Executive presence may be difficult to define, but we know it when we see it.
Someone walks into a room, and heads turn. Conversation opens up to include them. When they ask, people answer. When they speak, people listen. When they lead, people follow.
Wherever you want to go and whatever you want to do, personal presence can help you get there.
Consider these attributes, skills, traits, habits, and attitudes with the intention to incorporate them into your life.
1. Make your body language congruent with your words to build trust and credibility. When there’s a contradictory message, remember that body language trumps.
2. Walk, move, and gesture with energy. Your passion about ideas, projects, and life in general engages others.
3. Be professional, not professorial. Strive for simplicity. Never use a long word when a short word will do. Express your core idea with strong verbs and precise nouns. Use active voice. Don’t let diction and dialect detract.
4. Heed the highlighter principle. Use your voice—inflection, tone, intensity, pacing, pausing, volume—as a powerful tool to engage others, lead a conversation, command a crowd, and create a culture.
http://www.booher.com/booherbanter 1-800-342-6621
Executive Communication Expert Dianna Booher
© Copyright, Booher Consultants, Inc. All Rights Reserved.