Fresh ideas

Note from Art: Today’s post is from Jeff Hornstein, a Speaking Coach and someone passionate about helping individuals and teams develop their critical presentation skills.  I invited Jeff to share his thoughts and ideas on “Executive Presence” and he was kind enough to contribute this post and his wonderfully useful pdf guidebook, Communicating Credibility. Enjoy and please share your thoughts here in the comments section or feel free to reach out to Jeff directly.  I’ve included his bio and contact info at the end of the post.

Executive Presence by Jeff Hornstein:

Two years ago I had the opportunity to hear Colin Powell (the former Secretary of State for the United States), speak live for about 45 minutes at an event in Chicago.  About 5 minutes into his presentation, I noticed how captivating he was, and I turned to my colleague and said – “that man has executive presence.”

You know it immediately when you see someone with executive presence, don’t you?

If you don’t feel you have executive presence, have you wondered if those lucky ones that do have it are just born with it? Are you worried that you might not have received that special chromosome?   Or have you ever thought, “oh well, I guess I’ll never be a politician or a senior business leader since most of them seem to have it too”?

I’d like to share my perspective with you regarding: what executive presence is and how to describe it, why it is important, and if you don’t have it – can you be trained and developed to have it?

What is it about Colin Powell or others we know that instill in us this sense that they have executive presence?  I don’t know if I can define it in one sentence, but here goes:  People with executive presence seem to have a natural ability to engage and influence their audience, instill them with a strong sense of their self-assurance, while possessing the ability to shift and flex with the audience as needed.

Here are some additional common descriptors I’ve heard when describing someone with executive presence: confidence, power, charisma, agility, awareness, great listener,  present, focused, convicted – yet open to hear others’ points, polished, attractive, motivational, inspirational, trustworthy, professional, wise, and clear.

Why is it so important?  Similar to the adage about “people buying from those they know, like and trust,” I believe that people want to be led by those they are inspired by, have confidence in, and trust.  How many of us have been with an organization whose leaders did not inspire, who preached flexibility, but demonstrated the opposite, and maybe worse, appeared unsure about critical information and decisions?

How many “at bats” do you or your teams get with clients or prospects?  Of course, you want to put your best foot forward.  None of us will thrive in business without have the majority of our “at bats” be successful.   And yet, while this is one key way to distinguish you from your competition, many people do not develop this critical attribute.

If I didn’t get that special chromosome, can I still develop this attribute?  For the past 11 years I have worked directly with some 12,000 business professionals in the arena of “executive presence.”  My experience tells me the answer is – absolutely you can!

Does it come easier for some people?  Of course, but that does not mean you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle!  I won’t promise that you can develop the presence of a Colin Powell, but, with a plan, hard work, a lot of practice, feedback, and most importantly an open mind, you certainly can make serious strides in developing your executive presence.

Just like seeking to become a star professional athlete (which I gave up on at about age 16), the best coaches in the world could not turn me into the next Michael Jordon or Tiger Woods. However, great coaching and hard work have definitely helped improve my game of Horse and drive down my scores on the links.

(Click here to download Jeff’s “Communicating Credibility for additional useful tips)

How do you develop this attribute?  Here is a short list of steps to take:

  • Observe leaders you have confidence in, trust and are inspired by.  Pay close attention to what they say, how they say it, what they do, and make note of their mindset or attitude.   Does it all seem to be in alignment, or do you have a “funny feeling” something just doesn’t seem right?  If you experience that feeling, see if you can identify exactly what is out of alignment.  By observing others with tuned eyes and ears, you will learn what is effective and what is not.
  • Do a thorough self assessment and take an inventory of your skills.  Seek honest, balanced feedback from someone who knows what to look for and will be honest and blunt with you.  Once you recognize your strengths, you can leverage them to create new habits.  (You can go to our web site at www.thespeakerschoice.com, sign up for our micro-newsletters and download a free e-booklet with tips and suggestions for body language and voice suggestions.)
  • Know that how you feel you are being perceived is not necessarily a match for how others’ perceive you.  Most often there is a mismatch.  We are usually much harder on ourselves than our listeners are.  When we review video with clients and ask them about strengths and development areas, it is very common for them to tell us about all their “weaknesses.”  Conversely, those same folks often will struggle to tell us about their strengths.   It is usually a very eye opening experience for them when we point out positive and developmental feedback.  A common response is “wow, I think my anxiety did not show as much as I thought it would,” which leaves them with a greater sense of confidence.
  • Combining that feedback with seeing yourself on video (and getting feedback, feedback and more feedback) is about the best way to boost your executive presence.

And last, but definitely not least, It’s all about the mindset!  Assuming you know your content inside and out, you’ve mastered the key body language/voice elements, the last and most important step is having the right mindset.  A focused, winning mindset has the power to help you transcend all the other factors.

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Jeff Hornstein is President of The Speaker’s Choice, a training and coaching company which works with business professionals who need to speak with credibility, influence, and impact, regardless of the venue.  Jeff has worked with a number of large clients, including Allstate, Baxter Healthcare, CME Group, and Gallup Consulting.  He has also worked with numerous small business owners, mostly in the professional services arena.  He received his BS in Industrial Technology from Illinois State and an Organization Development Masters level certificate from Benedictine University.     He stays fit by participating in kickboxing and bikram yoga, enjoys tinkering around the house, but mostly loves to spend time with his wife and children.