How to Improve Executive Presence Authentically

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Have you ever been told you need more “executive presence”? It’s one of the most common pieces of feedback given to rising leaders, yet it’s often delivered without any real explanation, leaving you to wonder what it even means. For many, especially women in leadership, this feedback can feel like trying to hit a moving target in the dark.

At its core, executive presence isn’t a performance or a rigid set of rules. It’s the authentic expression of your leadership—the quiet confidence and clear conviction that naturally builds trust and inspires others to follow your lead. It’s about ensuring the value you bring is not just seen in your work, but felt in your presence. This is not about changing who you are; it’s about allowing your most capable, authentic self to be seen.

What Executive Presence Really Means

Let's be honest, the term "executive presence" can feel vague and a bit intimidating. It often brings to mind a certain old-fashioned, "command-and-control" style of leader. For many professionals, especially women and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, advice on improving "presence" can be frustratingly confusing and contradictory.

The truth is, genuine presence isn’t a performance. It is the tangible quality of your leadership. It shows up in how you navigate a high-stakes meeting with composure. It’s in the way you communicate a difficult decision with both clarity and compassion. It’s about creating an environment where your team feels safe enough to innovate and contribute their best ideas. It has far less to do with commanding a room and everything to do with authentically connecting with the people in it.

The Real Impact On Your Career Growth

Learning how to improve your executive presence is more than a personal development goal. It's often a direct line to your next promotion. Why? Because it signals to senior leaders that you are a credible, reliable, and influential person who is ready for more responsibility.

A landmark study from the Center for Talent Innovation found that executive presence accounts for a staggering 26% of what it takes to get promoted. That research makes it clear: your ability to project quiet confidence and competence isn't a soft skill—it's a critical factor in who gets ahead. You can explore the key findings on leadership promotion factors to see the data for yourself.

The Three Pillars Of Modern Executive Presence

That same research identified three core pillars of executive presence. However, the interpretation of these pillars has evolved significantly to fit the reality of today’s more inclusive and often hybrid workplaces. Let's explore what they really mean now.

The table below breaks down the shift from the traditional interpretation of these pillars to a more modern, authentic approach that resonates with today's leaders.

Pillar	Traditional View	Modern Authentic Approach
Gravitas	Projecting dominance, being the loudest in the room.	Showing composure under pressure, emotional intelligence, decisiveness, and the quiet confidence of deep self-awareness.
Communication	Giving polished speeches, having all the answers.	Speaking with clarity and conviction, active listening, and using body language that connects, whether in person or on screen.
Appearance	Conforming to a strict, conservative dress code.	Intentional self-presentation that's an authentic, polished reflection of your leadership identity and respect for the situation.

As you can see, the modern approach is far more about substance and connection than it is about surface-level performance.

Think of this guide as your personal roadmap for that journey. We will explore each of these pillars through a modern, inclusive lens. You'll get practical, actionable steps to build a presence that not only amplifies your impact but also feels completely and authentically you.

Cultivating Gravitas: Your Foundation Of Influence

It’s easy to confuse gravitas with a loud voice or a dominant personality. But real gravitas has nothing to do with volume. It's about substance. Think of it as the quiet, internal confidence that signals you’re a grounded, reliable leader who can be trusted when the pressure is on.

The leaders you truly admire likely have a certain weight or depth to them. When they speak, people lean in, not because they're the loudest, but because their words carry conviction and thought. That is gravitas in action. It's the bedrock of executive presence, creating a sense of stability for everyone around you. Developing this quality isn’t about faking a serious persona. It’s about connecting more deeply to your own expertise and values, so your leadership becomes an authentic reflection of who you are.

Lead With Conviction and Decisiveness

Gravitas shows its value most when things get uncertain. When a project hits a roadblock or a tough call needs to be made, a leader with presence doesn’t waver or delegate blame. They show conviction by making clear, well-reasoned decisions, even when they don't have all the information.

This doesn’t mean you have to pretend to have all the answers. Real conviction means being transparent about what you know, what you don't, and the principles guiding your final decision. It's about explaining your rationale with clarity and owning the outcome, which builds tremendous trust with your team. Here’s a simple yet effective technique: pause before you respond in a high-stakes meeting. Instead of reacting instantly, take a breath. That small gesture signals composure and gives you a moment to gather your thoughts, ensuring your response is measured and intentional.

Stay Composed Under Pressure

Your team looks to you for emotional cues. When challenges arise, your ability to remain calm and centered is a powerful display of gravitas. Composure isn't about suppressing emotion; it’s about managing your emotional state so you can think clearly and guide others effectively.

