Category Archives: Executive Presence

Emotional intelligence is a prerequisite for high-level leadership. In fact, 71% of companies find it more important than IQ, CareerBuilder has found.

How do executive presence and emotional intelligence relate to one another?

Having emotional intelligence will guide you in growing the 9 core qualities of executive presence—and radiating them in every situation. We’ll discuss more about that in a moment, but first, let’s look at what emotional intelligence actually is.

Daniel Goleman brought the term into widespread usage with his book Emotional Intelligence (1995). He outlines how EI (sometimes called EQ) it means relating to oneself and others intelligently and empathetically. This means understanding how you feel, and why; how other feel, and why; and showing you understand how they feel, as he explains in a recent HBR article, “What People (Still) Get Wrong about Emotional Intelligence.”

According to Harvard Business School, emotional intelligence has … Continue reading How Executive Presence and Emotional Intelligence Complement Each Other →

Developing executive presence will give you a critical advantage over peers with the same qualifications and experience. Possessing executive presence will brand you as top leadership material, emanating capability that causes senior leaders to trust you with their most important initiatives.

But How to Develop Executive Presence? Understand the 3×3 Executive Presence Model

I outline my 3×3 Executive Presence Model in my book Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction. It lays out each of the three core executive presence domains—gravitas, authority, and expression—illustrating the three competencies that form the foundation of each domain. Study how the 9 executive presence competencies work together to form the three executive presence domains and imbue a leader with executive presence. Determine how you’re undermining your executive presence

As you learn about the 9 executive presence competencies—and take self-evaluations to find out where you stand—identify your greatest areas … Continue reading How to Develop Executive Presence: 7 Crucial Steps to Success →

In today’s fast-paced corporate world, executive presence for leaders is essential for advancing and commanding respect at higher levels. It’s not enough to excel in your technical skills or expertise—executive presence is what sets leaders apart, allowing them to influence decisions, inspire trust, and drive results. In this article, we explore the importance of executive presence for leaders through Paul’s journey—a talented professional who discovered that executive presence was the missing key to his career advancement.

Paul hesitantly walked toward Kevin’s office, unsure why a superior three levels above him had invited him into his office. Should he be concerned or excited? His anxiety brewed. Kevin was just one level below the CEO of their multi-billion-dollar biotechnology company, and Paul had never formally met with him before, let alone been invited to his office. His heart beat faster, and he wanted to turn around.

Kevin jumped right in by saying … Continue reading Why Executive Presence for Leaders is a Must-Have →

Why Leadership Presence Matters

Leadership presence is the defining quality that separates good leaders from exceptional ones. It’s not just about what you know or what you’ve accomplished—it’s about how you carry yourself, how others perceive you, and the impact you make in every interaction. Powerful leaders radiate gravitas, authority, and the power of expression—both in person and in virtual communication. Cultivating a strong leadership presence means mastering the ability to project confidence, authority, and clarity, regardless of the situation. Leaders with a powerful presence inspire trust, motivate teams, and command respect. Here’s how you can develop and strengthen your leadership presence through the foundational pillars of executive presence: gravitas, authority, and expression.

Gravitas: The Cornerstone of Leadership Presence

Gravitas is a key element of leadership presence—it’s what makes leaders stand out as confident, commanding, and charismatic. Leaders with gravitas naturally draw others to them and make … Continue reading Master Leadership Presence with 3 Key Behaviors →

Taking action to cultivate executive presence will lead others to take you more seriously at work and give you access to new opportunities. This graph, from my book Executive Presence, shows what motivates leaders to improve their executive presence:

With executive presence, you’ll stand out, gain influence, get more from your team—and, of course, have the opportunity to advance.

Wondering how to improve your executive presence? These 21 ideas are each a core piece of the puzzle. Together, they’ll help you cultivate a well-rounded range of 9 executive presence qualities in the three foundational domains: gravitas, authority, and expression.

Ask for feedback.

