How to Build Executive Presence and Charisma

A 7-figure-earning seller has executive presence in every conversation. It’s something I call the “automatic voice.” Here’s how it works: You can speak with authority, confidence, and experience on demand. Nothing is hurried. There is no jargon. Little product or solution is spoken of. It’s devoid of any desperation. There is no sense of “I need this.” If anything, there is a purposeful use of silence and cliffhangers. An air (not of arrogance) of, “Are you worthy of *my* attention?” Your automatic voice is crafted over time. But you can be deliberate about practicing it no matter where you are in your career: - Trying to land your first job - Trying to make your first sale - Trying to close your first mega-deal To stress-test it, imagine you’re on a 3-hour flight next to the CEO of your top account. How could you hold a conversation with them the whole time, and upon landing, they’re asking for your card…not the other way around? There are 5 main ingredients you need: 1. Personal experience. You have an interesting story or two that only you could talk about. For example, I didn’t graduate from college, but I have an interesting reason why - I left to try to play professional soccer in Eastern Europe. Instead of shying away, I beam when asked, “Where did you go to school?” Use situations, good or bad, to highlight what makes you unique. 2. Domain expertise. This is something you’re passionate about that you could talk about in your sleep. For example, I’ve always been drawn to creating systems. No matter what I sold or what industry I sold into, I could always revert back to a conversation about the impact of using systems (mental models, frameworks, etc.). Having something that you can apply universally gives you authority. 3. A before and after. This is a story about a situation that started in the gutter, but after your influence, transformed into something great. The key is to not deliver it through ego-centric bragging but to demonstrate the humble discoveries you made. It’s your hero’s journey - either through a client’s perspective or your own. Either way, it should demonstrate how you think and operate in the face of adversity. 4. A big idea. This is a contrarian view and a deeply held belief you’re passionate about. For example, when I was selling conversational AI to global brands, the big idea was that a major company should kill their 1-800 number. The big idea should be something that invites them to ask questions. 5. A reason why. This is something exciting, almost exclusive, that you’re working on at the moment. For example, I once proposed a half-billion-dollar proposal to a large telco. When engaged with other prospects, this created intrigue. Why? Because big idea people want to work with other big idea people. They’re feeling like they want to be a part of your special VIP club. 🐝

Want to BE the executive before you get the title? A client just shared how one verbal habit almost derailed her MD promotion. She had the track record, the relationships, the results. But she kept ending her recommendations with "Does that make sense?" Instant authority killer. When it comes to executive presence, verbal communication is one of the most trainable skills—yet most leaders never learn the specific patterns. Here's your blueprint for speaking with C-suite authority: ✅ Do: Pause before responding (confidence doesn't rush) Lead with your conclusion Control your pace (slower = more gravitas) Let silence do the work ❌ Don't: Hedge with "I think" or "maybe" Over-explain your reasoning End statements with upward inflection Ask for validation after making your point Phrases that command the room: "The data indicates..." "Here's what matters most..." "Based on what we're seeing..." "Let me be direct..." "The opportunity here is..." 💡Remember: Executive presence isn't about pretending. It's about aligning your communication with your capabilities. These aren't performance tricks. They're patterns that help you express the expertise you've already built. The shift happens fast. One client told me: "I stopped asking for permission in my own sentences. Suddenly everyone started treating me like the executive I already was." [Blueprint guide attached] 💭 What verbal habit is undermining your executive presence? Name it below and commit to dropping it this week. ------------ Ring my 🔔 for more executive communication strategies, or reach out directly to accelerate your path to the C-suite. Helping you master the language of leadership—before you need the title. 😎