One of the quickest ways leaders accidentally undermine their gravitas is by reacting emotionally to setbacks. A frustrated sigh during a tense discussion or a sharply worded email can damage your credibility instantly.

Build Credibility Through Integrity

Ultimately, gravitas is rooted in who you are and what you stand for. Your integrity—the alignment between what you say and what you do—is the most powerful source of your credibility. When people know they can rely on you to keep your word and operate from a place of strong values, they will trust your leadership.

This is built in the small moments, every single day.

Keep your commitments. If you promise to follow up on something, do it. Reliability is a cornerstone of trust.

Give credit where it's due. Acknowledging the contributions of others shows humility and demonstrates that you're secure in your own leadership.

Listen more than you speak. In a world where everyone is fighting to be heard, deep listening has become a profound sign of gravitas. It shows you genuinely value other people's perspectives.

Take a moment to reflect on your own leadership. What are the core principles that guide your decisions? How can you embody those values more intentionally this week? Deepening your gravitas starts with this internal work. For any leader looking to build this kind of values-driven impact, exploring leadership insights can be a supportive space for continued growth.

Mastering Communication To Connect And Inspire

Even the most brilliant ideas are powerless if they don't land with clarity and impact. This is where the communication pillar of executive presence comes into its own. It’s about making sure your voice isn’t just heard, but that it’s felt—moving people to action and building respect.

Exceptional leadership communication isn't just about giving a polished speech. It’s the entire package: how you structure your thoughts in a tense meeting, the precision of a critical email, and the genuine connection you build when you tell a story. It's about making every word count.

The Art of Concise and Impactful Language

Leaders with a strong presence are masters of clarity. They have an ability to cut through the noise, structuring their thoughts so logically that their message is both easy to follow and impossible to ignore. They don't hide behind jargon or overly complex language.

One of the most common traps leaders fall into is over-explaining. They fill the silence with extra words, which can accidentally signal a lack of confidence in their own message. The goal is to be both clear and compelling.

Here are a couple of practical ways to sharpen this skill:

Use the "BLUF" method: This stands for Bottom Line Up Front. Start with your main point or recommendation first, then provide the supporting details. This immediately signals decisive thinking and respects everyone's time.

Edit ruthlessly: Before you send an important email or finalize talking points, ask yourself one simple question: "Can I say this more simply?" If a sentence doesn't add direct value, remove it.

This kind of discipline shows you value your own time and, just as importantly, the time of others—a hallmark of any respected leader.

The Unspoken Language of Presence

What you don't say often speaks volumes. Your non-verbal cues—your posture, how you hold eye contact, the energy you bring into a room or a Zoom call—are constantly broadcasting messages to those around you. Research consistently shows that over half of all communication is non-verbal.

In our hybrid work environment, getting this right on-screen is critical. Small tweaks can completely change how your presence is perceived.

Take a thoughtful look at your virtual setup. Is the lighting good? Are you looking directly into the camera to create eye contact, not just at the faces on your screen? In person, it’s about inhabiting your space appropriately, using gestures with purpose, and maintaining a posture that conveys both composure and genuine attention.

Connecting Emotionally Through Storytelling

Facts and figures inform, but stories are what truly connect and inspire. Leaders who have honed their executive presence know that wrapping data in a narrative is what makes a message stick.

Storytelling isn't about making things up. It’s about providing context, sharing a relatable challenge, and showing the human impact of a decision or strategy. This is how you connect with your audience on an emotional level, which is key to building buy-in and motivating your team.

For example, instead of just running through sales numbers on a slide, tell a quick story about a specific client win. What problem were they facing? How did your team pull together to find a solution? What was the outcome? This simple shift turns dry data into a powerful story of success. By mastering concise language, aligning your non-verbal cues, and using storytelling to build connection, you develop a communication style that does more than just inform—it influences. For more ways to develop these skills, explore the leadership insights we share with our community.

Aligning Your Inner Mindset And Outer Expression

This is where all the pieces come together. The deep work on your gravitas and communication now needs to show up in how you present yourself to the world. True executive presence isn't an act you put on; it's a state of alignment. It's that powerful moment when how people see you is a direct, confident reflection of the leader you know you are.

This goes beyond choosing the right outfit. We're talking about managing your energy, projecting genuine self-respect, and being intentional about how you show up in every interaction. The goal is to feel so comfortable in your own skin that your external presence simply amplifies your internal strength. When that clicks, your impact becomes undeniable.

Defining Your Authentic Leadership Brand

Before you can align your outer expression, you have to get clear on what you’re trying to express. This is your leadership brand. Think of it as the intersection of your core values, your standout strengths, and the impact you want to have on people.

