InfluencingNetworking

Executive Presence: What makes you influential

5 minutes

Executive presence is that intangible yet unmistakable quality that makes people stop, listen and trust. It’s not about hierarchy or power, it’s about how you show up!

Leaders with executive presence project confidence, decisiveness and credibility. Their influence is felt as much as it’s seen. They make others believe in their leadership, not because of their title, but because of how they act, speak and carry themselves.

It’s built on three interconnected pillars, each with practical traits that bring your leadership to life.

Gravitas - How you act

Gravitas is the heart of executive presence. It’s about how you handle yourself. When leaders demonstrate gravitas, they exude calm, confidence and authenticity that others instinctively trust.

The key traits that underpin Gravitas include:

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Confidence: Showing composure and self-assurance, being sure of your capability without slipping into self-importance.

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Decisiveness: Making informed decisions efficiently and with conviction, giving others clarity and confidence in your leadership.

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Integrity: Acting consistently with honesty and fairness. Matching your words and actions even when no one is watching.

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Vision: Seeing the future clearly, communicating it decisively and taking purposeful action toward it.

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Respect for others: Treating others with dignity, respect and curiosity, even when perspectives differ, understanding their experiences on a deeper level.

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Inclusiveness: Creating psychological safety by ensuring everyone feels valued, involved and heard.

Communication - How you connect

Executive presence is not just how you act, but how you connect with others. The way you communicate, your tone, clarity, and listening, determines whether people listen to you or tune out.

The traits that build communicative presence include:

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Speaking ability: Communicating purposefully and persuasively. Your voice, vocabulary and energy align with your message.

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Command of the room: Navigating and connecting with your audience, in person or online, through confidence, humour and timing.

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“Listen to learn” orientation: Listening deeply to understand, not just to reply and seeking out other perspectives before deciding.

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Ability to read the audience: Observing mood and body language to sense the energy of the room and adjust your approach accordingly.

Appearance

Appearance isn’t about style. It’s the visual and behavioural cues that signal confidence, energy and respect for others.

Presence in appearance is shaped by these traits:

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Authenticity: Showing up as your true self. You communicate values, admit mistakes and lead with integrity.

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Body language: Aligning your non-verbal cues with your words - posture, eye contact and expressions that signal confidence and openness.

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Polished look: Presenting yourself appropriately and consistently. Grooming and care reflect the respect you have for yourself and others.

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Fitness and vigor: Demonstrating wellbeing, balance and vitality. Showing that you can be relied upon and bring positive energy.

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Curation of online image: Reflecting professionalism and alignment between your digital presence and in-person leadership.

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Willingness to show up: Being visible and engaged - both online and in person - to build genuine connection and trust across spaces.

Here's the proof

And the numbers back it up. A global survey of nearly 400 executives found that 89% believe executive presence helps professionals move ahead, while 78% say a weak presence can hold them back.

Among senior leaders in research by Coqual, gravitas – how you act under pressure – remains the most important ingredient, cited by 67% as the defining trait of influential leaders.

And it helps teams perform. Research shows that your executive presence directly impacts both engagement and performance. In a study of 74 managers, those who demonstrated executive presence not only earned higher trust and credibility, but their teams also showed stronger engagement and collaboration.

Put simply, executive presence isn’t a “nice to have”. It’s a team performance and career accelerator. It shapes who gets noticed, who gets trusted by their teams, and who leads.

Take our self-assessment to discover which aspects of your executive presence stand out and where to focus next.

Sources

Hewlett, S.A. (2023) Executive Presence 2.0: Leadership in an Age of Inclusion.

Acorn (n.a.) The How-to Guide to Developing Executive Presence and Influence. Retrieved from https://acorn.works/blog/developing-executive-presence#strategies-for-developing-executive-presence-

Coqual. (2012). Executive presence: The missing link between merit and success. https://coqual.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/26_executivepresence_keyfindings-1.pdf

Chukwuma, I. O., & Okonkwo, U. O. (2023). Executive presence and employee engagement: An empirical analogy. Journal of Management Information and Decision Sciences, 26(3), 1–10. Retrieved from https://www.abacademies.org/articles/executive-presence-and-employee-engagement-an-empirical-analogy-15871.html

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