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲? Of all the topics people ask me about, executive presence is near the top of the list. The challenge with executive presence is that it’s hard to define. It’s not a checklist you can tick off. It’s more like taste or intuition. Some people develop it early. Others build it over time. More often, it’s a lack of context, coaching, or exposure to what “good” looks like. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years, both from getting it wrong and from watching others get it right. 1. 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞 People early in their careers often feel the need to prove they know the details. But executive presence isn’t about detail. It’s about clarity. If your message would sound the same to a peer, your manager, and your CEO, you’re not tailoring it enough. Meet your audience where they are. 2. 𝐔𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Executives care about outcomes, strategy, and alignment. One of my teammates once struggled with this. Brilliant at the work, but too deep in the weeds to communicate its impact. With coaching, she learned to reframe her updates, and her influence grew exponentially. 3. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Every meeting has an undercurrent: past dynamics, relationships, history. Navigating this well often requires a trusted guide who can explain what’s going on behind the scenes. 4. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭 Just because something is your entire world doesn’t mean others know about it. I’ve had conversations where I assumed someone knew what I was talking about, but they didn't. Context is a gift. Give it freely. 5. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Early in my career, I brought problems to my manager. Now, I appreciate the people who bring potential paths forward. It’s not about having the perfect solution. It’s about showing you’re engaged in solving the problem. 6. 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 Every leader is solving a different set of problems. Step into their shoes. Show how your work connects to what’s top of mind for them. This is how you build alignment and earn trust. 7. 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 Years ago, a founder cold emailed me. We didn’t know each other, but we were both Duke alums. That one point of connection turned a cold outreach into a real conversation. 8. 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Before you walk into a meeting, ask yourself what outcome you’re trying to drive. Wandering conversations erode credibility. Precision matters. So does preparation. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 Executive presence isn’t about dominating a room or having all the answers. It’s about clarity, connection, and conviction. And like any muscle, it gets stronger with intentional practice.

Presence is less about how you appear and more about how deeply you believe in yourself. Most people think executive presence is about what others see. But the leaders with real presence are anchored in how they see themselves. That’s the edge no one teaches in leadership training: Presence isn’t performance. It’s self-trust, embodied. You can have the polish. The title. The sharp talking points. But if deep down you’re still trying to earn the room, you’ll never own it. You don’t need to take up more space. You need to stop shrinking to fit inside theirs. The real edge isn’t being impressive. It’s being grounded, in your worth, not just your words. Here’s how to shift from performance to presence starting today: 1. Focus on What Mattered, Not What They Thought Most leaders leave a room wondering, “Did I say it right?” But here’s the shift: → Ask, “Was I real?” → “Did I lead with respect?” → “Did I create clarity or confusion?” 💡 Approval fades. Alignment lasts. This reframes the whole concept of presence, from external to internal. 2. Keep a “Belief Bank” Self-doubt isn’t solved by doing more. It’s solved by remembering who you are. Write down 5 times you led with courage, impact, kindness, or clarity. → Read them before big meetings or moments of pressure. 💡 You don’t need to prove anything. You need to remember your impact. Confidence isn’t built from applause. It’s built from evidence. (And you already have it, if you’re willing to see it.) 3. Ground Yourself Before You Enter Right before walking in, whisper something true to yourself: → “I’m here to connect, not perform.” → “I belong in this room.” → “I lead with purpose, not perfection.” 💡 A grounded leader creates safety for others to show up too. 🔥 4. Check the Mirror for Truth, Not Approval Before a big moment, ask: → “Am I being real, or just trying to be liked?” Adjust to your own standard, not theirs. 💡 Authenticity creates connection. And connection creates trust. Remember: Your leadership doesn’t start when others recognize you. It starts when you stop outsourcing your worth to their opinions. Because the version of you the world responds to, is the one you already believe in. ♻️Share to support others ➕Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for more 📸 Unknown