It’s your leadership DNA. When someone walks away from a conversation with you, what is the one thing you want them to remember? Defining this gives you a North Star for everything, from the projects you champion to the way you hold yourself in a tense meeting.

To start, ask yourself these questions:

What are two or three non-negotiable values that drive your decisions? (Think: integrity, curiosity, compassion)

When you’re at your best, what unique skills are you using?

What is the one thing you want to be known for as a leader?

Navigating Biased Feedback With Empowerment

For many, especially women and leaders from underrepresented backgrounds, feedback on "presence" can feel like a trap. You’re told to be more assertive, but then you're labeled "aggressive." Be warmer, and suddenly your authority is questioned.

It's an exhausting and unfair double bind. The way through it is with a strategy rooted in self-trust. When you get vague feedback like, "You just need more presence," your most powerful move is to ask for specifics. You can gently push back by saying, "Thank you for that insight. To help me understand better, could you share a specific example of when you observed that? What different action would have landed with more impact?"

This question does two things. First, it shifts the conversation from a fuzzy judgment to actionable coaching. Second, it acts as a filter. If the person can't provide a concrete, behavior-based example, it’s a sign that their advice may be tangled up in unconscious bias, not your actual performance. You can then choose to file that feedback away, secure in the clarity of your own leadership brand.

Making Intentional Choices About Your Self-Presentation

Once you have a clear leadership brand, decisions about your professional appearance become strategic, not stressful. The question shifts from, "What am I supposed to wear?" to, "What message do I want to communicate today?" Your appearance is another tool for reinforcing your competence and self-respect.

Align with the situation: Think about the context. Are you meeting with the creative team or the board of directors? Your choices should always show respect for your audience and the setting.

Embody your brand: If your brand is about innovation, your style can reflect a modern, forward-thinking approach. If it’s about stability and trust, a more classic style might feel more authentic.

Prioritize feeling powerful: This is the most important piece. How do your choices make you feel? When you feel comfortable and confident in what you’re wearing, you carry yourself differently. That energy is a core component of executive presence.

Ultimately, this alignment is a daily practice of self-awareness and integrity. It’s about closing the gap between the incredible leader you are on the inside and the leader everyone gets to experience on the outside.

Your Network and Visibility: Turning Impact into Influence

Your presence isn't just about how you show up; it's about how your impact is perceived and amplified by others. Once you've done the work on your mindset and communication, the next step is to make sure the right people see and value your contributions.

This isn't about relentless self-promotion. It's about building a genuine network of allies and making sure your expertise is in the room when important decisions are being made. For many women leaders who've been taught to let their work speak for itself, this can feel uncomfortable. But strategic visibility isn't bragging—it's ensuring your value is understood.

Build Alliances, Not Just a Rolodex

Leaders who have true influence don't just collect contacts; they cultivate meaningful relationships. They build a personal "board of directors"—a diverse group of peers, mentors, and sponsors who offer support, challenge their thinking, and advocate for them.

Your Peers: These are your allies in the trenches. They are the people in similar roles who understand your daily reality and can be a sounding board for tough challenges.

Your Mentors: Mentors are your guides. They've walked a similar path and can share their hard-earned wisdom to help you sharpen your skills and avoid common pitfalls.

Your Sponsors: This can be a pivotal relationship. Sponsors are influential leaders who will actively champion you. They'll put your name forward for a stretch assignment or promotion when you're not even in the room. You earn sponsorship by consistently delivering excellent work and building trust with senior leadership.

The key to all of this is to shift your mindset from "what can I get?" to "how can I contribute?" Be generous with your insights and support. That kind of authentic give-and-take is the bedrock of any powerful professional relationship.

Be Seen Where It Counts

Visibility isn't about being the loudest person in every meeting. It's about making smart, impactful contributions at critical moments. The goal is to be recognized as a strategic thinker who drives the business forward, not just an operator who completes tasks.

A simple but powerful way to do this is to always connect your work back to the bigger picture. Don't just report what you did; explain why it matters.

For instance, instead of saying: "My team rolled out the new software update."

Frame it with its strategic value: "My team just launched the new software update, which directly addresses the customer retention issues we discussed last quarter. Early data is already showing a 15% drop in related support tickets."

See the difference? You’ve shifted your contribution from a simple task to a strategic win. It shows you're not just executing—you're thinking about the business.

How to Find and Work With a Great Mentor

Mentorship can accelerate your growth, but many people get stuck on how to find the right person. Start by looking for leaders you genuinely admire—not just for their title, but for how they lead, communicate, or navigate challenges.

