In the picture is Sofia Coppola, the daughter of famous Francis Ford Coppola, directing Kirsten Dunst on the set of Marie Antoinette in 2006. Sofia made her film debut in 2003 directing Bill Murray (with Scarlet Johansson) in Lost in Translation. This film wouldn’t have been produced without Bill Murray. Sofia was convinced that he was the right person for this film for his unique presence, a combination of “funny, sensitive and sincere”. Success of the film testifies, she was right.
Stage presence is the ability to command the room with your voice, physical presence and emotion. How would you rate your presence from 1-10, right now?
Actually, did you know that executive presence in top business schools is often taught by professional actors and (stage) Directors?
When it comes to Executive Presence and influencing others, the first principle you will learn in business schools is, that “All the World is A Stage”. This well-known adage is based on the notion that “being yourself” is essentially a performance. Like in a theater, you have a role to play.
Embracing your role fully as a leader starts with your awareness of how you show up in the world and the impact you have on your environment. Achieving executive presence is possible by being:
1. Fully present and engaged.
2. Comfortable in your skin.
3. Composed under stress.
4. Authentic and approachable.
5. A Decisive Communicator.
Fully present and engaged
Give full attention to whatever or whomever is in front of you. Whether you are being approached or sitting in a meeting, avoid gazing into your phone or computer. Instead, try to listen, remain curious and opened to connecting to the other. Before you start thinking, can I trust this person, begin by asking how do you come across yourself.
Comfortable in your skin
Confident leaders feel comfortable in their skin, period. Next time you enter the room, start your speech, or answer someone’s questions, take your time and don’t feel rushed. Use smooth gestures instead or rapid movements, straighten your posture and make an eye contact. Make sure your outfit serves the context you are in. Humans start appreciating aesthetics from six months onwards, so yes, it is important.
Composed under stress
Being fully present as well as comfortable in your skin will help you deal with stress. Executive presence is confidence and “grace under fire”. It’s about your ability to follow the script and behave in way that advances shared objectives. It’s about your ability to make tough decisions. Use your power appropriately (instead of “playing McEnroe) when going gets tough, and respect other players in your story.
Authentic and approachable
Being authentic is knowing your strengths and weaknesses, and being comfortable with it. It also means knowing your values and boundaries. Making yourself approachable, is essentially a pre-condition for building relationships. And relationships drive organisations and, your own career. Building solid relationships has a lot to do with being fully present and engaged (point 1), and:
- Checking in on your attitude (positive versus negative).
- Being a person of value, before asking others for favours.
Decisive communicator
How you speak is just as important as what you say, if not even more so. Pay attention to:
- Intonation. Refers to the rise and fall of your speaking voice. How do you end your sentences? You want to deepen your voice at the end of the sentence. Unless you are really asking a questions, avoid uptalk, as it will make you sound less decisive.
- Cadence. An inflection of the voice. Do you speak fast or are you rushing? When people speak fast, we are less likely to listen to them for a long time. So, control time and make use of pauses (remember the speech “I had a dream.” from M.L. King). Pauses are powerful and will give you audience a moment to absorb you sentences and prepare for what is coming next.
Executive presence is more than being the smartest person in the room. You command the room with your verbal and non-verbal communication. Aim to fully embrace the role you are in, just like an actor does. Developing an executive presence is an ongoing process, but a good place to start is to get comfortable in your own skin. What can you do right now, to get more at ease with yourself? Do what you can and take charge.
Image: Alamy
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