When it comes to Executive Presence, I like to say that “presence = being present”. And being present means being willing to truly be in each moment as it unspools. It means allowing yourself to see and be seen, hear and be heard, feel and be felt. If you want to make a real impact, and to amp up your executive presence, you’ve got to be willing to fully reveal yourself.
Which is why I’m so fascinated by how many business professionals who say they want to be perceived more as leaders choose to don their cloak of invisibility. And they do this in both virtual or live-in-person meetings and conversations.
I once gave a talk on executive presence to a group of women in business, most of whom were in positions of leadership. Out of the approximately 80 attendees present, perhaps five people kept their video switched on during the entirety of my presentation. At one point, I even shamelessly asked the attendees to turn on their videos so I could see their faces. One or two of them did, the rest remained hidden from view. And most were also unwilling to participate when I asked them to unmute and share their voices and perspective from time to time. At the end of the presentation, I thought “Well, I was 100% willing to be seen and heard by my audience members. But I can’t say the same for them.” It seemed terribly ironic to me that women who had chosen to come together in the name of learning how to increase their executive presence weren’t willing to drop their coats of invisibility and reveal themselves—not just to me, but to anyone else in the group.
Now, as a presentation skills and executive presence coach who has helped thousands of business professionals manage the performance anxiety that keeps them from stepping confidently into a spotlight moment, I know how scary being fully seen and heard can feel. It’s certainly a lot safer to hang in the wings than it is to reveal yourself. Because an all-eyes-on-you public moment can sometimes feel downright overwhelming.
That said, safer isn’t necessary better, if you’re trying to help others perceive you as a leader. Switching off your video or muting yourself—literally or metaphorically—can harm your ability to project the kind of confident executive presence that wins you respect or promotions. Because if you aren’t going to risk letting your presence be felt by keeping your video turned on during a zoom call, or speaking up at meetings (in person or otherwise), how on earth are people going to take you seriously as a leader (or wanna-be leader)?
Effective leaders are willing to be risk being present, seen, and heard by their audiences of one or many, even when conversations or situations are challenging. By consciously choosing to opt in, not out, they boost their executive presence and are able to have greater impact and influence. And the good news is, the more they practice being present, the easier it gets.
So when you’re on Zoom, switch on your video and unmute yourself. When you’re in a live meeting or conversation, drop your cloak of invisibility and step firmly into each moment. Take the risk to be present, so your colleagues and the powers-that-be, can feel, see and hear your wisdom and level of engagement. You’ll ultimately generate a greater, more confident executive presence, so you can make the difference you were born to make.