Keep in mind that people may not fully comprehend what executive presence means, or whether you embody it. So, ask specific questions on the 9 executive presence competencies and how you show up in different contexts. (“When I’m giving a presentation, what … Continue reading How to Improve Your Executive Presence with 21 Actionable Tips →

Executive presence can be hard to evaluate—at least, without the right tools. But good tools, like discussion questions on the executive presence competencies, can help you quickly begin to understand your level of executive presence.

Do you display a strong executive presence in your role? And which executive presence qualities do you most need to develop? These 9 executive presence discussion questions will help you identify areas for growth, as well as hidden strengths.

9 Executive Presence Discussion Questions How do you feel around leaders who are senior to you? Do you convey confidence around them, or are you timid and quiet?

Consider how you act around people like your boss’s boss. Do you hold back around leaders at that level, not projecting confidence and allowing your strengths to shine?

Confidence is a core executive presence quality you need to display in every type of interaction. Often … Continue reading 9 Helpful Executive Presence Discussion Questions →

An executive presence quiz will give you a clear sense of how well you show up with executive presence in your work. A well-developed quiz will cover the various facets of executive presence to give you a strong understanding of your overall ability.

By taking this executive presence questionnaire, you’ll learn whether you’re showing up as a leader with executive presence —or whether you have a lot of work to do.

After taking this executive presence quiz, you can also do self-evaluations on specific executive presence competencies. In my book Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction, I share self-evaluations on each of the 9 executive presence qualities so you can learn where you most need to grow.

Executive Presence Questionnaire

Give yourself one point for each of the following statements that describes you.

When I speak, I … Continue reading Take an Executive Presence Quiz/Questionnaire to Assess Yourself →

Does executive presence matter less in an online environment? If your company has gone remote, is executive presence less essential?

Not a chance. In fact, it’s even more critical than ever, because strong leadership is needed to unite a dispersed team. And when you’re looking for new leads, a new senior-level role, or new recruits—or just to make a great impression on people within and outside of your organization—executive presence is vital.

You can absolutely cultivate executive presence online, using a distinct set of strategies. Let’s explore some tactics for developing executive presence on LinkedIn, Zoom, and other platforms.

9 Tips for Developing Executive Presence on LinkedIn Design your leadership brand.

To leave a strong impression when you’re not speaking face to face (or speaking at all), you need to double down on projecting a strong brand. Begin by defining three core … Continue reading Developing Executive Presence on Linkedin →

In recent years, the increased focus on executive presence has led to the emergence of powerful insights. These executive presence statistics demonstrate the importance of executive presence for leaders in any field.

Executive presence statistic #1 – showing the importance of executive presence

Top executives emphasize the importance of executive presence. Executive presence makes up 26% of what will take a leader to the next level, found Coqual (formerly the Center for Talent Innovation). In other words, executive presence gives leaders that critical advantage over the competition. It takes them from being technically qualified to equipped to inspire and coach a team to success, playing a crucial role in professional advancement.

Executive presence statistic #2 – how to get executive presence

Most leaders have to grow executive presence; few people are naturally imbued with a full set of executive presence … Continue reading 7 Surprising Statistics About Executive Presence →

Executive presence is absolutely crucial for advancement and success at a high level. It telegraphs that you are in charge and have what it takes to handle any situation. Maybe you are beginning to emanate a nascent form of executive presence, meaning you display executive presence qualities in certain situations. You might be inspiring and charismatic with your immediate team members, or persuasive with your clients, but less so when around senior leaders. Or maybe you’re starting from square one. Either way, these executive presence tips will help you reach the next level of success.

Take command of situations.

Do you typically sit back and wait for your boss to assign projects and tasks to you? That’s the wrong approach if you want to exude executive presence. Instead, look for opportunities to take charge. On Monday morning, think to yourself, “This week, I will look for opportunities to Continue reading Top 8 Executive Presence Tips – How Leaders Reach the Next Level →