If you think of the phrase “executive presence”, it’s likely you envision a CEO or some other C-suite man or woman with an office on the top floor of a big building downtown. It’s true that these people likely posses executive presence and exercise the traits of said phrase, but they’re not the only one’s who need to embrace and refine the skills of executive presence daily.
Executive presence comes down to combing and exuding three things: appearance, gravitas, and communication. This trifecta of attributes not only matters for the high ranking executives, but to every single person that interacts with others and want to be the most effective leader and communicator possible.
You must not only dress for the job you want, but truly LIVE for the job you want. This can be done by embodying your persona and being consistent. Executive presence should not only be practiced when at work, but also when you’re out and about living your life. The chances of you running into someone you know from the multi-facets of life are high and it’s imperative that you’re ready to engage with them.
A recent study by Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts general hospital found that people decide whether we’re competent and trustworthy in a quarter of a second based just on how we look. This statistic alone shows that no matter how you’re feeling, it’s important to be conscious of how you’re presenting yourself in all walks of life.
Simply put, being aware of how you’re being perceived (even online) and refining that to show who you are/where you want to go, can lead you to wonderful places both socially and professionally!
**If you feel your company or any group of people would benefit from this information, please contact us via the contact page and we’d be happy to talk more about presentations and tailoring it specifically to your group.
