecting.)

Polished Look

This idea is relative to the culture of the organization.  In some industries, a polished look is a suit and tie.  Others it is business casual but professional.  If you are in an industry where people do not typically wear button-down shirts with jeans but are usually greasy and grungy, then by putting on that button-down shirt with your jeans and keeping a clean appearance, you stick out in a positive way.

Looking polished is one thing, but the reality is a leader has to have a plan and be able to communicate the plan.  Our outside appearance means little if we don’t have credibility through having a clear vision and plan while being able to communicate it.

Inclusion and Integrity

In the HBR article it showed integrity dropped significantly below inclusion.  I was disappointed to see that.  For leaders these easily complement one together.  If you live as a leader who is consistent in how you behave, hold people accountable, and treat others right, inclusion will be a natural outflow.

Leaders with integrity may treat people differently out of respect for their differences, but they will consistently hold high standards.  I would suggest this is the most important quality to develop executive presence.  As a leader, you may have the look, the vision, and communicate eloquently, but if what you say and do are out of alignment, there will be a limit to your results and the buy-in you get from your team.

Which of these areas do you need to grow in?  Need help working on your vision or improving your communication, send me an e-mail and let’s discuss how to help you grow your leadership and the leadership of your team.  Keep growing on the inside and the outside will take care of itself.  Lead Well.

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1. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/07/31/executive-presence-what-is-it-why-you-need-it-and-how-to-get-it/?sh=1edc07c56bc7 retrieved 5/25/24.
2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/07/31/executive-presence-what-is-it-why-you-need-it-and-how-to-get-it/?sh=1edc07c56bc7 retrieved 5/25/24