If you want to make a serious impact you have to have great presence and gravitas. Having written a great deal over the years on these topic, it occurred to me that I had never focused on the “what not to do.”
So, enjoy these seven deadly sins of executive presence. Wince if you like, but take serious note – failure to attend to these will render all other attempts to build your impact null and void.
- Verbal Nonsense. Umms, ahhs, and the like. Sounding like you lack confidence will suggest to people that you do lack confidence. Stop it. Listen, ask questions, check understanding, move on.
- Physical Nonsense. Fiddling with your pen, shifting constantly in your seat, being distracted by other things, all communicate that you are ill-at-ease, which is quite the opposite of someone who has presence. Stop it. Pay close attention to the individual or issue at hand.
- Inappropriate Emotions. Getting angry or frustrated. Venting. Excessive passion and enthusiasm. Don’t become devoid of emotions, just make sure they are fit for purpose, favouring the positive enough to lift others, and avoiding the negative (use your head/logic for that).
- Inappropriate Behaviour. No further comment necessary, just don’t go there.
- Lack of Trust. Being suspicious, pouring over the detail, micro-managing. With presence you have the confidence that others will do what you want them to do, and if not, you’ve got that covered too. So you can be explicit in your asks, confident in the results.
- Disorganised. Gravitas is best generated from a strong assurance built on knowing what you are about, clear on purpose, efficient in behaviour, thorough in planning and meticulous in execution. Oh, and when you are organised, make sure you look organised too!
- Poor Decision-Making. Slow, poorly thought-through, inadequate consultation (or too much), unmaking, remaking and flip-flopping, sitting on the fence – come on, you know what I mean, get a grip.
Actually, when you come to think of it, all of these are tell-tale signs that you are not confident in what you are doing. And dress it up as you may, lacking in confidence will undermine presence and credibility faster than anything I can think of. Take a look at How to Develop Genuine Gravitas.
More on Impact for Private Clients
- Feedback: When Will You Stop Asking?
- How to Maximise Your Promotion Prospects
- Making an Impact at the Top Table
- Don’t forget, with Client Confidential you also get access to the short course, Making an Impact.
Colin Gautrey
Provocative Coach/Mentor | Specialism: Impact and Influence
Ready to take the next step? Discover how personalised coaching can ignite your full potential and accelerate your success. When you’re ready, let’s talk about how we can work together to turn your vision into a reality.
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