Executive Presence- Fact or Fantasy?
The issue of executive presence or image has been debated for decades. In our "virtual" world where we interact with people electronically does it still matter? What are the elements that make up presence? Can they be taught or coached? Do they benefit the organizations or just the individual?
I got to watch Senator Obama's speech in Berlin. I have to tell you I thought he was pretty compelling, apparently so did the thousands of Germans who stood out there to listen to him. When I compare him to our current president, W just doesn't show well. I know that there are many who feel that Obama is long on rhetoric and short on answers, but you got to give the guy credit- he draws crowds like a rock star.
Bill Clinton may have a very flexible moral compass, but he too has presence.
So I wonder, does presence still play a critical role in leadership and how to we pass that along to a generation who communicates electronically and seems to reject a lot of the "image" stuff that was very important when I was climbing the corporate ladder.
Do tell!
MH
I got to watch Senator Obama's speech in Berlin. I have to tell you I thought he was pretty compelling, apparently so did the thousands of Germans who stood out there to listen to him. When I compare him to our current president, W just doesn't show well. I know that there are many who feel that Obama is long on rhetoric and short on answers, but you got to give the guy credit- he draws crowds like a rock star.
Bill Clinton may have a very flexible moral compass, but he too has presence.
So I wonder, does presence still play a critical role in leadership and how to we pass that along to a generation who communicates electronically and seems to reject a lot of the "image" stuff that was very important when I was climbing the corporate ladder.
Do tell!
MH
posted by Mark at New Paradigms LLC at
3:42 PM
6 Comments:
Mark,
I think executive presence is an elusive concept, and also that people can learn many elements of it, with awareness and coaching. At Change Masters, we've coached executives and professionals for 21 years, and just published a book on it called, "Seeing Yourself As Others Do - Authentic Executive Presence At Any Stage Of Your Career". It illustrates a wide variety of proven techniques on how to more effectively demonstrate the type of impact, charisma and connection capability others portray.
Mark, your point on Obama and Clinton were interesting, and so telling as how the American culture has come to define as "executive presence." (e.g. "I look good; I sound good. Therefore, I must BE good!" A bit worrisome when one remembers that Mark Twain once wrote: "Be good and you will be lonesome." I can bet neither B. Clinton or B. Obama are lonesome!)
In my experience, the phrase "executive presence" was used most frequently in the financial services industry and meant:
1) the person can make every level of associate and/or management feel at ease from the time they enter the room. Yes, they can command the room, but more importantly, they have an aura or presence that allows the observers to actively relate and identify with them. This is critical when one is trying to sell something or deliver hard news. People long to see the "human-ness" of the executive;
2) the person is an eloquent speaker who has knows his/her subject and has thoughtfully prepared his/her presentation or counter-debate, and
3) the person genuinely cares about the proper representation of the Company in which they work.
Your point regarding Obama being a great orator is spot on. People want to hear him because he can excite and ignite a passion in the individuals and teams that his competitor does not do at the moment. I sometimes hear sarcasm when the term "executive presence" is used which can be attributed to the mis-use or abuse of individuals who are trying to "look and speak the part" versus "being" the part. There is some subjectivity in the term which makes it hard to pin down and understand what and how to train someone in order to have "it." It is also missing a critical element of subject matter expertise or experience which we all hope is in the basic equation to get to the executive level (whether presidential or to the Board Room).
When I am working to develop key talent, I tell them:
1) Care about how you present yourself to the public as you are representing the Company and its Brand. In this age of immediate information, it is critical that one cares about how he/she presents him/herself at all times (personal, private, public) and that there is authenticity and consistency in the presentation.
2) Care about making your teams and colleagues at ease even in times of disagreement. . .this means excellent active listening skills and good manners (which should counterbalance any arrogance),
3) Care about keeping up with current events and how they shape your industry,
4) Know if you are in the right place at the right time to capitalize on your skills/knowledge and presence,
and finally -
5) Live by example. Identify someone you admire and work to emulate their best points every day. The best executives I know are those that give back of themselves (privately as mentors; publicly to the community), have a great sense of humor about themselves, are voracious readers, have higher than average curiousity, and care about making the Company in which they work better for both the employees and shareholders.
