Poor Executive Presence: What It Is and How to Address It

“I wish I could promote you, BUT you lack executive presence.” It’s a phrase all too often heard in most companies. The boss may not always use the words “executive presence” specifically, but it’s frequently implied. The boss believes the employee brings many strengths and has a high level of commitment but displays a poor executive presence. As a result, the boss (or other senior leaders) doesn’t feel confident that the employee could succeed in a leadership role.

Talent Review Meetings – How a Poor Executive Presence Negatively Impacts You

In talent review meetings, senior leaders often utter similar phrases while debating who deserves a promotion. During these closed-door meetings, an advocate may speak up for you, voicing your greatest strengths. Then, another leader may follow up with a critique: Despite your key strengths, you come across as having a poor executive presence.

If you’ve heard this phrase during a conversation about a possible promotion—or if you believe this perception has held you back during a talent review—don’t be discouraged. You can shift leaders’ perception of you as a person lacking executive presence through diligent effort—which you’ve already shown you’re good at.

Research on executive presence highlights some common ways in which leaders undermine their executive presence. In conversations with my clients, I call these “BUT” behaviors. They hold capable people back from earning higher-level positions by creating the perception that they have a poor level of executive presence. The good news is that after identifying these behaviors, you can create a plan for systematically changing them and shifting that perception.

Here are some of the most common “BUT” behaviors that my clients have engaged in:

1. You’re highly intelligent, BUT you hesitate to share your opinion or have much of a presence in groups.
2. You have technical prowess, BUT you never take charge of a situation when someone needs to step up to the plate.
3. You excel with peers and clients, BUT you communicate poorly (or not at all) with senior leaders.
4. You know the business inside and out, BUT you still avoid making bold decisions or putting a stake in the ground to own a position.
5. You perform your role skillfully, BUT you deliberately stay inside your comfort zone.
6. You have a wealth of knowledge, BUT you ramble and leave people confused about what you were trying to say.

To move to the next level, these clients needed to overcome their “BUT” behaviors. Like them, you can open new doors in your career by overcoming the behaviors sabotaging your success.

In my book Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction, you can learn more about the behaviors that hold people back from the next level of leadership. Throughout the book, you’ll learn about the 9 key qualities of executive presence and the common behaviors that can directly undermine them. BUT behaviors can shut doors in your career, but you can open them by taking action.

What BUT behaviors are sabotaging your executive presence?

Write down your top 6:

1. ______________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________________________________
4. ______________________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________________
6. ______________________________________________________________________

• Circle the top 2 that are most holding you back. You could also talk this through with a trusted friend or mentor to gain clarity.
• Write down an action you’ll take to correct course. Again, you can talk with a trusted confidant if need be to gain perspective.

You can also take an executive presence quiz to reflect on how you show up across contexts.

To decide on the action step, consider, “If I were to stop engaging in this BUT behavior, and start creating the right impression, what would that look like?” Think of something you can do today—or next time you’re in the situation where you display the BUT behavior—to change course. If you avoid talking to senior leaders in the hall, perhaps you can confidently greet them and congratulate them for the success of their latest initiative.

Your BUT behavior has been placing limits on what others believe you’re capable of achieving. BUT, it’s just a set of habits, which you can change—in order to achieve greater professional success.

Many clients find that peer support can help them eliminate their BUT behaviors. They find a supportive peer who wants to go through this process as well, and then they help one another identify their BUT behaviors and determine action steps for changing executive presence. Peer support boosts accountability and motivation, while giving you great feedback in a timely manner.

Working with an executive presence coach will help you set a detailed plan to improve executive presence, especially if it’s poor. An executive coach can also help you understand how others truly perceive you. For personalized support, contact Joel to begin an executive coaching program today. If you want immediate help, buy his book, Executive Presence: Step into Your Power, Convey Confidence and Lead with Conviction.