Joel Garfinkle and his methodology have helped me tremendously during my career. He’s been an excellent resource on my journey toward becoming an effective leader. I recommend Joel and his 3×3 Executive Presence Model to anyone looking to accelerate their career and leadership skills.
The 3 x 3 Executive Presence Model
The Executive Presence Model displays nine executive behaviors that fall into three categories. Understanding and using these behaviors develops a well-rounded executive presence. Each of the three categories enhances your overall career development so you can become one of the most influential executives in your organization. And if you need to motivate employees to become advanced leaders, executive coaching will give them the strategies to succeed.
How to become that leader can feel like a mystery. That’s why you need a clear model that shows the key traits and qualities of executive presence—which is exactly what Joel’s 3 x 3 Executive Presence Model does. It clearly explains what executive presence is and how to begin developing it—today.
This comprehensive model for executive presence identifies the specific qualities you need to grow within every key domain of executive presence, eliminating the guesswork. For best results, collaborate with an experienced executive presence coach to apply this knowledge within your work.
Apply the Executive Presence Model and Your Leaders Will Learn How To:
- Radiate Gravitas: Be confident, commanding, and charismatic.
- Act with Authority: Be decisive, bold, and convincing.
- Express Themselves Fully: Speak (up), be insightful, and clear.
Benefits of the 3 x 3 Executive Presence Model
Practicing these 9 leadership competencies is vital to boosting your executive presence. You will increase your competence and confidence, as well as your level of contribution to the organization. Like an athlete who runs several extra miles a week, strengthening your executive presence is an undertaking that requires dedication, repetition of key elements and time invested beyond the typical work week.
When your people are equipped with the ability to create a leadership presence and convey confidence, they will become the high-impact leaders who move the organization forward.
The 3 Domains of the Executive Presence Model
Within this model for executive presence, there are three key domains of executive presence:
- Gravitas
- Authority
- Expression
Each of these domains encompasses three competencies that you can work to develop which are outlined below. (Executive presence coaching can be your secret weapon in mastering each of these domains!)
GRAVITAS – 1st Domain of the Executive Presence Model
Having gravitas means that everyone from your direct reports to senior leadership sees you as confident, commanding, and charismatic. The root of the word means “serious”—your words, thoughts, and actions carry weight. When you speak, people stop and listen. They can feel your effect on themselves, others, and the room. You capture their complete attention because they know your words have impact.
Further, you don’t give your power away. Even when speaking with higher-level people, you see them as equals. You treat them as colleagues rather than feeling intimidated by their status and holding back your opinions. As a result, they see you as an equal too.
You also inspire confidence in your subordinates, coworkers, and superiors. Why?
- You help subordinates tap into their sense of their own potential to do more, be more, and achieve more than they thought possible.
- Peers find you trustworthy, respect the quality of your work, and know you’ll guide the team to success.
- Superiors rely on you to produce excellent work, expand your influence, and go above and beyond what is asked of you. They know your work reflects well on them too.
AUTHORITY – 2nd Domain of the Executive Presence Model
You show you have authority by being decisive, bold, and influential. Every time you act with decisiveness, boldness, and influence, you earn another notch in your leadership belt, giving you a foundation of authority. Your authority doesn’t stem from your position or title. Rather, it’s something you’ve earned.
In this model, authority doesn’t mean demonstrating power, control, dominance, or supremacy over others—or acting as a dictator who uses a command-and-control style of leadership. Instead, it means that people naturally view you as a bold and competent leader and are glad that you’re in charge. Modeling the three core traits of being decisive, bold, and influential will show that you’re sure of yourself, and for good reason, leading other people to implicitly trust you as a leader.
EXPRESSION – 3rd Domain of the Executive Presence Model
The three traits that make up the domain of expression include speaking up, being insightful, and communicating clearly. Each time you speak up, show insight, and communicate clearly and effectively, you enhance others’ perception of you as a leader.
Expression is all about how you convey your thoughts, ideas, and insights. Here are three aspects of expression that you need to master as a leader.
- First, you need to actually speak (up) to make your thoughts known—and not just within your group, but throughout the organization.
- Second, when you communicate, what you say needs to be insightful and elevate the conversation. You need to have a point of view worth hearing. That means taking time to reflect and finesse your thoughts, so you can bring your best ideas to the table.
- You also need to be clear, succinct, and to the point when you communicate. The fewer words you use, the more confident you sound. Practice punctuating your most important words or points by slowing your cadence.
As you master the three domains of executive presence in this 3×3 model, you’ll find others’ perception of you changing significantly. Your coworkers, subordinates, and leaders will approach you for input on their ideas and buy-in for their projects, because they know you have influence. Use your executive presence wisely, supporting ideas you believe in and mentoring people to success, and you’ll demonstrate that you have truly earned the opportunity to serve as a leader.
