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
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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 qualities you want your audience to associate with you. Be authentic, choosing qualities that truly represent who you are as a leader. For instance, perhaps you’re a transformational leader who strives to empower others, an innovative thinker who generates bold solutions, and a decisive person who trusts your own judgment and doesn’t hesitate to act. You also have a range of other leadership qualities, but those are the ones you’ll place front and center.
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Network with new people.
Connect with people across your industry, including those you’ve met at conferences even briefly. Look for those you’ve never met as well, and with whom you have something important in common. Send a personalized message mentioning why you felt inspired to connect. For instance, you might say, “I came across your recent blog post on financial analysis, and I was blown away by how engaging and approachable the content is. Looking forward to reading more.”
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Show emotional intelligence in your comments.
Use tact and compassion in your comments. If people voice challenges that they’re experiencing, show empathy with their struggles. Make them feel understood. If people challenge your ideas, be polite while defending your rationale. By keeping your cool, you’ll demonstrate self-assurance rather than insecurity.
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Inspire your network.
Become an online presence that people look to for thought leadership. Inspire your broader network just as you strive to do within your organization. Share advice regularly in the form of articles in your area of expertise. Avoid making them too “salesy.” Instead, give people a sample of your expertise by discussing ideas and recent analysis. You’ll show them better than you can tell them about your skills, credibility, and knowledge. Consider sharing long-form content to really get into the meat of a topic, which will impress and benefit your audience. List past publications as well.
Try to post regularly—those who post 20 times per month can reach 60% of their audience, says Entrepreneur.
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Highlight major accomplishments.
People do look at your work history when you’re connecting with them for the first time. Review your resume, making sure it highlights the key positions you’ve held and major accomplishments within them. Weed out anything that’s off-topic or in the too-distant past. If you’ve shifted your career trajectory, look back to see if you have any relevant experience that your resume doesn’t yet convey.
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Share praise.
Give others endorsements when you know their work well and can attest to its quality. This will build your charisma and influence. Endorsing skills will strengthen relationships and make people more likely to endorse your skills in turn.
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Define your voice.
Next, decide on the voice you want to convey. Your voice should reflect your leadership brand, but it could also include other qualities that reflect who you are. If you regularly make people laugh, add humor to your LinkedIn interactions. If you’re very serious and focused, using tightly written sentences that don’t mince words may reflect your tone.
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Enhance discussions.
Join LinkedIn groups focused on your areas of interest to connect with a wider audience. Comment on discussions related to your area of expertise, and on the posts of people in your network. Share a relevant bit of wisdom, a learning resource, or a key fact. By elevating the level of LinkedIn discussions, you’ll demonstrate executive presence.
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Include a photo that embodies your brand.
Make sure you look confident and poised yet relaxed in the photo you take for LinkedIn. You should be eye-level with the audience, not gazing up or down at them. Think about the brand you’re working to convey. Do you want to look serious or smile warmly? Neither way is wrong; just choose a look that reflects who you are.
Developing executive presence on LinkedIn really involves looking at the key ways of showing executive presence in person, then adapting them to an online environment. All of these steps are rooted in strategies for showing executive presence in person, which apply equally in an online environment.
Work with an experienced coach to learn clear strategies for mastering the art of executive presence. Contact Joel today to get started either with executive presence coaching or an executive presence training program. You can also purchase his book for your employees: Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction.
Sources:
Entrepreneur, “5 Tips for Using LinkedIn to Become a Bona Fide Thought Leader”
