Have you ever been told you are (or ever hoped to be perceived as) a “born leader”? Great news. While there is some evidence to suggest that some people are born with innate qualities (like charisma and decisiveness) that make them more likely to step up as leaders, most research demonstrates that leadership can be learned through leadership development courses and coaching. In fact, a recent study suggests that only 30% of leadership is genetic – the remaining 70% is learned!
If your goal is to improve your leadership skills – whether you simply want to boost your career options or you’re keen to improve your skills for the sake of your employees and your business – then you need the right leadership development strategies and the right support. Read on for advice regarding building your executive presence and developing the leader within you.
Building Your Executive Presence
Your “executive presence” is a mix of all the things that make people perceive and accept you as a leader. It involves how you “carry” yourself, how you communicate, and how you make people feel safe enough to follow you. A solid executive presence means:
- Projecting confidence, working calmly under pressure, and always ensuring sound judgment.
- Clearly articulating your thoughts, listening actively, and engaging others.
- Dressing and showing up in a polished, professional way.
Many positive outcomes happen when your executive presence is on point. Ultimately, it will empower you to advance your career and inspire others, but it will also help you to feel more self-assured about your abilities, your potential, and your future.
Luckily, there are various courses and workshops available to assist you in building your executive presence and your confidence overall. However, not all of these training options are created equal. Here are the most important aspects to watch out for when comparing your options:
- Experiential Learning: The best workshops involve hands-on exercises, role-plays, and group discussions to reinforce concepts. Courses based purely on theory and textbook learning means you’ll develop the knowledge, but might not have the tools necessary to put it into practice.
- Personalized Feedback: Learning and practicing your skills during leadership training is one thing – but how will you know if you’re on the right track? How will you know your strengths and weaknesses? Always look for workshops and courses that offer personal coaching, guidance, and feedback from experienced facilitators.
- Accreditation: You want to put the work into your leadership training so you can grow personally and professionally – but you also want your certification to be recognized by potential employers. Accreditation goes a long way when it comes to sprucing up your resume.
Workshops and courses that include the aforementioned features stand out from the rest because they revolve around heightening self-awareness, helping you to gain a better understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and impact on others. They’re also designed to guide you towards mastering communication skills beyond verbal communication, including body language and learning how to respond instead of react. The end goal is for you to develop a compelling personal brand and an action plan for your career.
Explore Neuroscience and Leadership
Another vital part of a quality leadership training workshop or course is neuroscience and unpacking how it affects leadership, as well as neuroleadership itself.
Neuroleadership is an interdisciplinary approach combining insights from neuroscience with principles of management. It aims to integrate scientifically grounded findings from brain research into leadership and corporate management. The primary goal of neuroleadership is to provide leaders with tools and insights to enhance their leadership abilities and support leadership success. By considering how the brain functions and the basic needs of employees, leaders can develop more effective leadership techniques to increase performance, engagement, and satisfaction.
Basically, by exploring neuroscience and leadership, you’ll learn more about human behavior, motivation, and decision-making, empowering you to lead with knowledge, understanding, and confidence. Did you know that neuroscience offers insights into how the brain makes decisions and solves problems? If you understand how this works, you’ll be able to optimize these processes. Neuroleadership also helps with emotional regulation and stress management – both for themselves and their employees.
Core Competencies in Developing Leadership Presence
Now that you know the benefits of attending a quality leadership training workshop to learn strategies to improve leadership skills, it’s time to find out exactly what makes for strong leadership presence. Here’s a breakdown of the core competencies to aim for:
1. Ethical Practice – Great leaders have high ethical standards. This means demonstrating transparency and integrity in their actions and communications with employees and clients. As a result, they earn trust and build their credibility.
2. Coaching Mindset – Leaders shouldn’t give orders; they should guide. A coaching mindset (which is open, flexible, and curious) allows leaders to respond to their employees’ needs and create a more collaborative environment in which both individuals and teams thrive.
3. Ability to Establish Trust and Safety – Employees shouldn’t follow a leader because they fear them. Rather, they should follow because they trust the leader and feel safe that they’re being led in the right direction. Ultimately, great leaders create an environment where all members of their team feel valued, respected, and motivated to achieve a shared goal.
4. Active Listening – Great leaders listen actively to their teams, understanding both verbal and non-verbal cues. This skill helps them to fully grasp the perspectives and concerns of others, facilitating better decision-making.
5. Accelerating Growth and Development – Leaders are responsible for promoting their team members’ growth. This includes providing constructive feedback, encouraging self-reflection, and supporting personal and professional development.
6. Evoking Awareness – A great leader helps others gain insights and awareness about their own capabilities and potential through powerful questioning and reflective practices.
7. Maintaining Presence – Being fully present and engaged with team members is crucial for all leaders. This presence builds connections and shows commitment to the team’s success.
Neurodiversity at Work: Building Inclusive Environments
Up to 20% of the global population is estimated to be neurodivergent, encompassing conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. Nowadays, neurodiversity is viewed as a strength in the workplace. After all, neuroatypical people have a special set of skills and abilities that many neurotypical people don’t, like visual thinking, attention to detail, and creative problem-solving. Research indicates that teams with neurodivergent professionals can be up to 30% more productive in certain roles.
Another benefit of building a more inclusive, neurodivergent environment is that all employees feel valued. This inclusivity can lead to higher job satisfaction and retention rates, as employees are more likely to stay in organizations that recognize their unique contributions.
So, how can leaders drive innovation through inclusion?
- Collaborative Innovation: By assembling teams with a mix of identities, skills, and lived experiences, organizations can maximize collective intelligence. This diversity allows for collaborative problem-solving and the generation of innovative ideas that might not emerge in more homogenous groups.
- Embedding Inclusive Practices: Leaders should integrate inclusive practices into every aspect of the organization, from hiring processes to project management. This holistic approach ensures that inclusivity becomes a core value that drives innovation and success.
- Measuring Impact: Organizations should establish metrics to assess the effectiveness of their diversity and inclusion initiatives. By tracking progress and outcomes, leaders can refine their strategies to better support neurodiverse talent and enhance innovation capabilities.
Executive Presence and Influence for Leadership Success
As mentioned, executive presence is the cornerstone of leadership success – locking down your own unique executive presence crucial for strategic leadership development. There are four main components to this. Firstly, coming across as confident and poised. Doing this means believing in your worth and abilities, and it will come through in your body language, your demeanor, and the way you “carry” yourself.
A strong executive presence also involves excellent communications skills – but this means more than being able to communicate your own thoughts clearly. It’s also about actively listening to others and responding thoughtfully.
Your decisiveness is component number three. All people with a solid executive presence are able to make informed decisions quickly and often under pressure, which helps to build trust in your ability to lead effectively.
Finally, appearance really does matter. Be sure to dress appropriately for your role and maintain a polished look to convey seriousness and respect for your position and colleagues.
Here are some actionable tips for successfully building your executive presence:
- Spend more time improving your public speaking skills.
- When asked questions, use a clear format to present your ideas: state your opinion, support it with reasons or facts, provide an example, and summarize your point succinctly.
- Practice understanding others’ perspectives. This can enhance your ability to connect with team members and stakeholders, making you a more relatable leader.
- Regularly seek constructive feedback from peers and mentors about your presence and communication style and use this information to identify areas for improvement.
- Be proactive in making connections. Introduce people to one another and be known as a connector within your organization. This will expand your influence and visibility.
- Ensure that your actions align with your words. Building trust is essential; people respect leaders who practice what they preach.
- Before important discussions, prepare talking points to guide the conversation. This shows initiative and helps keep meetings focused and productive.
- During meetings, actively engage by asking questions and contributing ideas. This not only demonstrates your interest but also positions you as a thoughtful leader.
- Be mindful of your non-verbal cues. Maintain eye contact, use open gestures, and ensure your posture conveys confidence and openness.
Executive Presence in Presentations for Impactful Leadership
There’s no more important time for your executive presence to shine through than when you’re giving a presentation. Unfortunately, it’s often a time when you’re nervous and perhaps even feeling a touch of “imposter syndrome”. The secret here? Fake it ‘til you make it! If you’re well-prepared and know your material, that’s half the battle already won. You’ll also benefit from:
- Speaking clearly, concisely and with conviction.
- Actively listening to others and tailoring your message to the audience.
- Using appropriate body language like steady eye contact and useful gestures.
- Recognizing emotions in yourself and others to navigate complex interactions.
- Showing empathy and engaging in dialogue to build meaningful connections.
- Adapting your style to different situations with flexibility and calm thinking.
- Using storytelling techniques to showcase your passion and vision.
Are you ready to take bigger steps towards strategic leadership development? Choose Corporate Class Inc. for workshops and coaching, all implementing leadership improvement strategies. Our online leadership training program is designed for mid-level and experienced leaders, high potentials, and rising leaders with a focus on executive presence, communicating with impact, and leading with purpose. You’ll enjoy flexible, self-paced learning, engaging multimedia content, personalized assessments and insights, and practical, hands-on activities. It’s everything you need to prioritize your personal and professional growth, as well as future-proof your career. Contact us today to begin your journey towards strategic leadership development, holistically developing the leader within you.
