Do You Have Executive Presence? Assessment & Evaluation

Are you a leader with executive presence, or a person who lacks it? Take this executive presence assessment & evaluation to learn how you’re showing up at work.

Are you beginning to realize that to reach higher levels of leadership—or to excel in your new position—you need a new skill set? It’s normal to realize, at this stage, that you’re lacking certain qualities of executive presence that would make you a much more effective leader. Rather than focusing on your technical skills, which you’ve already mastered, you need to develop a new toolkit. You may have a strong set of people skills, but you now need to be more than a good team player—you need to become a strong team leader.

Acting as a bold, confident, and commanding leader doesn’t come naturally to most people. Making good decisions, influencing across functions, and communicating articulately in high-pressure situations takes practice and perseverance. But you’ll stand out as a capable and trusted leader when you master all these competencies of executive presence. And by doing so, you’ll deepen your impact as a leader, guiding your team to achieve more together.

Your boss and other senior leaders may never have mentioned executive presence, even though they’re unconsciously looking to promote people with the set of qualities that make up executive presence. But they know how to recognize the It factor that makes great leaders when they see it. Don’t wait to be told that you should develop executive presence, because senior leaders may never utter this phrase. But when you radiate executive presence, they will take notice. And as you project the core qualities of executive presence, you’ll rise to the top.

Take this executive presence assessment in order to do an evaluation that assesses your own level of executive presence. This will give you a strong understanding of which qualities you need to hone in on in order to radiate executive presence more fully.

Executive Presence Evaluation – Do you project executive presence in these situations?

For each of  these 10 common scenarios where leaders need to display executive presence, rate with this assessment how well you display executive presence.

1. You’re delivering an important presentation to a group of senior leaders two levels above you.

   You need to make a strong first impression, coming across as confident and eloquent. Consider how you’ll feel, and how these high-level leaders will perceive you.
   

2. You’re deciding which direction to go on a high-profile project.
   

   Your decision could make or break its success. As everyone eagerly waits for your verdict, consider how sure you feel of your own judgment and how you’ll announce your choice—with certainty, or with some hesitation.
   

3. In a meeting with team members and senior leaders, you have an important idea to share.
   

   A robust discussion is happening; the conversation never pauses. Consider whether you speak up and voice your idea, and how well others hear you when—or if—you do so.
   

4. While you’re leading a team meeting, your boss’s boss drops by to sit in.

   Think about how you carry yourself with this senior leader watching, and how your team responds.
   

5. You and a top leader are the first ones to enter the Zoom chat before a meeting.

   She asks how your project is going. Consider whether you reply with enthusiasm and share a compelling, well-organized summary—or whether you give a lackluster response.
   

6. Your boss tells your team about a major initiative that company leadership just unveiled, asking who wants to step up and lead it.

   Think about whether you step up to the plate, or whether you stay quiet and let a colleague take the reins.
   

7. A direct report isn’t carrying out core job duties, and you need to have a tough conversation.

   Consider whether you look poised and in control as you initiate the conversation, or whether you feel and look rattled.
   

8. A mentor invites you to a group lunch with several superiors you don’t know well.

   Consider whether you feel relaxed and at ease as you talk with them, relating to them as peers—or whether you feel like you don’t belong at the table.
   

9. You’re announcing a big project to your team.

   Consider whether they’re eager to hear about it and get involved, or whether they look unimpressed or confused.
   

10. You’re telling a large group of senior leaders, peers, and subordinates about the outcomes of an initiative.

    Think about whether you radiate charisma and capture their attention from the moment you begin, or whether you feel uncomfortable in the limelight.
    

What’s your total score for this executive presence assessment and evaluation?

• If it ranges from 44­–50, you’re beginning to radiate a strong executive presence. While you may have room for growth in certain areas, you’re becoming a leader with executive presence.
• If your score falls between 36 and 43, you sometimes show executive presence—perhaps in particular contexts where you feel most comfortable. Or, you may radiate a subtle executive presence across different scenarios.
• If you scored from 26–35, you occasionally show some executive presence qualities, but most people probably aren’t noticing them yet. You’re probably undermining your executive presence in certain ways as well.
• If your score ranges from 10–25, you probably aren’t yet radiating even a nascent executive presence. But with diligent effort, you can change that.

This executive presence assessment and evaluation is not the end point of assessing your executive presence, of course. Utilize a 360 degree evaluation tool on executive presence by asking for feedback from colleagues to better understand where you need to improve. A great executive presence development plan begins with a solid foundation of feedback from colleagues.

With the right tools, you can substantially improve your executive presence within the scope of weeks and months—not years. Even within the first few weeks, you can make big changes that guide others to perceive you as confident and in command. By working with an executive coach, you can become known as a powerful leader by cultivating every dimension of executive presence. Over a six-month executive coaching engagement, many clients have dramatically transformed how they show up at work.

Your organization is counting on you to cultivate executive presence so you can contribute greater value as a leader. Contact Joel to embark on an executive presence coaching program customized to your needs or an executive presence corporate training program. You can also purchase his book for your employees Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction.