Executive Presence and Communication | 17 Tactics

How does executive presence affect communication? And, by the same token, how does communication affect executive presence?

Communication is one of the three foundational domains of executive presence, which I term “Expression.” This domain centers on how well leaders communicate. In other words, if you want to show up as a leader with executive presence, you must master the art of communication.

Let’s take a look at the three elements of communicating with executive presence, which I describe in my 3×3 Executive Presence Model.

How Leaders with Executive Presence Communicate

Three elements of expression determine how effectively leaders communicate:

1. Ability to be vocal in meetings and interactions.
2. Propensity for conveying insights that raise the level of discussion.
3. Aptitude for speaking clearly and concisely.

Having executive presence means being vocal, insightful, and clear.

First, as a leader, you must learn to speak up. Shirking away from active participation in the conversation is not an option if you wish to excel in your current position or level up. Leaders with executive presence contribute actively to any dialogue.

Second, you must strive to elevate the conversation. Now, that doesn’t mean every word you say needs to be utterly brilliant. But in general, you need to make sure you’re not just taking up space but also enhancing the dialogue.

Third, you must communicate in a way that people can easily understand. People should immediately grasp your instructions and the points you’re making.

5 Tactics for Speaking Up to Enhance Your Executive Presence Communication

If speaking up doesn’t come naturally to you, how can you start contributing more actively? Learn different tactics for speaking up, like these 5 that I mention in my book: Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction:

1. Explaining why you support someone else’s position.

   You may fear you’re not adding anything to the discussion, because they’ve already made their point. But others need to know where you stand on it, and by speaking up, you may garner more support for a good idea.

2. Sharing expertise.

   Perhaps you have a supporting point to make, based on your extensive knowledge of a certain topic.

3. Asking a question.

   Great questions can provide food for thought in group discussion, or they can clarify an important point that no one thought to ask about.

4. Synthesizing ideas.

   Many people are too busy thinking of what they’re going to say next to draw connections between ideas. By connecting the dots, you’ll be displaying leadership and taking an active role in the dialogue.

5. Clarifying next steps.

   Too often, a group has a thoughtful discussion but, due to lack of clarity on action steps, things don’t move forward in a timely manner. Be the one to make sure the group takes action on an issue, ensuring people have clear tasks to complete.

4 Ways to Generate Great Ideas to Share in Meetings

In terms of the ideas you share, here are some specific ways of cultivating powerful insights so you come across as a leader with strong executive presence communication:

1. Prepare well for meetings, organizing your thoughts so you’ll have valuable contributions to make.
2. Spend time reflecting on topics that interest you and thinking strategically about new possibilities.
3. Continuously learn new things by reading articles, books, and news reports.
4. Talk to people across fields and functions. New insights or opportunities for collaboration may arise from these conversations.

To Learn to Communicate More Clearly, Leverage the Following 8 Tactics to Enhance Your Executive Presence:

1. Be succinct. If you’re naturally longwinded, organize your thoughts beforehand instead of always speaking off the cuff.
2. State your main points upfront, rather than slowly building up to them. Otherwise, you’ll lose people’s attention.
3. Connect every supporting point back to the main one.
4. Check in with people to find out if they understood what you meant, then clarify immediately if need be.
5. Provide the right level of information for your audience, rather than every detail possible. You can always answer follow-up questions about the info you’ve left out.
6. Use the power of the pause, and vary your pacing.
7. Avoid qualifier and filler words.
8. Avoid jargon that people may not comprehend.

Key Point on Enhancing Your Executive Presence Communication

As you learn to communicate clearly and frequently, you’ll highlight your important insights. Without clear communication, great ideas can easily go unnoticed, but now, you’ll make sure others hear, understand, and discuss them. As a result, you’ll become a leader with one of the three vital building blocks of executive presence: the power of expression.

A skilled executive presence coach will help you develop all three building blocks of executive presence. Contact Joel for one-on-one guidance on becoming a leader who communicates skillfully, radiating executive presence in all situations. You can browse through his numerous articles on executive presence. You can also bring him into your company for an executive presence training program or purchase his book for your employees, Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction.