Executive Presence, 09 10 2025
In the initial days of my career, I was surprised to see a few of my colleagues make a big impact on the leadership team despite similar work contribution. Later in my career too, I found that some executives had what I had by then learnt called the ‘Executive Presence’, that set them apart. On reflection, I found that many of these young impact makers were children of IAS officers or top- ranking executives who had imbibed their parents’ behaviour. There were the odd exceptions too who had learnt these key skills despite hailing from middleclass families.
On exploring this domain and validating them with my personal observations, I could identify four critical elements that standout, namely their presence, gravitas, communication and credibility. These being skills that can be learnt, I have tried to share this with willing youngsters who want to imbibe these skills to match their work place impact with their work contribution.
Presence: My first encounter with the need to make a good impact at workplace was when I joined my CA Articles training. My boss before sending us to large companies for audit emphasized the need for us to dress in sober color and design, wear polished shoes and be well groomed. Later in my career when I had to go to large financial institutions to borrow money, my boss who recently had joined us from a multinational corporation insisted that we wear tie to work and on all official visits outside our office. Later, when our fundraising initiatives expanded overseas, the need for suits and blazers emerged. These experiences made me realize that presence communicates authenticity, which is essential for success.
Gravitas: An impressive presence is only the start. To sustain, gravitas is needed. Gravitas is what we see when we interact with members of armed forces and elite commando groups. Their impressive uniform is matched by their silent authority that comes from an erect posture, dignified silence, and purposeful movement. They speak without even uttering a word. We can see the same gravitas with many bankers and corporate leaders that make us pay attention to what they say.
Communication: With an effective presence and gravitas, we have a ready audience. The main impact begins when we start to talk. Clear thoughts, appropriate language, and emotional intelligence to sense the mood of the occasion before talking is the bridge that connects. Humor plays a key role to lighten situations but needs judicious use. Subtle hints work, but overused, it dilutes gravitas.
Credibility: For sustained executive presence, credibility is the visible superstructure. Though built on the foundation of presence, gravitas and communication, what leaves a lasting impression is credibility. Reflected in punctuality, thoughtfulness with which commitments are made, and visible effort taken to record every commitment made reflects sincerity and respect to our partner. Delivering on your promises especially small ones, admitting mistakes and accepting accountability goes a long way in building credibility. Executive presence is your character performing. Though influenced by parents initially, it is not inherited but consciously cultivated. It is not about dominating but influencing conversations and decisions. In short, executive presence is where posture meets purpose.
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