Up-Level Your Executive Presence in the Workplace
Executives who want to hold a position of power must consider what their presence is conveying. You need to be thoughtful and deliberate about how you want the world to notice you, because how you present yourself – your ENTIRE self – matters more than most people think.
Margaret Thatcher up-leveled her presence – in fact, they made a movie about it. Did you see “The Iron Lady”? Thatcher’s advisors changed her hair and attire to increase the authority of her presence. They also had her work with a speech coach to lessen her naturally shrill tone and adopt a slightly more formal accent. And these seemingly superficial changes successfully helped Thatcher gain credibility among the British people.
“Presence” is much more than the way you dress. Presence is the way people experience you IN TOTAL.
Some elements are easier to define, like one’s clothing or hairstyle. Other factors may be more abstract, but you definitely know it when you encounter someone who has an “up-leveled presence.” She is the woman who stands out from her peers. He always appears relaxed and confident. They command respect. You may not be able to pinpoint exactly what it is when you meet someone with presence– but you definitely know “it” when you see it!
Presence includes:
Your look or style
The energy you exude when you enter the room
How you carry your body – including your posture and your gait
The attention you command, whether you are speaking or not
The quality and tone of your voice
Your choice of words and your command of language
Anyone who has experienced an invisible barrier to reaching C-level and other senior positions must consider their need for an “up-leveled presence”. The fact remains that people will judge you, and they will do so based on information that you may find superficial. Should it matter if a woman chooses to wear a pantsuit versus a skirt? Is it fair that more attention gets paid to a female executive’s outfit than those of her male colleagues? Of course not. Fair or not, this is the world we live in.
Take some time to truly assess how your presence is perceived. What signals are you sending to your co-workers and clients? Refer to a trusted confidante for feedback and ask them for brutal honesty – if you want to up-level your presence, you need to hear the truth!
Presence is a somewhat elusive concept. It’s a complex combination of the things people notice, both consciously and subconsciously, which informs their opinions about you. And those opinions directly impact the level of respect you receive. When you look at it from that perspective, you can see that your presence is something you can’t afford to ignore… because no one else in the room is going to.