“Executive presence” helped me reach VP at Amazon. The biggest challenge when it comes to improving your executive presence is simply defining it. Here is how I define it: Executive presence is the ability to command a room, hold attention, and present yourself as someone who should be trusted and followed. It is a composite of many skills. In order to break executive presence into specific areas for improvement, I will borrow from the author Sylvia Ann Hewlett. She breaks it down into three categories: → 60% gravitas → 30% communication → 10% appearance Gravitas, according to Hewlett, is the collection of things that make you worthy of attention and respect. The two main traits for this are your confidence and decisiveness. People follow leaders who are sure of themselves and remain determined and composed under pressure. If you project confidence and decisiveness, you have gravitas. Part two, communication skills, are clearer. Communication skills include your ability to speak in front of a crowd, but also your ability to hold attention, manage a room, read an audience, make others feel heard, and present your authentic self. The final component, appearance, is not about being attractive or looking a specific way. It is about using your dress and grooming to show you are a person who takes their work seriously and expects to be taken seriously in return. Appearance is most important as a first impression, when you are first meeting people. Research shows that first impressions are formed very quickly and people usually seek evidence to confirm their initial judgments. So, if you present yourself as serious and professional, others will look to confirm this as opposed to looking for things that contradict it. To improve your executive presence, identify which of these 3 areas need work and then make a plan. Here are some strategies to consider: For public speaking, find small, safe audiences to practice in front of. Consider joining a Toastmasters club. To learn to read a room, partner with a friend after a meeting and discuss what each of you saw. To display calm and practice emotional control, try meditation and build your emotional intelligence skills to help you handle crises. To increase your influence, read “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” and then prepare your arguments in advance (rather than on the fly). Finally, for appearance, consider a professional stylist like a Nordstrom personal shopper to help you pick out clothes, and go to the barber or hairstylist slightly more frequently. These costs are investments in your career growth. I will be running a free, live webinar on Wednesday, July 9th called “How to Build Executive Presence.” I will give a short talk and then take questions live. Sign up for the free event here: https://buff.ly/DtOqO0i Readers — Executive presence is tricky and abstract. How do you think about it and work on it?

In executive search, I’ve seen leaders win (and lose) game-changing opportunities based on one thing: how they show up. You could have the right experience, the best metrics, and a glowing résumé…But if your presence doesn’t communicate leadership, trust, and influence? You’re not getting the role. That’s why I’m a big fan of Gartner’s Executive Presence Wheel of Influence—because it breaks presence into what it truly is: Image → What people believe about your reputation Impressions → How you make people feel through your tone, clarity, and energy Impact → The legacy of your interactions—what changes because of you Leaders with strong executive presence are 76% more likely to be promoted than those without it. (Source: Center for Talent Innovation) Yet, executive presence isn’t just about how you look-it’s about how you influence. The 3 Pillars of Executive Presence: If you want to lead, inspire, and command a room, you need to master these: 1. Image: What people think about you -Your reputation, credibility, and personal brand shape how others perceive your leadership. Executives with a strong brand are 45% more likely to be trusted by their teams. (Source: Edelman Trust Barometer) 2. Impressions: How people feel about you - Your body language, tone, and communication set the tone for how others react to you. * A study by Harvard Business Review found that 55% of executive presence comes from how you communicate. 3. Impact: What people do because of you - Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room—it’s about inspiring action. Companies led by influential leaders see 37% higher employee engagement. (Source: Gallup) When I mentor senior leaders, I often ask: 🟠 Do you project clarity under pressure? 🟠 Are you leaving your team inspired or just informed? 🟠 Does your personal brand match how people experience you? How to Strengthen Your Executive Presence Today -Build a strong reputation – Be known for something specific in your industry -Refine your communication – Clarity, confidence, and storytelling matter - Create lasting impact – Lead with authenticity, inspire action, and be remembered Executive presence can be taught. It can be shaped. And it can be mastered. But it requires self-awareness, feedback, and most importantly—practice. Let’s normalize talking about this. Your title might get you in the room—but your presence decides if people will follow your lead. #ExecutiveSearch #LeadershipDevelopment #Mentorship #ExecutivePresence #CareerGrowth #LSInternational