Ten years ago, I didn’t have a clue what it meant to have a “presence.” I’d show up, give my stellar presentations and then there was simply crickets. No questions, no dialog and I would return to my desk and continue the work I was paid to do.
Everything changed when I started my own business and realized how presence impacts decision making.
Through trial and error I began to receive feedback at networking events about my message and my “presence.” I followed the breadcrumbs and made connections between what people were saying and what I was doing which was incredibly time consuming, but worth it. I often wondered what a playbook for executive presence would look like.
While I don’t have all the answers, I’ve distilled my process into a three part formula:
- Foundation
- Physical
- Messaging
Foundation
You need to have a well defined “pitch” about who you are, what do you do and what problem you solve. We want people to remember you for this and practice it over and over again. Write it down. Now practice delivering it as a:
- 10 second pitch
- 30 second pitch
- 3 minute detailed pitch
This is the way conversations start so people get to know you. You will learn when the 10 second, 30 second or 3 minutes are relevant so that people know you and want to learn more about you.
When it comes to a presentation, you always go to your foundation and as an example:
- Today we are here to discuss the inefficiencies we see in our operations. It’s important to maximize our assets, leverage our resources and be best in class. Through the expertise of my organization, we approach this challenge and apply analytical rigor to find the best solution.
Always use those talking points: maximize our assets, leverage our resources and be best in class. Soon you will be known to be “that person” to go to for help in that area.
Physical
There are a few key traits of physical presence that can help attract the right kind of attention when you walk into a room:
- Confidence – show up as confident, even if you’re shaking in your shoes! Find something or someone to ground you and show up confidence.
- Technical Competence – know your stuff. Non-negotiable. Practice with a colleague or practice in a mirror.
- Strong Posture -whether sitting or standing you need to find your superman or super woman posture that makes you feel incredible.
- Voice – deliver with conviction, conciseness and confidence. I’ve often seen women or men when delivering content always end their sentence with an up-tilt note. This infuses doubt into the listener’s ear for which I suggest you practice ending sentences on a down note. I have some great resources for you on how to practice this skill
- Appearance: I hesitate to mention this because it’s not about a new hairdo or a new wardrobe. It’s about wearing the clothes and accessories that communicate a confident image and aligned to your messaging. It sometimes takes an external perspective to fine tune how you look physically and what people actually see in you.
Once you have these foundational elements in place, it’s now time to take your information or content and to socialize it for support. Make sure that the content you use to communicate information is in a relatable language, you tell the audience what’s in if for them, you qualify the risk & opportunity in quantifiable terms and you come with your own thoughts and proposals.
This is the culmination of presence; to be seen, heard and respected. You will soon feel yourself being pulled “to the table” more and more; I can promise you.
So how do we bring this all home for you? Let’s review:
1) What do you stand for? What do you want to be known for?
2) Do you physically in all ways convey the message you want to convey both in your voice, delivery and the image people see when I am present?
3) Content is king, not just what you present, but how it is received by your audience.
When these are in alignment, your presence is seen and heard and I promise you will stand out and be respected.
If this makes sense, I’m pleased you can put this to action.
If you’re still wondering how to put this to action, I am offering you the C-Suite Academy as my offer to help aspiring c-suite leaders take control of their careers based on my 25+ years of experience of navigating the system and learning what it takes to get into the c-suite.
For more information about C-Suite Academy (CSA) dedicated to the aspiring C-Suite leader, simply register to get on the waitlist, email me or connect with me for a quick chat. I can’t wait to help you be successful and reach your goals!
For more resources, you can listen to The Drop In CEO Podcast or check out my book The CEO’s Compass will help you get on track in days not months.
Resources
Good Reads
Speaking to Influence: Mastering Your Leadership Voice Paperback – April 16, 2019by Dr. Laura Sicola I love Laura’s work and she shared with me many tips to even evolve my communication skills
Good Advice
“Most of the issues that we are experiencing throughout our lives are based on that dysfunctional disconnection between emotions and feelings.”
–Dr. Kinga Mnich