939: INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP: Redefining Executive Presence to Diminish Bias

I’ve recently been in a few conversations about executive presence with colleagues and coaching clients.  These conversations keep coming up because of major misconceptions about executive presence.  When we think about executive presence, we tend to think about traits that allow for high control, high volume, and high power.  However, executive presence is not about dominance or taking up more space than the people around you.  It’s about far more.  And, it’s quite nuanced.    

Unfortunately, many of us don’t have great examples of executive presence around us.  This is why we don’t have a clear understanding of what it entails and how to develop it.  Without strong mentors and role models, it’s hard to know what you’re even striving for, right?!

In this episode, we will talk about what leaders are getting wrong about executive presence, the components of executive presence that matter most, and specific steps you can take to strengthen your executive presence.  We will also discuss how executive presence has long been weaponized as a gatekeeping tool and to uphold bias.  

Please know executive presence is not just for executives!  This is a way of carrying yourself in order to have a commanding presence that calls people in to work with you and listen to you.  Your executive presence at any level, regardless of role or rank, can position you to build trusting relationships, enter into collaborative opportunities, and set yourself up for powerful next steps in your leadership legacy.   

Episode Highlights:

• How executive presence is learned and developed over time

• Why quiet confidence goes a long way

• Why executive presence requires balancing confidence with humility

• Why executive presence has nothing to do with being the loudest or most dominant in the room

• True executive presence is about how you make others feel

• How and why to leverage authenticity more than conformity in your leadership

• Recognizing the role of gatekeeping and bias in many current models of executive presence

Links Mentioned:

• Hire me to speak: saradean.com/speaking

• Coach with me: https://saradean.com/executive-coaching-services

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saradeanspeaks

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