Your executive presence only matters when it is authentic.
Henry Pavel (not his real name), the CEO of a midsize software company, needs his team to generate creative ideas for a new product. At the team meeting, he sits behind a large desk. His mouth is set in a tight line, his shoulders are slightly hunched, and his arms are crossed. In a flat tone, he says, “OK, everyone, I want you to all feel free to float your ideas to the group.”
Compare Henry with Eleanor Gunther (also not her real name), the CEO of a different software company. She also needs her team to brainstorm. As each team member arrives, she smiles warmly and thanks them for coming. Her posture is relaxed and open. In a pleasant tone, she invites her team to share their thoughts.
Which CEO’s team might be more likely to come up with the off-the-wall idea that turns the company into a unicorn?
While the examples are a bit exaggerated, it’s clear that team Eleanor will gain the day. Other factors being equal, Eleanor’s nonverbal language bespeaks a leader who is confident, open-minded, and flexible.
Many articles recommend that executives pay attention to nonverbal behaviors such as facial expression, vocal tone, gesture, proxemics (distance from other people), handshake, and other factors. These elements compose much of what employees perceive as the leader’s personality.
However, as somatic coach Thomas Rosenberg points out, the congruence between a leader’s actions and words reflects their level of authenticity and trustworthiness. Rosenberg explains that somatics holds that we are what we practice (how we sit, stand, walk, breathe, carry tension, the language we use with ourselves and others) and the way we hold our bodies in everyday activities.
According to this theory, if a leader attempts to convey “executive presence” but is inwardly uncentered or insecure, their efforts are likely to be perceived as inauthentic. If the leader’s words describe openness, but their facial expression and posture say the opposite, people will usually believe the nonverbal over the verbal.
Executives may sabotage themselves by physically communicating characteristics contrary to what they hope to convey. It can be difficult to control some nonverbal communication because, without our realizing it, our bodies reflect a lifetime of experience. Were we taught as children to tuck our chin or hunch our shoulders? Even when these habits no longer serve us, they persist in the form of our adult body language.
While leaders might benefit from cultivating the nonverbal cues they can control consciously, Rosenberg suggests fostering awareness of our physical sensations and thoughts to produce long-lasting transformations in nonverbal communication. For example, the executive who habitually leaned forward, giving an aggressive impression to his listeners, might learn to sit straight. As Rosenberg says, “Executives need to be conscious, to reconnect to themselves so that they can more easily connect with others.”
Develop executive presence from the inside out
Executive presence begins with self-awareness–getting in touch with your internal physiological signals.
One way to bring in some somatic awareness is by cultivating awareness of our breath. At the start of a meeting, take a deep breath and ask yourself what you are feeling. If your breath is shallow and high in your chest, this may be a sign of anxiety, which can be communicated to others.
Next, be aware of your body. Put your feet flat on the floor and feel what is happening inside you. Are you holding tension somewhere? Perhaps one shoulder is higher or your fist is clenched. Simply noticing tension may be enough to help you release it.
Do you feel a frequent urge to break eye contact? Look away for a moment and travel inside yourself. Ask yourself what your instinct is trying to tell you.
This is not to say that other aspects of nonverbal communication don’t matter. They do. You must dress for the role you play, modulate your vocal tone, arrange physical space to fit your agenda, and manage your gestures.
However, true executive presence stems from an authentic connection to your core self.