I attended an event at a huge ballroom with over 500 people in
attendance and others still trickling in. I was to meet with a specific
person and then leave so I sat near the back of the room so I could
sneak out of the room inconspicuously.
Suddenly there was a lot of activity near one of the entrance doors. When I looked back to see what all of the commotion was about, I realized that it was him - THE ONE. He had stopped everyone in the room and as he walked toward the front of the room all eyes turned to watch. He stopped to greet several people; nodding and shaking hands as he made his way to the front of the room.
We all know the one when we see him or her. It's that person with such amazing charisma that it captures the attention of everyone in the room. They exude confidence and leadership. And, in the boardroom, at the annual office party, or at a cocktail client reception, they are always professionally dressed impeccably and appropriately.
Can't put your finger on the one thing that makes the one, the one? That's because there isn't just one trait but a set of leadership qualities resulting in executive presence that has been developed over time to make them stand out above the rest. Your executive presence is the faith and trust that others have in your abilities and expertise. Professionals with executive presence exude confidence and have the ability to ignite and persuade. These leaders are in tune to the needs of others and seem to know exactly what to do in any given business situation.
However, there's no magic or special quality needed to get closer to your leadership goals in your organization, field or industry. To develop executive presence it is important to understand what leadership qualities you currently possess and where you should place your development focus.
Here are some of the most common leadership characteristics that you can cultivate NOW:
Suddenly there was a lot of activity near one of the entrance doors. When I looked back to see what all of the commotion was about, I realized that it was him - THE ONE. He had stopped everyone in the room and as he walked toward the front of the room all eyes turned to watch. He stopped to greet several people; nodding and shaking hands as he made his way to the front of the room.
We all know the one when we see him or her. It's that person with such amazing charisma that it captures the attention of everyone in the room. They exude confidence and leadership. And, in the boardroom, at the annual office party, or at a cocktail client reception, they are always professionally dressed impeccably and appropriately.
Can't put your finger on the one thing that makes the one, the one? That's because there isn't just one trait but a set of leadership qualities resulting in executive presence that has been developed over time to make them stand out above the rest. Your executive presence is the faith and trust that others have in your abilities and expertise. Professionals with executive presence exude confidence and have the ability to ignite and persuade. These leaders are in tune to the needs of others and seem to know exactly what to do in any given business situation.
However, there's no magic or special quality needed to get closer to your leadership goals in your organization, field or industry. To develop executive presence it is important to understand what leadership qualities you currently possess and where you should place your development focus.
Here are some of the most common leadership characteristics that you can cultivate NOW:
- Effective communications: The ONE can clearly, concisely and convincingly communicate. They understand the importance of both verbal and non-verbal cues and easily express themselves to an audience of one or auditorium of one thousand.
- Image & executive presence: These leaders have a style and professional image that is polished and professional. They consistently dress appropriately for any professional function and their image conveys trust and communicates their expertise. In addition, they demonstrate an understanding of the standards in which business people operate, communicate and collaborate.
- Calm demeanor: She exudes a quiet confidence and approach a challenge in a way that is logical, and collected. This demeanor communicates that you are in control even in challenging situations.
- Emotional intelligence: The One has a high EQ and can understand, identify and manage emotions in positive ways and has a tremendous ability to sympathize with others and diffuse conflict. Click here for an in depth Forbes piece on developing this trait.
- Body language: Remember the song lyric "Let me hear your body talk?" Well it does and no matter what you say your body language speaks volumes about how you really feel. Learn how to control and use nonverbal gestures and movements to reinforce your message.
- Self-reflection: The One knows how to dig deep and examine their values, goals, and identify areas of growth and improvement. They don't wait for others to identify where they can get better, they actively seek opportunities to learn grow and get better.
