By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
I am coaching a number of current and/or aspiring Chief Nursing Officers. As we talk about their goals, a recurring desire is to improve their executive presence. This is an intangible quality in leadership where the leader commands respect with their presence. It is having the “it” factor. This qualitiy can seem somewhat elusive. Some leaders are naturally born with executive presence but others need to work at cultivating it. The higher you go in leadership – the more important executive presence will become as a selection factor. If your goal is to be promoted to an executive role, you need to practice these behaviors BEFORE you seek the position as these qualities will be assessed during the interview process.
What is Executive Presence
Sylvia Hewlitt is a researcher and author of the popular book Executive Presence. From her work, she has identified 3 components of executive presence:
The first and most important is How You Act and whether you demonstrate gravitas in your role. Leaders with gravitas are knowledgeable, confident and decisive. They avoid apologizing when there is no need to. They avoid using statements like, “this is just my opinion” or “I am no expert on this.” They project confidence and self-assurance even when they may not feel it. They are upbeat when asked how they are doing. They understand the importance of building credibility by being consistent, reliable and dependable in their actions. They are willing to make decisions in the face of uncertainty and risk. They remain true to their values and their staff know what they stand for. They are attune to office politics but don’t overengage in it. They exercise grit in the face of uncertainty and challenges. They know setbacks are part of life and work hard to be resilient.
The second component of executive presence is How You Speak. Leaders exhibiting executive presence are good communicators both verbally and non-verbally. They carefully watch how well they are connecting with their audience, keep their communication brief and look for ways to engage others. They listen more than they talk. They accept feedback diplomatically even if they don’t agree with it. They don’t lash out with communication. They work hard on the clarity of their messages and understand that they need to keep repeating themselves to make their communication sticky. They watch their digital body language.
The third component is How You Look or your dress, appearance and grooming. Of the three, this is the least important but Hewitt points out that these flash judgments are made quickly within 250 milliseconds and once made, they tend to stick. Body language matters and leaders with executive presence work hard to convey confidence and optimism. They smile more than frown. Their clothes, style and makeup convey the polish of a C-suite executive. They pay attention to the dress code and norms in different situations. They understand that being overdressed is usually better than being under-dressed in their work role. Their desk and office are organized and conveys a sense of calm not calamity.
Cultivating Executive Presence
Fortunately, executive presence can be cultivated if you are willing to learn new habits and work at them. Here are some important action steps:
1. Find a coach – we often have blind spots about ourselves and only through the eyes of others can get a clearer picture. Find someone who you respect that demonstrates executive presence and ask for their help.
2. Dress the part – it is often said that if you desire an executive role, begin dressing like one even before you seek the position.
3. Become influential – study leaders who exude a “wow” factor and are easily able to influence others. You must have a point of view, be willing to express it in a way that respects the opinions of others and engenders trust.
4. Develop your emotional intelligence – leaders need to have their emotions under tight control and maintain their composure when confronted with challenging situations. Grace under pressure is a skill that needs to be cultivated.
5. Exude confidence – to be taken seriously in any executive leadership role, you need to believe in your own abilities, use authoritative tones and display positive body language by standing tall, shaking hands and making eye contact.
Most of us do grow and develop some executive presence on our leadership journey. But this is also a quality that we can jump start by being much more intentional about how we are perceived.
Read to Lead
Hewlitt, S.A. Executive Presence. New York: Harper Collins; 2014.
© emergingrnleader.com 2019
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