When you reach out, be specific and respect their time. The generic "will you be my mentor?" request often leads nowhere. Instead, try asking for a single, 30-minute conversation to get their perspective on a specific challenge you're facing. It's a much smaller ask and is far more likely to get a "yes." Remember, a great mentee drives the relationship. Show up to every conversation prepared with an agenda and thoughtful questions. Afterward, follow up and let them know how you put their advice into action. For anyone looking for a more formal and targeted approach, programs like executive matchmaking services can be incredibly effective at connecting you with seasoned mentors aligned with your goals.

Making Presence A Practice Of Intentional Growth

Building executive presence is not a project with a finish line. It is a continuous practice—a commitment to self-awareness, intentional action, and making thoughtful adjustments along the way. This final piece is about weaving these concepts into your daily rhythm so they become second nature.

This isn't about chasing an impossible standard of perfection. It’s about committing to progress. The real growth happens when you make small, consistent efforts that build on each other over time, strengthening your leadership from the inside out.

From Theory To Daily Practice

Real growth happens in the small moments of your day. The key is to build simple, reinforcing exercises into your existing routines. You don't need to find more hours in the day, just more intention in the minutes you have.

Reflective Journaling: Take five minutes before you end your workday. Ask yourself, "When did I feel most present and impactful today? When did I feel I wasn't quite connecting?" This simple habit is the foundation of self-awareness.

Concise Communication Drills: Before you send an important email, give yourself a challenge: cut its length by 25% without losing the core message. This forces you to get crystal clear on what matters, a skill that translates everywhere.

This simple flow shows how to put your presence into action by focusing on how you build relationships, show your value, and create new opportunities.

As you can see, strategic visibility isn't passive. It starts with genuinely cultivating relationships and leads to leveraging those connections for greater impact.

Seeking And Integrating Feedback

You can’t shift what you can’t see. Asking for feedback is an act of courage and the single fastest way to accelerate your growth. Don't just ask, "How am I doing?" Get specific. Approach a trusted colleague and say something like, “In that last project meeting, what’s one thing I could have done to make my main point land with more impact?”

For those who are ready to dive deeper and get truly personalized support, one-on-one guidance can be a powerful catalyst for change. A dedicated partnership through executive coaching offers the structure, accountability, and expert sounding board needed to turn these insights into lasting leadership habits.

Your presence is a reflection of your leadership. Investing in its growth is one of the most empowering choices you can make for your career.

Your Questions, Answered

As you begin to work on your executive presence, some questions will naturally arise. Here are some of the most common questions I hear from leaders, with straightforward answers to give you clarity.

Is Executive Presence Something You're Born With?

This is a common question, and the answer is no. Executive presence is absolutely a learned skill.

While some people may seem to have a natural ease with certain traits, anyone can develop a powerful presence. It’s not about changing your personality or becoming a "born leader." Instead, it's about being intentional with your communication habits, your mindset, and how you build relationships. It's a journey of honing the strengths you already have, not becoming someone you're not.

How Is Executive Presence Different For Women And Underrepresented Leaders?

The core principles of presence—gravitas, communication, appearance—are the same for everyone, but the experience of demonstrating them can be very different. Unconscious bias is real, and it often means women and other underrepresented leaders have to walk a much finer line.

For example, being assertive can be mislabeled as "aggressive." Confidence can be seen as "arrogance." For these leaders, the work is twofold: building rock-solid internal confidence while also learning to navigate systems that may not have been built for them. The key is finding a style of self-presentation that feels both powerful and completely authentic.

How Do I Build Presence When I'm Working Remotely?

In a virtual environment, presence is all about intentionality. You can't rely on walking into a room to command attention; you have to create it.

Here are a few practical ways to do that:

Be deliberate with your communication. Make your emails and Slack messages clear and concise.

Master your video presence. Good lighting and making eye contact with the camera (not just the screen) create a surprisingly strong connection.

Use the power of the pause. Don't rush your words on a call. A thoughtful pause before you answer a question adds weight and signals confidence.

Lead with structure. If you're running the meeting, have an agenda and facilitate with a clear purpose.

Listen actively. One of the most powerful things you can do remotely is make others feel heard. It shows inclusive leadership, which is impossible to miss.

Taking control of your presence is one of the most powerful things you can do for your career. If you're looking for a dedicated partner to help you turn these ideas into real-world impact, BW Empowerment LLC provides one-on-one executive coaching designed to help you lead with greater confidence and clarity.

You can learn more about how we can help you grow.