This article has been written in collaboration with Anna Elijasz.
The concept of “executive presence” (EP) has long been a whispered secret to success—the intangible “it” factor that separates managers from leaders.
Traditionally, it was associated with an image of a confident, decisive, and polished individual. Often a figure in the corner office. However, research from Harvard Business Review suggests that this definition is not only outdated but even counterproductive in today’s corporate landscape.
As communication professionals, understanding this shift is important if we want to work with the concept with our teams or clients.
The good news is that it’s not rocket science.
Executive presence after the pandemic
Our take on executive presence is simple: It’s when someone speaks, and you want to listen. When they ask you to do something, and you feel good about doing it. When things go wrong, they still look calm and in control.
In her 2012 research, economist and author Sylvia Ann Hewlett defined executive presence through three core pillars: gravitas, communication, and appearance.
Gravitas was the weight and substance of a leader’s character. A blend of confidence, decisiveness, and integrity. Communication was the ability to command a room, and appearance was the “right look” that signalled you belonged.
Fast-forward to her 2022 research, and some things have changed. While the three pillars remain, the traits that define them have been recalibrated for a new post-pandemic era with social movements and the rise of hybrid work.
Hewlett’s 2022 findings reveal a significant shift away from the traditional, top-down model of leadership. Confidence and decisiveness are still important, but they are now tempered by a new emphasis on inclusiveness and authenticity. Gravitas, once defined by an unshakeable demeanour, now places greater value on respect for others and a “listen to learn” orientation. This reflects a growing understanding that authority is built on trust and a leader’s ability to create a sense of belonging for their team.
The communication pillar has also changed. The ability to “command a room” is still part of the equation, but leaders are also expected to master virtual platforms and communicate with a newfound authenticity. In the light of the pandemic, it’s hardly surprising that commanding a room has moved to the virtual space, but the need for leaders to be less performative in their leadership style and better at connecting with teams on a more human level is.
Perhaps most notably, the appearance pillar has undergone the most dramatic change. Leaders are encouraged to be “real” and to showcase their unique identity and values. For women and minorities, this is a game-changer as it’s a sign that other leadership traits and values than the predominantly white, male leadership archetype from before is becoming more accepted – or even expected.
Executive presence isn’t about being an expert in a silo, but about influencing how others perceive you as a specialist, leader, and collaborator. It’s the framework we can use to ensure our ideas are heard and our teams feel motivated and engaged.
Beyond the corner office
We’ve worked with leaders and specialists for more than 20 years. Our work has taken us across the world to help our clients increase their impact when communicating.
It’s important to stress that the concept of executive presence is a framework for every one of us to manage our teams, build influence, and shape our careers. It’s just as valuable for non-leaders to train these skills and behaviours to be perceived as someone others would like to follow.
A cultural bias is unavoidable, and when using the framework outside an American setting, we should be mindful that executive presence will have different expressions in different cultures.
Based on our experience, here are five practical tips that you can apply to help cultivate a new, more inclusive model of executive presence:
- Practice a “Listen to Learn” Mindset: Instead of entering every conversation with a point to prove, prioritise listening. This means asking thoughtful, open-ended questions and genuinely seeking to understand others’ perspectives. In team meetings, intentionally solicit input from quieter members and acknowledge their contributions. This builds trust and shows that you value collective intelligence, a cornerstone of modern gravitas. Jacob recommends looking into the concept of ‘reflective listening’. It’s a listening technique aimed at building trust, showing empathy and de-escalating conflict. Check out The Center for Non Violent Communication and the late Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg for more insights.
- Master the Virtual Stage: The “command a room” mantra now also applies to the Zoom or Teams screen. Do all the things that you’d expect to see in others on screen. Pay attention to your lighting, background, and camera angle. More importantly, practice active engagement. Make eye contact with your camera, use gestures to convey your points, and avoid multitasking. With this, we mean: don’t answer emails during online meetings, don’t eat, don’t take other calls. Show that you are fully present and engaged, even when physically apart from your team.
- Be Authentic: Let your personality show. This doesn’t mean oversharing, but it does mean being genuine. If you have a passion or a unique perspective, find ways to weave it into your professional identity. Authenticity builds a more relatable and memorable personal brand, a key component of modern executive presence. This often involves sharing your personal stories. Not private – but personal. We call them micro stories, and they are basically short stories that frame a topic or situation with a personal perspective that other people can identify with. The stories have to be true of course. The ones that are generated by the chat lack authenticity and make you sound bland.
- Be a Decisive, Inclusive Leader: Decision-making is still a critical aspect of leadership. However, instead of making all the decisions yourself, practice inclusive decision-making. Gather input from your team by applying a ‘listen to learn mindset’, explain the rationale behind a decision, and be transparent about what data or insights you considered. This builds confidence in your leadership while empowering your team by making them feel heard and respected.
- Look the Part: Appearance is no longer about conforming to a suit-and-tie standard. It’s about looking professional and confident in a way that feels authentic to you. Dress with intention and choose clothing that allows you to feel your best. Your physical presence should signal that you are prepared and ready to engage, reflecting your competence without sacrificing your individual style.
Our intention isn’t to reduce executive presence to a set of tricks. Rather, it’s to give people practical starting points to convey confidence, authenticity and inclusiveness right away, while they continue to build the deeper foundations over time.
If you want to know more about how you can increase your executive presence, contact us today.
If you’d like to read the article in Danish, then visit the Copenhagen Review of Communication website.