Being in their presence is hallowed ground, indeed.
Hi Mark
Yes, executive presence can be taught, that's what I do for a living. I happen to call it Nonverbal Leadership, not executive presence. (Most communication is nonverbal, and when there's conflict between words and nonverbal signals, people ignore the words 93% of the time.) Many of my clients are not executives. They are consultants, sales professionals, and experts such as engineers, lawyers, etc.
BTW often with executives, I teach them to tone down their presence. Sometimes high status people suck the air out of the room and choke off open communications and innovation.
All my clients change dramatically in 2 days. I guarantee my work, because it always works. Here's why.
People are pretty clueless about the signals they send. People without executive presence undermine themselves, unconsciously. By increasing their self-awareness, they learn what EP feels like, so they can turn it on and off at will.
Most people lack behavioral flexibility. Usually they are good at high status or low status, but not both. In a couple of days of exercises, they learn a wide range of simple skills to increase or decrease Nonverbal Leadership.
Human cooperation is a process. They learn how to change others by changing themselves. The proper sequence of behaviors unconsciously elicits leadership-followership pairings.
It doesn't create miracles, but it usually at least doubles a person's effectiveness. Sales people double their closes without any extra effort. Change Agents like consultants double their ability to influence others (including executives). With people in Leadership, the more typical measure is how others perceive them. Others feel their presence, give them more respect, defer to them. It could be broken down into behaviors...such as reduction in times they are interrupted when speaking, but I'm looking for them to make a breakthrough in their careers. Usually, the executives go back to work and everything is changed. To them it's a miracle.
One of the cool things about teaching nonverbal skills is that others process them unconsciously. It gives my clients a huge edge.
50% of all behavior is genetic. So it doesn't matter whether we are online or not. The words we use and how we use words send signals about ourselves. Soon, broadband will be ubiquitous, and live video communications will be the norm, once again adding a rich media for the richness of human communication.
BTW, I think knowing how to turn on and off presence, is a beautiful thing that makes the world a better place. Everyone benefits when conflict and stress is taken out of communications. Part of leadership is knowing how to change oneself so that others step up to lead when it's their turn. In our current world full of experts, everyone needs to step up and tell their truth with power, and step down so others feel comfortable speaking their truth. Then intelligent decisions can be made.
BTW, culture shifts what's hot, cool, important, but what culture doesn't change is our genetic drives to be important and appreciated in the eyes of others.
An executive who meets those drives in the right way at the right time is said to have presence.
Best regards
Michael Cushman
www.engagingchange.com
Mark,
Addressing the 'presence' of anyone, executive or not is more about exposing in the person what their potential is as a human being. It is about how they see themselves in the world and it is about the legacy they want to leave behind. The presence piece also has (I believe) to do with how people want to show up in the world around them and how they want to impact others. Negative or Positive, their presence will show up and change the field within which they stand.
The definition of Executive Presence varies depending on the organization, team and individual. What type of culture are they working within, does it foster collaboration and trust or the opposite, dissension and fear? In either environment executive presence is known, it just isn't necessarily producing the desirable results.
Which leads to, can the desirable behavior be taught? I believe it can however, we all posses a certain amount of hardwiring that cannot be overridden. We can mask behaviors, we can ice temperaments and we can foster positive conversations. But when it comes to truly teaching anyone to do anything there must be a desire to change and grow. Without the desire, no amount of teaching, mentoring, money or perks will get lasting results that are both positive and sustainable.
Bottom-line, transformation can only happen when one is willing to do the work and put in the time for lasting change. Presence is something we all possess, it is how we use it that impacts the world around us. The mirror is truth telling, dwell in the possibility rather than fear what you (or others) may see.
www.redmonandassociates.com
Mark,
The definition of Executive Presence needs to come from the organization itself. The leaders at a Gen-Y organization will provide a much different definition than the baby boomer leaders at a legacy telecommunitions business. We, as consultants, do a dis-service by defining 'Executive Presence' without understanding the organization or individuals we are working with.
Thanks,
John
Presence begins with the way a leader thinks and continues with their ability to effectively communicate what they are thinking.
Doyle Slayton
Sales and Leadership Strategist
www.SalesBlogcast.com
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