12 Tips to Master Executive Presence ... which may surprise you

This article is an update to the original published in 2023. This version is written through the lens of the L.E.A.D. framework and focuses on A - Activate Your Supporters. If you’re ready to UnLeash the Leader Within by mastering executive presence, read on!

Executive presence is the secret sauce that separates good leaders from great ones.

It is a set of qualities about the way you present yourself to exude confidence, authority, and professionalism, and make others want to follow you.

But what, exactly, is executive presence, and how can you have more of it? This is a question anyone who has ever been told they don’t have enough of it struggles with. I’ve helped countless clients improve their executive presence and the shift in their trajectory is astounding. I LOVE helping people unleash the leader within this way!

In January 2025 I hosted free webinaes on “Mastering Executive Presence”. In these sessions, I am helping participants turn this abstract concept into actionable skills. If you missed it, let me share with you 10 practical tips that will set you on the right path. Whether you’re preparing for your next big meeting or simply want to lead with more impact, these tips are for you.

Follow These Tips to Master Executive Presence

Originally, these tips emerged in a group coaching conversation with several executive product leaders. But over time, as I coached more and more executives, I built on the original ideas, and arrived at the list below.

Recently, for the webinars and upcoming online course, I organized the items into four core categories… all starting with the letter A.

• Awareness - being cognizant of where you are, who’s around you, and how others are presenting themselves.
• Adaptability - shifting your message, tone and more based on your current objectives and situation
• Authenticity - balancing the above changes based on environment with the importance of not losing who you are
• Authority / Alpha-ness - showing that you are in charge, in your own way

Let me break down a few of the top 12 habits into these four categories.

AUTHENTICITY

1. Be yourself… everyone else is taken

Authenticity is at the heart of executive presence. So as you read through the rest of the items below, choose which ones to incorporate and HOW you do that based on who you are, what you find valuable, and where you want to go.

2. Build trust above all else

Your primary goal is always to build trust and confidence in you as a leader, and you need to be your true self to have others really trust you.

All the other goals are secondary, and it's okay if they take longer than you want. The more trust and confidence you build today, the easier it is to get done all those other things.

3. Dress with intention

As much as we like to deny it, looks matter.

So make sure the way you present yourself speaks to others before you even say a word. Your outfit, hair, and overall look should show you put in the effort to match the culture of the workplace but also that you sprinkled your own style on it. This shows you care about your role and the people you’re working with, and also that you’re not going to be a carbon copy of anyone else.

AWARENESS

4. Be aware of your audience’s needs but don’t let it paralyze you

“Be brave, not perfect.”

Tailor your approach to the people in the room, but don’t get stuck trying to please everyone. Like any product, you can’t fulfill the needs of everyone all the time. Focus on the most important internal partners and move forward with confidence. A product for everyone is a product for no one.

5. Know your audience

It’s key to know your internal partners (aka stakeholders) either directly or through proxies. Always consider “What’s in it for them?” (WIIFY) when sharing ideas or raising questions. By focusing on their priorities, you’re building trust and actively Activating Your Supporters.

6. Provide the right level of information

Often less is more!

Providing the right level of information shows that you've done your homework. Think executive summary not book report. I always recommend using the What / So What / Now What framework.

ADAPTABILITY

7. Frame the conversations

Make a loose plan of how you present your ideas, and remember that no one else knows what that initial plan was, in case you want to change it.

Be sure to start with framing the conversation about what your goal is (inform, align, get advice, reach a decision) so that others know what to take away from your presentation and what you expect from them.

8. Practice thinking on your feet

Quick reactions are often required in leadership roles, especially when unexpected challenges arise. That’s why Deciding sensibly and swiftly is a key pillar in the L.E.A.D. framework. Try A/B testing what you're doing and seeing what works for different people.

9. Adjust your tone, speed, and volume appropriately

These “details” can make or break how your message is received. Speaking too quickly might make you sound frantic, whereas if you’re too slow people will perceive you as condescending. Adapt based on your audience: in executive discussions, pick up the pace to show respect for other people’s time, but in team training sessions slow down and include pauses to let the information sink in.

AUTHORITY / ALPHA-NESS

10. Remember: you belong in the room

Many people interpret executive presence as confidence.

You earn this confidence by remembering that you DO belong in the room, that you have value and knowledge to contribute, and that you are humble enough to say when you don't. This helps you decide when to lead and when to follow, when to be decisive, and when to be collaborative.

11. Leverage your supporters

One way to build trust is to "borrow" it from others in the room who have already built it. Call on other people with gravitas to support your ideas, and request that they speak to the benefits they see in your initiatives. This will associate you with the previously earned trust and confidence they have gathered.

12. Delegate to get things done

Be a delegator, not a doer!

You are not supposed to have all the answers, the people in your organization should have deeper knowledge on what’s going on in the weeds. Therefore, you can turn to them to answer highly specific questions.

The strongest leaders admit it when something needs to be done and can assign a team member to take care of it.

Executive presence includes so many complementary skills that nobody gets it right from the beginning. But here’s the good news: this is a skill you can learn. In fact, if you want to reach leadership roles, this is a skill you MUST learn. Investing in it will make all the difference in your career.

If you found value in these tips, you’ll love my free webinar on “Mastering Executive Presence”. Sign up today because sessions are getting booked quickly!